El Dorado County is a county

County (United States)

In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...

 located in the historic Gold Country

Gold Country

Gold Country is a region in the central and northeastern part of California, United States. It is famed for the mineral deposits and gold mines that attracted waves of immigrants, known as the 49ers, during the 1849 California Gold Rush.-Geography:State Route 49 was built through the Gold Country,...

 in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and foothills of the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

. The 2010 population was 181,058. The El Dorado county seat

County seat

A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....

 is in Placerville

Placerville, California

Placerville is the county seat of El Dorado County, California. The population was 10,389 at the 2010 census, up from 9,610 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...

.

The population of El Dorado County has grown as the Greater Sacramento has expanded into the region. In the unique Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...

 area of the county, environmental awareness and environmental protection initiatives have grown along with the population since the 1960 Winter Olympics

1960 Winter Olympics

The 1960 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VIII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event held between February 18 and 28, 1960 in Squaw Valley, California, United States. In 1955 at the 50th IOC meeting, the organizing committee made the surprise choice to award Squaw Valley as...

, hosted at Squaw Valley Ski Resort

Squaw Valley Ski Resort

Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley, California, is one of the largest ski areas in the United States, and was the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics. It is the second-largest ski area at Lake Tahoe , with 33 chairlifts, and has the only funitel lift in the U.S...

 in neighboring Placer County.

History

• Mother lode
  Mother Lode
  Mother lode is a principal vein or zone of veins of gold or silver ore. The term probably came from a literal translation of the Spanish veta madre, a term common in old Mexican mining...
  
  
• James W. Marshall
  James W. Marshall
  James Wilson Marshall was an American carpenter and sawmill operator, whose discovery of gold in the American River in California on January 24, 1848 set the stage for the California Gold Rush. The mill property was owned by Johan Sutter who employed Marshall to build his mill...
  
  
• California Mining and Mineral Museum
  California Mining and Mineral Museum
  The California State Mining and Mineral Museum is a museum in the state park system of California, USA, interpreting the state's mineral resources and mining heritage. It is located in Mariposa on the Mariposa County fairgrounds....
  
  

Local landmarks:

• Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park
  Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park
  Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park is a California state park near Placerville, California, USA. It marks the discovery of gold by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in 1848...
  
  
• Confidence Hall
  Confidence Hall
  Confidence Hall is a historic Italianate Style, Victorian brick building in Placerville, El Dorado County, California. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 4, 1982.-History:...
  
  
• Fountain-Tallman Soda Works
  Fountain-Tallman Soda Works
  The Fountain-Tallman Soda Works is a historic building in Placerville, El Dorado County, California. It currently houses the Fountain & Tallman Museum, which is owned and operated by the El Dorado County Historical Society...
  
  
• John Pearson Soda Works
  John Pearson Soda Works
  The John Pearson Soda Works, also referred to as the Placerville Soda Works, is a historic rustic vernacular Victorian brick building in Placerville, El Dorado County, California. The building, in the Gold Country region, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 12, 1985...
  
  
• Combellack-Blair House
  Combellack-Blair House
  The Combellack-Blair House is a historic house in the Gold Rush town of Placerville, in El Dorado County, California. The landmark house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 14, 1985.-History:...
  
  
• Rubicon Point Light
  Rubicon Point Light
  The Rubicon Point Light is a small lighthouse on Lake Tahoe in California.- History:The lighthouse was requested, along with buoys for the lake, in 1913 by the Lake Tahoe Protective Association, and was built under the direction of J. J. Bodilsen in 1916; the work was done by the United States...
  
  

Demographics

2010

The 2010 United States Census reported that El Dorado County had a population of 181,058. The racial makeup of El Dorado County was 156,793 (86.6%) White, 1,409 (0.8%) African American, 2,070 (1.1%) Native American, 6,297 (3.5%) Asian, 294 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 7,278 (4.0%) from other races

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 6,917 (3.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 21,875 persons (12.1%).

Population reported at 2010 United States Census
The County	Total Population	White	African American	Native American	Asian	Pacific Islander	other races Race (United States Census) Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...	two or more races	Hispanic or Latino (of any race)
El Dorado County	181,058	156,793	1,409	2,070	6,297	294	7,278	6,917	21,875
Incorporated cities	Total Population	White	African American	Native American	Asian	Pacific Islander	other races Race (United States Census) Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...	two or more races	Hispanic or Latino (of any race)
Placerville Placerville, California Placerville is the county seat of El Dorado County, California. The population was 10,389 at the 2010 census, up from 9,610 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...	10,389	8,716	80	162	98	13	867	453	1,863
South Lake Tahoe South Lake Tahoe, California South Lake Tahoe is the most populous city in El Dorado County, California, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The population was 21,403 at the 2010 census, down from 23,609 at the 2000 census...	21,403	15,733	182	232	1,186	39	3,230	801	6,665
Census-designated places Census-designated place A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...	Total Population	White	African American	Native American	Asian	Pacific Islander	other races Race (United States Census) Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...	two or more races	Hispanic or Latino (of any race)
Auburn Lake Trails Auburn Lake Trails, California Auburn Lake Trails is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California. It lies at an elevation of 1916 feet . It is a gated community with of horse trails. As of the 2010 census, the population was 3,426.-Demographics:...	3,426	3,190	6	28	36	5	45	116	208
Cameron Park Cameron Park, California Cameron Park is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California, United States and is part of the Sacramento metropolitan area. The population was 18,228 at the 2010 census, up from 14,549 at the 2000 census...	18,228	16,242	143	194	425	36	461	727	2,056
Camino Camino, California Camino is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California, and, per the 2010 census, has a population of 1,750...	1,750	1,604	7	14	18	4	55	48	197
Cold Springs Cold Springs, El Dorado County, California Cold Springs is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California. It is located west of Placerville, at an elevation of 1207 feet...	446	413	4	5	3	0	15	6	43
Coloma Coloma, California Coloma is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California, USA. It is approximately northeast of Sacramento, California. Coloma is most noted for being the site where James W. Marshall first discovered gold in California, at Sutter's Mill on January 24, 1848, leading to the California...	529	462	4	3	8	0	15	37	63
Diamond Springs Diamond Springs, California Diamond Springs is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 11,037 at the 2010 census, up from 4,888 at the 2000 census. The town is registered as...	11,037	9,743	39	176	110	6	518	445	1,377
El Dorado Hills El Dorado Hills, California El Dorado Hills is an unincorporated census-designated place located in El Dorado County, California, east of the state capital of Sacramento. The population was 42,108 at the 2010 census, up from 18,016 at the 2000 census...	42,108	35,089	615	196	3,563	71	681	1,893	3,802
Georgetown Georgetown, California Georgetown is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California. It is the northeastern-most town in the Californian Mother Lode. The population was 2,367 at the 2010 census, up from 962 at the 2000 census...	2,367	2,128	47	59	18	2	45	68	177
Grizzly Flats	1,066	954	6	14	7	2	19	64	96
Pollock Pines Pollock Pines, California Pollock Pines is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area...	6,871	6,195	18	128	56	3	251	220	713
Shingle Springs Shingle Springs, California Shingle Springs is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California, United States. The population was 4,432 at the 2010 census, up from 2,643 at the 2000 census. It is located about 40 miles from Sacramento in the historic Gold Country foothills and sits directly on Highway 50...	4,432	3,919	14	108	50	3	132	206	469
Tahoma Tahoma, California Tahoma is a census-designated place in Placer and El Dorado counties, California, United States. Tahoma is located along Lake Tahoe southeast of Homewood... ‡	780	736	2	7	7	0	11	17	35
Unincorporated communities Unincorporated area In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...	Total Population	White	African American	Native American	Asian	Pacific Islander	other races Race (United States Census) Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...	two or more races	Hispanic or Latino (of any race)
All others not CDPs (combined)	56,226	51,669	242	744	712	110	933	1,816	4,111
‡ Note: these numbers reflect only the portion of this CDP in El Dorado County

2000

As of the census

Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 156,299 people, 58,939 households, and 43,025 families residing in the county. The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 91 people per square mile (35/km²). There were 71,278 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile (16/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.7% White

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.5% Black

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or African American

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 1.00% Native American

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 2.1% Asian

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.13% Pacific Islander

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 3.55% from other races

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 2.96% from two or more races. 9.32% of the population were Hispanic

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or Latino

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 of any race. 14.9% were of German, 13.4% English

English people

The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

, 10.3% Irish

Irish people

The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

, 6.6% Italian

Italian people

The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...

 and 6.6% American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 ancestry according to Census 2000. 90.5% spoke English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 and 6.5% Spanish

Spanish language

Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...

 as their first language.

There were 58,939 households out of which 34.2% had kids under the age of 18 living with them, 60.1% were married couples

Marriage

Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county the population was spread out with 26.1% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.

The 2000 census also states that the median income for a household in the county was $51,484, and the median income for a family was $60,250. Males had a median income of $46,373 versus $31,537 for females. The per capita income

Per capita income

Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the county was $25,560. About 5.0% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 1788.1 square miles (4,631.2 km²), of which 1710.85 square miles (4,431.1 km²) (or 95.68%) is land and 77.25 square miles (200.1 km²) (or 4.32%) is water.

• American River
  American River
  The American River is a California watercourse noted as the site of Sutter's Mill, northwest of Placerville, California, where gold was found in 1848, leading to the California Gold Rush...
  
  
• Sierra Nevada (U.S.)
• Carson Range
  Carson Range
  The Carson Range is a spur of the Sierra Nevada in eastern California and western Nevada that starts at Luther Pass and West Carson Canyon and goes to the Truckee River...
  
  
• Crystal Range
• Freel Peak
  Freel Peak
  Freel Peak is a mountain located in the Carson Range, a spur of the Sierra Nevada, near Lake Tahoe in California. The peak is on the boundary between El Dorado County and Alpine County; and the boundary between the Eldorado National Forest and the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.At it is the...
  
  
• Mount Price (California)
  Mount Price (California)
  Mount Price is a mountain in the Sierra Nevada at the southern end of the Crystal Mountains, and southwest of Lake Tahoe. The summit is located in the Desolation Wilderness in El Dorado County, California....
  
  
• Mount Tallac
  Mount Tallac
  Mount Tallac is a mountain peak southwest of Lake Tahoe, in El Dorado County, California. The peak lies within the Desolation Wilderness on the Eldorado National Forest. It is quite visible from State Route 89...
  
  
• Silver Peak (El Dorado County, California)
• Talking Mountain
  Talking Mountain
  Talking Mountain in El Dorado County, California is peak in the Sierra Nevada located on the high ridge that extends eastward form the summit of Ralston Peak in the Eldorado National Forest. It is east of Lake Tahoe, south of Echo Lake and marks the border of the Desolation Wilderness. South of the...
  
  

• Lake Tahoe
  Lake Tahoe
  Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...
  
  
• Fallen Leaf Lake (California)
• Folsom Lake
  Folsom Lake
  Folsom Lake is a reservoir in Northern California about northeast of Sacramento in Placer, El Dorado, and Sacramento Counties. The lake is formed by Folsom Dam, constructed in 1955 to control the American River. The dam and lake are part of the Folsom Project, which also includes the Nimbus...
  
  
• Francis Lake
  Francis Lake
  Francis Lake is a small backcountry lake in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, to the west of Lake Tahoe in the El Dorado National Forest. There are no trails to this lake. This lake is very near Loon Lake....
  
  
• Gilmore Lake
  Gilmore Lake
  Gilmore Lake in California is a backcountry lake in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, to the west of Lake Tahoe in the Desolation Wilderness. It can be reached by hiking west out of the Glen Alpine Springs trailhead near the town of South Lake Tahoe. This lake offers great fishing for Lake trout.-...
  
  
• Loon Lake (California)
  Loon Lake (California)
  Loon Lake Reservoir is a reservoir in the El Dorado National Forest of El Dorado County, California, United States. The lake is formed by Loon Lake Dam, completed in 1963 by Sacramento Municipal Utility District to conserve spring snow melt runoff for use during the summer and autumn for...
  
  
• Lost Lake (California)
  Lost Lake (California)
  Lost Lake is a lake in the Desolation Wilderness in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, south of Lake Tahoe in El Dorado County, California, United States....
  
  
• Pyramid Lake (El Dorado County, California)
• Union Valley Reservoir
  Union Valley Reservoir
  Union Valley Reservoir is a reservoir in eastern El Dorado County, California, about northeast of Placerville. The lake is in El Dorado National Forest in the Sierra Nevada at an elevation of . It was formed in 1963 by the high earth and rockfill Union Valley Dam on Silver Creek, which is a...
  
  
• Waca Lake
  Waca Lake
  Waca Lake is a backcountry lake in the Desolation Wilderness in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California. It lies just south of Lake Aloha....
  
  

Parks

• El Dorado National Forest
• Desolation Wilderness
  Desolation Wilderness
  The Desolation Wilderness is a federally protected wilderness area located along the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, just southwest of Lake Tahoe in El Dorado County, California, United States. It is a popular backpacking destination, with much barren rocky terrain at the edge of the...
  
  , with Eagle Lake (Desolation Wilderness)
  Eagle Lake (Desolation Wilderness)
  Eagle Lake is a backcountry lake in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, to the west of Lake Tahoe in the Desolation Wilderness. It can be reached by hiking west out of the Eagle Lake trailhead on HWY 89 at Emerald Bay State Park.-External links:*...
  
  , and with Freel Peak
  Freel Peak
  Freel Peak is a mountain located in the Carson Range, a spur of the Sierra Nevada, near Lake Tahoe in California. The peak is on the boundary between El Dorado County and Alpine County; and the boundary between the Eldorado National Forest and the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.At it is the...
  
   as its highest point at 10881 feet (3,316.5 m).
• D. L. Bliss State Park
  D. L. Bliss State Park
  D. L. Bliss State Park is a California state park located on the west shore of Lake Tahoe approximately 25 miles north of the city of South Lake Tahoe. In 1929, the Duane Leroy Bliss family donated to the state for the park. Rubicon Point Light, the highest lighthouse in the United States, is...
  
  
• Emerald Bay State Park
  Emerald Bay State Park
  Emerald Bay State Park is a state park located around Emerald Bay, a National Natural Landmark since 1968, at Lake Tahoe, California. The park is home to Eagle Falls and Vikingsholm, a 38-room mansion that is one of the finest examples of Scandinavian architecture in the United States. The park...
  
  
• Eagle Falls Trailhead
  Eagle Falls Trailhead
  The Eagle Falls Trailhead or Eagle Lake Trailhead is located on HWY 89 a few miles north of South Lake Tahoe, CA at Emerald Bay State Park on the western shore of Lake Tahoe....
  
  
• Glen Alpine Springs Trailhead
  Glen Alpine Springs Trailhead
  The Glen Alpine Springs Trailhead or Glen Alpine Trailhead is located off Highway 89 a few miles north of South Lake Tahoe, CA at Fallen Leaf Lake just to the west of Lake Tahoe...
  
  
• Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
  Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
  Folsom Lake State Recreation Area is located on and around Folsom Lake, near the Sierra-Nevada foothills city of Folsom, California about 25 miles east of Sacramento. Latitude/Longitude: 38.7075 / -121.1549...
  
  
• Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park
  Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park
  Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park is a California state park near Placerville, California, USA. It marks the discovery of gold by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in 1848...
  
  
• Pine Hill Ecological Reserve
  Pine Hill Ecological Reserve
  Pine Hill Ecological Reserve is a nature reserve of located due east of Folsom Lake, in El Dorado County, California. The reserve was established in 1979, and is managed by the California Department of Fish and Game....
  
  
• Tahoe National Forest
  Tahoe National Forest
  Tahoe National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in the state of California, northwest of Lake Tahoe. It includes the peak of Sierra Buttes, near Sierra City, which has views of Mount Lassen and Mount Shasta. It is located in parts of six counties. In descending order of forestland area...
  
  

Wineries

• California Shenandoah Valley AVA
  California Shenandoah Valley AVA
  The California Shenandoah Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area that includes portions of Amador County and El Dorado County, California, USA. The region was first settled during the California Gold Rush in the nineteenth century, and settlers in the region began planting the first...
  
  
• Fair Play AVA
  Fair Play AVA
  The Fair Play AVA is an American Viticultural Area in El Dorado County, California, USA. It is entirely contained within the boundaries of the El Dorado AVA and the Sierra Foothills AVA. The boundaries of the Fair Play AVA include rolling hills at elevations between and above sea level, making...
  
  
• El Dorado AVA
  El Dorado AVA
  The El Dorado AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in El Dorado County, California, USA. Wine grape growers in the region produce Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot and are beginning to plant the Rhône varietals...
  
  
• Sierra Foothills AVA
  Sierra Foothills AVA
  The Sierra Foothills AVA is an American Viticultural Area in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the state of California in the United States. Wine grapes were introduced to the area in the nineteenth century during the California Gold Rush...
  
  

Major highways

• 
  U.S. Route 50
• 
  State Route 49
  California State Route 49
  State Route 49 is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California that passes through many historic mining communities of the 1849 California gold rush. Highway 49 is numbered after the "49ers", the waves of immigrants who swept into the area looking for gold, and a portion of it...
  
  
• 
  State Route 89
  California State Route 89
  State Route 89 is a California State Highway that travels in the north–south direction, and is the major thoroughfare for many mountain communities. It starts from U.S. Route 395 near Topaz Lake, winding its way up to the Monitor Pass, down to the Carson River, and up again over the Luther...
  
  
• 
  State Route 193
• Luther Pass
  Luther Pass
  Luther Pass is a mountain pass in California in the Sierra Nevada, between the Carson River basin and Lake Tahoe. It is traversed by State Route 89 and lies on the boundary between Alpine County and El Dorado County...
  
  

Public transportation

• El Dorado Transit runs local service in Placerville and surrounding areas (as far east as Pollock Pines). Commuter service into Sacramento and Folsom is also provided.
• BlueGo is the transit operator for the South Lake Tahoe area. Service also runs into the state of Nevada
  Nevada
  Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
  
  .

Airports

General aviation airports are include: Placerville Airport

Placerville Airport

Placerville Airport is a public airport located 4 miles south of Placerville, in El Dorado County, California, USA. It is a general aviation airport run by the county.There are no scheduled passenger services departing from the airport...

, Georgetown Airport

Georgetown Airport (California)

Georgetown Airport , formerly Q61, is a public airport located two miles northwest of Georgetown, serving El Dorado County, California, USA. The airport has one runway and is mostly used for general aviation.- Facilities :...

, Cameron Airpark

Cameron Airpark

Cameron Airpark is a public airport located in the city of Cameron Park, serving El Dorado County, California, USA. The airport is used for general aviation. The area to the West of the runway is an airpark where home owners can taxi their planes up to their homes...

 and Lake Tahoe Airport

Lake Tahoe Airport

Lake Tahoe Airport is a public airport located three miles southwest of South Lake Tahoe, serving El Dorado County, California, USA. This general aviation airport covers and has one runway. The airport is sometimes called Tahoe Valley Airport.The airport formerly offered commercial to several...

.

Cities and towns

Incorporated Cities

• South Lake Tahoe
  South Lake Tahoe, California
  South Lake Tahoe is the most populous city in El Dorado County, California, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The population was 21,403 at the 2010 census, down from 23,609 at the 2000 census...
  
   (Airport: Lake Tahoe Airport
  Lake Tahoe Airport
  Lake Tahoe Airport is a public airport located three miles southwest of South Lake Tahoe, serving El Dorado County, California, USA. This general aviation airport covers and has one runway. The airport is sometimes called Tahoe Valley Airport.The airport formerly offered commercial to several...
  
   IATA: TVL)
• Placerville
  Placerville, California
  Placerville is the county seat of El Dorado County, California. The population was 10,389 at the 2010 census, up from 9,610 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
  
   (County Seat
  County seat
  A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
  
  )

Communities over 10,000 population

• El Dorado Hills
  El Dorado Hills, California
  El Dorado Hills is an unincorporated census-designated place located in El Dorado County, California, east of the state capital of Sacramento. The population was 42,108 at the 2010 census, up from 18,016 at the 2000 census...
  
  
• Cameron Park
  Cameron Park, California
  Cameron Park is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California, United States and is part of the Sacramento metropolitan area. The population was 18,228 at the 2010 census, up from 14,549 at the 2000 census...
  
  

Communities under 10,000 population

• Camino
  Camino, California
  Camino is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California, and, per the 2010 census, has a population of 1,750...
  
  
• Camp Sacramento
• Coloma
  Coloma, California
  Coloma is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California, USA. It is approximately northeast of Sacramento, California. Coloma is most noted for being the site where James W. Marshall first discovered gold in California, at Sutter's Mill on January 24, 1848, leading to the California...
  
  
• Cool
  Cool, California
  Cool, formerly known as Cave Valley, is a small unincorporated community in El Dorado County, California, about from Sacramento, the state capital...
  
  
• Diamond Springs
  Diamond Springs, California
  Diamond Springs is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 11,037 at the 2010 census, up from 4,888 at the 2000 census. The town is registered as...
  
  
• Echo Lake
  Echo Lake, California
  Echo Lake is a small unincorporated community in El Dorado County, California, United States, along U.S. Highway 50 in the mountains of the Sierra Nevada. It is north-northwest of Echo Summit. Echo Lake's nearest neighboring town is Little Norway. The ZIP code is 95721. The community is inside...
  
  
• El Dorado
  El Dorado, California
  El Dorado , not to be confused with the nearby El Dorado Hills, is an unincorporated community in El Dorado County, California. It is located southwest of Placerville, at an elevation of 1608 feet . The population was 4,096 at the 2000 census...
  
  
• Garden Valley
  Garden Valley, El Dorado County, California
  Garden Valley is an unincorporated community in El Dorado County, California. It is located on Johntown Creek north-northwest of Chili Bar, at an elevation of 1949 feet ....
  
  
• Georgetown
  Georgetown, California
  Georgetown is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California. It is the northeastern-most town in the Californian Mother Lode. The population was 2,367 at the 2010 census, up from 962 at the 2000 census...
  
  
• Greenwood
  Greenwood, El Dorado County, California
  Greenwood is an unincorporated community in El Dorado County, California...
  
  

• Grizzly Flats
• Happy Valley
  Happy Valley, El Dorado County, California
  Happy Valley is an unincorporated community in El Dorado County, California. It is located east-southeast of Camino, at an elevation of 3694 feet ....
  
  
• Meyers
  Meyers, California
  Meyers is a small unincorporated community in El Dorado County, California, United States, along U.S. Route 50 in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada south of South Lake Tahoe in the Lake Tahoe area. It lies at an elevation of 6352 feet...
  
  
• Kyburz
  Kyburz, California
  Kyburz is a small unincorporated community in El Dorado County, California. It is located along the South Fork of the American River and U.S. Highway 50, and is surrounded by the El Dorado National Forest...
  
  
• Outingdale
  Outingdale, California
  Outingdale is an unincorporated community in El Dorado County, California. It is located on the Middle Fork of the Cosumnes River north of Aukum, at an elevation of 1624 feet ....
  
  
• Phillips
  Phillips, California
  Phillips is a small unincorporated community in El Dorado County, California. It is located on the South Fork of the American River west of Echo Summit, at an elevation of 6873 feet . It is the site of the Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort. The ZIP code is 95720...
  
  
• Pilot Hill
  Pilot Hill, California
  Pilot Hill is an unincorporated community in El Dorado County, California. It is located west-northwest of Placerville, at an elevation of 1175 feet ....
  
  
• Pollock Pines
  Pollock Pines, California
  Pollock Pines is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area...
  
  
• Rescue
  Rescue, California
  Rescue is an unincorporated community in El Dorado County, California. It is located north-northwest of Shingle Springs, Rescue consists of primarily farmland and ranches with a few residential neighborhoods and businesses. Downtown Rescue is quite small, with only a post office, fire station, two...
  
  
• Shingle Springs
  Shingle Springs, California
  Shingle Springs is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California, United States. The population was 4,432 at the 2010 census, up from 2,643 at the 2000 census. It is located about 40 miles from Sacramento in the historic Gold Country foothills and sits directly on Highway 50...
  
  
• Somerset
  Somerset, El Dorado County, California
  Somerset is an unincorporated community in El Dorado County, California. It is located south of Camino, at an elevation of 2093 feet . Its ZIP code is 95684....
  
  
• Strawberry
  Strawberry, El Dorado County, California
  Strawberry is a small unincorporated community on the South Fork American River, south-southwest of Pyramid Peak, along U.S. Route 50 in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. The sign on the highway reads population 50....
  
  
• Twin Bridges
  Twin Bridges, California
  Twin Bridges is a small unincorporated community on U.S. Route 50 near the Desolation Wilderness in El Dorado County, California. It is located west of Echo Summit, at an elevation of 6115 feet . It has a population of 14 people according to census figures, however as of 2008 the road sign lists...
  
  

Politics

Presidential election results

Year	GOP Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	DEM Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Others
2008	54.1% 50,314	43.6% 40,529	2.2% 2,083
2004	61.2% 52,878	37.3% 32,242	1.4% 1,244
2000	58.3% 42,045	36.4% 26,220	5.4% 3,871
1996	51.8% 32,759	36.3% 22,957	11.8% 7,480
1992	39.9% 25,906	32.4% 21,012	27.7% 17,969
1988	59.3% 30,021	39.1% 19,801	1.5% 781
1984	64.9% 27,583	33.7% 14,312	1.4% 583
1980	58.3% 21,238	29.5% 10,765	12.2% 4,446
1976	47.7% 12,472	48.8% 12,763	3.5% 919
1972	54.2% 11,330	41.4% 8,654	4.4% 921
1968	49.0% 7,468	39.7% 6,054	11.3% 1,719
1964	39.5% 5,775	60.3% 8,810	0.2% 25
1960	49.2% 6,065	50.1% 6,175	0.8% 97

El Dorado is a predominantly Republican

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 county in Presidential

President of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

 and congressional

United States Congress

The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....

 elections. The last Democrat to win a majority in the county was Lyndon Johnson

Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...

 in 1964 election

United States presidential election, 1964

The United States presidential election of 1964 was held on November 3, 1964. Incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson had come to office less than a year earlier following the assassination of his predecessor, John F. Kennedy. Johnson, who had successfully associated himself with Kennedy's...

, and the last Democrat to win the county was Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter

James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...

 in the 1976 presidential election

United States presidential election, 1976

The United States presidential election of 1976 followed the resignation of President Richard Nixon in the wake of the Watergate scandal. It pitted incumbent President Gerald Ford, the Republican candidate, against the relatively unknown former governor of Georgia, Jimmy Carter, the Democratic...

.

El Dorado is part of California's 4th congressional district

California's 4th congressional district

California's 4th congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of California. It covers the northeastern corner of California along Route 395, encompassing El Dorado, Placer, Nevada, Sierra, Plumas, Lassen, and Modoc counties, as well as parts of Butte County...

, which is held by Republican Tom McClintock

Tom McClintock

Thomas Miller McClintock II is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a former Assemblyman and state Senator...

. In the State Assembly

California State Assembly

The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...

, El Dorado is part of the 4th district, which is held by Republican Beth Gaines

Beth Gaines

Beth B. Gaines is an American politician currently serving in the California State Assembly. She is a Republican representing the 4th district, encompassing Alpine and El Dorado counties and parts of Placer and Sacramento counties...

 and also part of the 10th district, which is held by Democrat Alyson Huber

Alyson Huber

Alyson Huber is a representative in the California State Legislature from the 10th Assembly District in Northern California. Assemblywoman Huber has served since 2008...

. In the State Senate

California State Senate

The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...

, El Dorado is part of the 1st district, which is held by Republican Ted Gaines

Ted Gaines

Edward M. Gaines is a California State Senator, representing the 1st Senate district. He won a January 4, 2011, special election to replace the late Dave Cox and took office two days later...

.

The county is represented by U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein

Dianne Feinstein

Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein is the senior U.S. Senator from California. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served in the Senate since 1992. She also served as 38th Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988....

 and Barbara Boxer

Barbara Boxer

Barbara Levy Boxer is the junior United States Senator from California . A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives ....

 in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

.

Adjacent counties

• Alpine County, California
  Alpine County, California
  Alpine County is the smallest county, by population, in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010, it had a population of 1,175, all rural. There are no incorporated cities in the county. The county seat is Markleeville...
  
   - southeast
• Amador County, California
  Amador County, California
  Amador County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 38,091. The county seat is Jackson.Amador County bills itself as "The Heart of the Mother Lode" and lies within the Gold Country...
  
   - south
• Sacramento County, California
  Sacramento County, California
  Sacramento County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Sacramento, which is also the state capital. As of 2010 the county had a population of 1,418,788....
  
   - west
• Placer County, California
  Placer County, California
  Placer County is a county located in both the Sacramento Valley and Sierra Nevada regions of the U.S. state of California, in what is known as the Gold Country. It stretches from the suburbs of Sacramento to Lake Tahoe and the Nevada border. Because of the expansion of the Greater Sacramento,...
  
   - north
• Douglas County, Nevada
  Douglas County, Nevada
  Douglas County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. As of 2000, the population was 41,259. As of 2010, the population was estimated to be 46,997.- History :...
  
   - northeast

Asbestos

Portions of El Dorado county are known to contain natural asbestos

Asbestos

Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...

 formations near the surface. The USGS studied amphibole

Amphibole

Amphibole is the name of an important group of generally dark-colored rock-forming inosilicate minerals, composed of double chain tetrahedra, linked at the vertices and generally containing ions of iron and/or magnesium in their structures.-Mineralogy:...

s in rock and soil in the area in response to an EPA sampling study and subsequent criticism of the EPA study. The study found that many amphibole particles in the area meet the counting rule criteria used by the EPA for chemical and morphological limits, but do not meet morphological requirements for commercial-grade-asbestos. The executive summary pointed out that even particles that do not meet requirements for commercial-grade-asbestos may be a health threat and suggested a collaborative research effort to assess health risks associated with "Naturally Occurring Asbestos".

In 2003 after construction of the Oak Ridge High School (El Dorado Hills, CA) soccer field, the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry is a federal public health agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The agency focuses on minimizing human health risks associated with exposure to hazardous substances...

 found that some student athletes, coaches and school workers received substantial exposures. The inside of Oak Ridge High School needed to be cleaned of dust.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in El Dorado County, California
• Hiking trails in El Dorado County

External links

• official El Dorado County website
• official El Dorado County Historical Museum website
• El Dorado Environmental air quality management - Naturally occurring asbestos information
• El Dorado County Weather
• El Dorado County Visitors Authority
• El Dorado Western Railway Foundation blog The railway is restoring the Diamond & Caldor No. 4 Shay locomotive at the El Dorado County Historical Museum