The Golden Era: Tracing the Origins of El Dorado County’s Prosperity – PREFACE

(Oct. 21, 1923) – Paolo Sioli, Publisher. 1883

HISTORY OF EL DORADO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

COMPILED BY P. SIOLI.

with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of its PROMINENT MEN & PIONEERS.

1883 [unredacted]

[PREFACE]

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To our patrons and the public in general we herewith present the Illustrated History of El Dorado County. The county in which the discovery of gold was made, which in consequence has given the impulse to set in motion an emigration, entirely unknown before in history, and which kept on coming here for eighteen or twenty years, thus gathering within her borders a population ranging from twenty to forty thousand, including all grades and classes of people, but constituting a community of pride and power which made El Dorado to become the “Empire County” of the State. Not only on account of the great discovery already mentioned that was made here, but also for the reason that she is one of the largest and richest counties in the mining district she was deservedly complimented with the name she bears.

Though slumbering now since the completion of the Central Pacific Railroad across the Sierra Nevada, she will come to life and activity before long to reward the energy and industry of her people and to place her in the rank which she always has deserved.

From the beginning of writing the history of El Dorado County it has been the most serious aim and design of the publisher and the writer to give in a most comprehensive and precise form the complete and exact history of geography, topography. climate and soils, of resources and productions as well as of wealth, spirit and enterprise of her people. The first twelve chapters have been devoted to the pre-American history of California and the American conquest, preceding the discovery of gold at Coloma; while the following chapters treat the history of El Dorado exceptionally in her connection with the State as well as concerning her own affairs, and in particular care is given to the local history of her towns. Biographical sketches of many of the most prominent men and old pioneer, fill another chapter of the work, which is illustrated with many portraits of well-known men, and a great number of attractive views of the pretty homes, the scenery, etc., throughout the county. If we have been successful in accomplishing these aims, as we hope, we have to return our thanks to all who have rendered assistance to the work; in particular we arc indebted to the courtesy of D. W. Gelwicks, Esq., of Oakland, for his files of the Mountain Democrat, the oldest paper in the county, as well as to W. A. Selkirk, Esq., and B. F. Davis, Esq., of Placerville, for generous use of their files of the Mountain Democrat and the Placerville Republican, respectively. Finally, we express our heartiest thanks to our patrons for their liberal support of the work and the interest they have taken in having it completed with illustrations, etc. But for their generous aid, no such book could have been published.