Book Description

Auburn, the county seat of Placer County, was founded during the Gold Rush in 1848. Unlike many such towns in the Mother Lode, Auburn has remained a vibrant and growing town ever since. This city's relevance since the initial influx of gold seekers is due in part to its location at a nexus of transpottation routes, both old and new. Halfway between San Francisco and Reno and at an elevation of just over 1,000 feet---above the fog and below the snow---Auburn is a very attractive place to live. Furthermore, it is a place with sincere respect for its roots, as evidenced by its restored old town, preserved courthouse building, and other historic structures throughout town. Auburn native Arthur Sommers received his bachelor of arts in history from San Francisco State College in 1972 and has been collecting historic artifacts of the Mother Lode for more than a decade. In this volume of vintage photography, Sommers presents an Auburn that has evolved from Gold Rush times while retaining much of its identity. The majority of images in this book come from his private collection of early Placer County views of mining, industry, business, and family life in the foothills of California. The Images of America series celebrates the history of neighborhoods, towns, and cities across the country. Using archival photographs, each title presents the distinctive stories from the past that shape the character of the community today. Arcadia is proud to play a part in the preservation of local heritage, making history available to all.