Prairie City & Prairie City Cemetery - Folsom, California

DATE VISITED: 02/22/2015

HISTORICAL SITE: Prairie City Site 

LOCATION: Prairie City Rd. (North of Hwy 50), Folsom, Sacramento Co., CA

MARKER #: 464

DEDICATED: November 5, 1950

"Site of Prairie City, mining town and center of trade in California gold rush days.  In July, 1853, Prairie City reached the height of its prosperity, and included fifteen stores and ten boarding houses and hotels. Two stage lines operated daily.  A $50,000 quartz mill operated here in the 50's."

** closer look below

MARKER PLACED BY: California Centennials Commission, base furnished by Fern Parlor, No. 123, Native Daughters of the Golden West, and granite Parlor No. 83, Native Sons of the Golden West .

Next to this monument was a smaller monument to note the uncovering of several bodies when making improvements in the area, so it was another BONUS!

HISTORICAL SITE:  Prairie City Cemetery

LOCATION: Prairie City Rd. (North of Hwy 50), Folsom, Sacramento Co., CA

DEDICATED: 1998

"The site of the Prairie City Cemetery that once served the bustling gold rush town of Prairie City was located during construction of the Prairie City Road and Highway 50 interchange in May 1997. It was used between 1853 and at least 1872 and may have first been known as the Alder Creek Cemetery as early as 1852. It was likely used by the citizens of Prairie City and other surrounding communities.

Please visit the Mormon Island Relocation Cemetery on Shadowfax Lane off Green Valley Road in El Dorado Hills, where in 1998, the remains of twelve of the deceased from this cemetery were relocated by the California Department of Transportation."

**closer look below

MARKER PLACED BY: California Department of Transportation with the cooperation of Intel Corporation and the Folsom Historical Society

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS: One of the great things about living in the Sacramento area is that it is rich in history.  There are many, many local, state and federal historical places.  When planning a trip, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to go to one site and come home only to return less than 1/2 mile from the first trip.  So there will be times, like this trip, where I will visit more than one spot.

Of course, there will also be times I plan to visit more than one site and get my directions wrong and the trip takes longer than it should...again, what happened this trip.  I mis-calculated where a marker was because I was under the mistaken belief that I knew what was in a certain area.

It's great when the directions to a particular marker is a complete address but then you get those that give a general vicinity and you have to search for it.  I first went the wrong way on Prairie City Rd.  My son lived and works nearby and I certainly never remembered seeing a monument in the area.  After traveling south a little ways, I knew I was going in the wrong direction.  

Then I zipped right by it and had to find a way back.  When I turned around, I found I had to go more than a mile out of my way before I could find a place to turn back again.  This monument sits on the backside of the Folsom High School stadium and right on busy Prairie City Rd, across the street from Intel...why couldn't those directions be written somewhere?  Thankfully, there's a bit of a driveway to pull into.

 

Prairie City is the perfect example of just one of many California gold discovery towns...established in June 1853 and by July, had over 2,000 men, women and children living there.  Yet by 1854, people started moving away as the gold dried up and by the mid 1870's, little of the town even remained.  These days, when "Prairie City" is mentioned, most people think of the State Parks Off-Highway Vehicle  Recreation Area.