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Place Name
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El Dorado County
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Place Status (Type)
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county
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Capital is
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Placerville
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Population
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125,995 (1990)
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Location
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California, United States, North America
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Latitude
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38°47'N
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Longitude
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120°32'W
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El Dorado
, county (
1,712 sq mi/4,434 sq km; 1990
pop. 125,995), E central Calif.;  Placerville; 38°47'N
120°32'W. Rises from the Sierra Nevada foothills (W) to crest of
range; includes Pyramid Peak
(10,020 ft/3,054 m), Freel Peak
(10,900 ft/3,322 m). Many lakes and
reservoirs, among them L. Tahoe (bounds Nev. on NE) and small Fallen
Leaf and Echo lakes. Part of W boundary formed by American R. and its
reservoir, Folsom L., part of N boundary formed by North Fork American
and Rubicon rivers, part of S boundary formed by Cosumnes R. and its
South Fork. Drained by American, Rubicon, and Cosumnes rivers. Popular
resort area at South Lake Tahoe. Winter sports, hunting, fishing,
camping, hiking. Lumbering; limestone quarrying, gold mining. Grapes,
apples, walnuts; cattle, lambs, poultry; timber; tourism. Coloma, site
of gold discovery (1848) which began the gold rush, and other old
mining towns of the Mother Lode survive. Parts of Eldorado Natl. Forest
in E, including part of Desolation Valley Wilderness Area; part of
Folsom L. State Recreation Area on W boundary; Marshall Gold Discovery
State Historical Park at Coloma, near center; Emerald Bay State Park in
NE, on SW shore of L. Tahoe. Formed 1850.
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