Virginiatown - Newcastle, California

DATE VISITED: 02/10/2015

HISTORICAL SITE: Virginiatown

LOCATION: 4725 Virginiatown Rd., Newcastle, Placer Co.

MARKER #: 400

DEDICATED: September 28, 1952

"Founded June 1851, the town was commonly called "Virginia". Over two thousand miners worked rich deposits. Captain John Brislow built California's first railroad, 1852, carrying pay dirt to Auburn Ravine, a distance of one mile. Site of Philip Armour's and George Aldrich's butcher shop, said to have led to founding of the famous Chicago Armour meatpacking company."
**closer look below

MARKER PLACED BY: California Department of Natural Resources in cooperation with the Placer County Historical Society and the County of Placer

RESTAURANT: AwfulAnnie's - 490 G St., Lincoln, CA

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS: 

Ok, so this isn't a Monday either.  

Whereas last week I was in the middle of a busy area, this week I am all alone on a quiet country road.  Funny, I only feel slightly less foolish taking pictures as someone drives by.  I spend some time reading about a town that no longer exists, Virginiatown,  and listening to the quiet.  Quiet...that's one of those things you don't notice until it's almost forced upon you.  That's when you notice the individual elements of "quiet"...birds, wind, leaves rustling along the road.

I checked my phone app on where to eat and the map had me half way between Auburn and Lincoln.  Having just been in Auburn with Dirk, I choose Lincoln.  My GPS guided me back the way I came but the other direction looked more interesting.  I'm feeling pretty brave with a GPS, so I headed down the road in that direction.  The road got narrower and I had to pull over and wait for a truck to pass in the opposite direction.

About 1/4 mile later I thought to myself "shoot, forgot to tag the monument on FaceBook".  While I use FaceBook as a way to keep in contact with my friends and family,  both Dirk and I also use it to remember where we've been for other blogs or reviews.  So I turned around, went back and tagged the location.  

When I reached the end of the road, there stood another monument, but to what?  I pulled to the side of the road and walked over to it.  BONUS!

HISTORICAL SITE: Gold Town

LOCATION: Virginiatown Rd. & Gold Hill Rd., Newcastle, Placer Co.

DEDICATED: May 1974

"This was a local monument dedicated on May 1974 and it read "Gold Hill. Founded April 1852 by Georgian miners. Gold found 1851. Village included two hotels, general store and jail. Masonic lodge No. 32 first met Nov. 3, 1852. School established 1855. Population 444. This and nearby Virginiatown named before Nevada counterparts. Early inhabitants, Maidu Indians, left mortar holes as the base of this monument."
**closer look below

MARKER PLACED BY: Placer County Historical Society

I then went on to Lincoln.  Now here's something frustrating about GPS...can't they just tell you you've reached your destination "on the left" or "on the right".  I know I have the address and I should be able to figure it out but darn it!, I'm trying to drive.  Inevitably, I go around the block once to find it and then no telling how many more to find a parking spot.  I am not the most proficient driver; never have been, and PLEASE never ask me to parallel park or back up for any length.

I had lunch at Awful Annies...the original.  In the past I haven't gone out to eat by myself very often but I will now.  Both this restaurant and the one from last week are very obviously local hang outs as the servers had a familiar easy camaraderie with the patrons.

 

 TripAdvisor review here....