Me being of Japanese decent, I felt the need to visit Wakamatsu Tea and Silkworm Colony Farm in…read morePlacerville, and to pay my respect to all the courageous men and women whom traveled thousands of miles to a foreign land (America) for a dream of a better life. There are no words that can express my heartfelt gratitude for the sacrifices and hardship the " Isei " (First Generation ) must have gone through ! They paved the way for people like both of my grandfathers whom came to the United States in 1906. On May 20th, 1869 a group of 22 samurais and one women arrived in San Francisco on board the SS China with 50,000 (Mulberry Trees) (Silk worm cocoons) (tea plants and seeds) ( cooking utensils) and (swords). Thus the Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Colony Farm was established on 160 acres in Gold Hill Placerville on June 8th, 1869. The life of the colony was short lived (1869 -1871) due to inadequate funding and a severe drought in 1871. Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Colony was considered to be the first Japanese Settlement in North America. In 1969 Ronald Reagan (governor at the time) proclaimed the colony to be a California Historic Landmark No. 815. The land is currently owned and operated by the American River Conservancy. The farm is on private property, so visitations can only be made by arranging a private tours, attending certain festivals on the property or schdueled events. Next year (2019) marks its 150th anniversary celebration !!! See web site for more details. Thanks for reading !

Have been to a couple of American River Conservancy events at Wakamatsu Farm. Such an historic &…read moreinteresting place. The volunteers & teachers are impressive. It is always an interesting & enjoyable experience in a beautiful setting.

So I went here last Friday & I was in & out. It must be my lucky day! The staff were nice & polite…read moreso as the security! The only reason why I am not giving it a five star is because it was so hard to find the place. Here's a tip for those who need to go here, once you enter the strip mall from Missouri Rd., make a right where "All about Tan" is. It is tucked in a separate bldg. from Little Caesars. There is a Social Security Administration sign right when you enter the strip mall but maybe they can put an arrow to avoid confusion. You will understand what I mean when you're actually there. But kudos to another Yelper, his tips helped me with the landmarks

I walked in today without an appointment. Waited about 25 minutes - not bad, since I didn't have…read morean appointment. The representative wasn't able to help me today because of the nature of my visit (applying for full SS retirement benefits), but she made an appointment for me with their expert in that area for the earliest possible date. I was very pleased with the level of customer service and genuine helpfulness I received today, and I would highly recommend dealing with this particular office.

Fantastic old building from 1859. One of the reasons a quick walk-through placerville is well worth…read moreyour time. I guess the company hangtown leathers now occupies the building.

'Tis The Season For Pumpkin Patchin!…read more SITREP Get out there, people! All the good pumpkins are starting to disappear! And if that is not enough reason to cruise on through El Dorado County, then drive around and check out all the gorgeous Autumn Colors. THE SETUP In either scenario, there are many beautiful opportunities to stop - and "smell the roses" - or in this instance, take a bevy of pictures in Pumpkin Patches and/or amidst the woodland pastures, full of bright flowers and other iconic landmarks. * At O'Hallorans, get a half peck bag - $7 value - and fill up with some fresh fruit! https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/county-of-el-dorado-placerville-3?select=B2oE_MPbsnq371PkSDx7UQ&userid=3mNz5nQFTIBQm0oU5mBR0w * Grab a pumpkin (the orange one she's holding *cough*) https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/county-of-el-dorado-placerville-3?select=CmiloKglnrXgnfFgeHMUlA&userid=3mNz5nQFTIBQm0oU5mBR0w * Chocolate Fudge Apples for $4 at Abels! https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/county-of-el-dorado-placerville-3?select=A8S2apsr1so1eLE0l3b-jQ&userid=3mNz5nQFTIBQm0oU5mBR0w * Boa Vista has got some White Pumpkins! https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/county-of-el-dorado-placerville-3?select=YL2owIkLZ6vRTRoOIJO25w&userid=3mNz5nQFTIBQm0oU5mBR0w * And all around El Dorado County, are luminescent fields with bright flowers and hearty grasses worthy of some candid picture moments! https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/county-of-el-dorado-placerville-3?select=qp4FOqt5Ig2mTInzWB4EOA&userid=3mNz5nQFTIBQm0oU5mBR0w THE LOWDOWN Grab a pumpkin, snap a picture, drink some cider, eat a caramel apple, because the time is now!

I don't deal with the county services very often. But when I have, it has been a miserable…read moreexperience. I stopped donating books to the libraries because of their ungrateful attitudes. Instead of showing appreciation they acted like I was causing them more work. The permit department is another bad story. In my experience with them, the employee I dealt with whined and complained about the work I was causing her. When I went to the building department with completed paperwork in hand to pay my fees on a very simple installation, I was told that they don't take walk-ins after 1230 pm. Yet, the lobby was empty and 2 receptionist were sitting on their tails doing nothing. Based on my experiences with the county offices, I conclude that the hiring and department managers have low standards and expectations. Somebody needs to train these people in customer service. IMO, the Board of Supervisors needs to fire all of them and start over.

A very Pretty drive out to this cavern Lots of trails to…read morewalkabout around and before the small parking lot with an old yellow fire truck that you can check out too A kids sluice that is pretty cool by the shop and check in for the tour of the cavern. Bathrooms were decent And Faith our tour guide was A+++++++ with her flashlight extra luminescent sight too! Check it out and pack and pick-nick-lunch BooBoo! Get outside

We have drove past this place a million times but just never made time to stop so this year we…read morefinally scheduled a tour. This cavern is fascinating. Our tour guide was Bobbee and she did an amazing job! She was very informative and answered everyone's questions with ease. You could tell she is genuinely interested her job and has spent a lot of time learning about the cavern. We will definitely recommend this tour to all of our friends and family!

6/30/2026: Taking care of business--everyday, i.e., paying sewer bill~sigh ‼ It's rather…read morestrangely odd . . . I only visit Downtown Placerville when I must visit Placerville City Hall's paying the City Of Placerville's permanently indentured sewer bill. Yet, while parking my truck inside the parking lot structure today, I began noticing two new, art galleries where Poke used to be in existence which by the way~does leave me so very sad, 1800's street names, and new murals adjacent to City Hall are popping up~hmmmm . . . Intriguing, indeed!

A Walk Through History with Small-Town Charm…read more Historic Downtown Placerville is such a wonderful place to spend a leisurely afternoon. Walking down Main Street truly feels like stepping back in time. many of the buildings date back to the 1800s, and you can sense the Gold Rush history in every corner. There's a great mix of boutique shops, antique stores, art galleries, and cozy restaurants to explore. Many of the shop owners are friendly and passionate about sharing the local history, which makes the experience even more special. The town has managed to preserve its character while adding a touch of modern comfort. We enjoyed browsing through unique stores filled with handcrafted gifts and local treasures, then stopped for a quick bite at one of the charming cafés. If you're into photography, there are plenty of picturesque spots, especially around the old storefronts and murals that tell Placerville's story. Parking can get a little tight on weekends, but the slower pace, friendly vibe, and sense of nostalgia more than make up for it. Overall, Historic Downtown Placerville is a lovely destination for a relaxed day trip, a bit of shopping, or simply soaking up California's Gold Country charm. Highly recommend stopping by if you're passing through or looking for a scenic getaway close to Sacramento.

1/5/2019: I wrote several reviews for James Marshall Monument and Coloma State Park; however, all…read moremy reviews mysteriously disappeared! Yah~YELP! Where ARE my reviews, eh? July 17, 2026: THEREFORE, I searched ALL the YELP! photos I posted: I found a few photos dated 1/5/2019 as PROOF I did write my reviews for both locations. Disappointingly, ALL my photos AND reviews for James Marshall's Monument and Coloma State Park's 1800's Gold Rush Community Event MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARED AFTER 2019! UNHAPPY! Since and AFTER 2019 to present date--July 18, 2026, I have returned exploring James Marshall's Monument--countless times--reminiscing my US Army friend's Military funeral presided at James Marshall's Monument, used the clean restrooms countless times traversing from Placerville to Beal's AFB /Marysville CA via Highway 49, visited James Marshall's humble abode, checked both St. John's Catholic Church and Emmanuel Church construction completion updates, skulked Sutter's Mill, gold panning the American River, hiked along the American River, sent snail mail from the Coloma Post Office, ate at my friend, Noah's Argonaut Cafe, and hiked the trails, too! BTW: Coloma CA is ONLY seven miles from my humble abode, i.e., this is THE CLOSEST State Park from my house. Finally, I just wish, Coloma State Park had a cool, State Park Campground because I would use my 100% Service-Connected Veteran's Distinguished Park Pass more often which equates as FREE CAMPING and NO FEE State Park Entrance! Besides, exploring Coloma State Park, I guess driving to Folsom Lake's Rattlesnake Bar Campground via Cool CA would be the closest State Park Campground from my humble abode which I have camped a few times in the past. Aside, the town of Coloma CA, Coloma State Park, James Marshall's Monument, dipping my toes in the American River, and all the buildings truly emulate the Wild, Wild 1848's Gold Rush Hey Day which is quite the juxtaposition from modern-day City Of Placerville CA located just eight miles down the road from Coloma CA due South via Highway 49.

An awesome experience. Lots of history of course a great place to roam and frolic. Great place to…read morehave a picnic there are so many different things that you can do there. Please check it out just a real cool place to go and if they're still doing it, they do monthly historic events there, reenactments at least they used to. Check it out I haven't been here for a couple of years. Number of years ago I did a press conference there for the 170 anniversary event for the gold rush and the California birthday celebration. Unfortunately it rained like cats and dogs. And even though we still did the press conference underneath umbrellas we uninvited the press they wouldn't have to deal with the storm. Although there were a couple that did insist on coming saying the best they could. Wonderful place to visit even if it's just one in your life but being a Californian and all I go back whenever I can.

This might be my favorite monument in placerville. Thismonument inspired me to look up The druids…read morerelationship to placerville. Who would have known?

I've stopped on main Street placerville dozens of times over the last 20 years or so. Today I…read moreplugged in at the Bank of America to charge my EV and decided to take a walk. There's a lot of interesting facts about placerville and the buildings on this street, but the street and the folks hanging out here are just not a good vibe. Stop through once, take some pictures around the historic buildings, ead up on the Gold Rush, then get out of town.

Unfortunately the chamber of commerce was closed when I visited, but the building is well worth a…read morestop and look. This is the old vets building. This is where they housed the placer miners. I have to say I am a bit concerned about the other review from the nurse. she says the chamber of commerce and never replied when written about local businesses not enforcing face mask rules.

What's it going to take for the Chamber of Commerce to encourage businesses to take COVID-19…read moreprecautions?! We may as well be living in Florida! Could you at least provide a list of SAFE businesses to patronize. Businesses that actually care about their customers and enforce their masking policy. And stop bullshitting me saying restaurants and shops are being responsible. Have you been to South County?!