Elizabethtown, California

Elizabethtown, California was a California Gold Rush town that began in 1852. It was named after the only unmarried woman in the miners camp called Elizabeth Stark. In March 1853 a Post Office was created and it only lasted until 1855 when the County Seat started in Quincy, California, 2 miles east of Elizabethtown.

It is said that the value of gold taken from the Elizabethtown area ran into the millions of dollars. It was started from other gold mining camps all around American Valley (where Quincy is now at). In 1852, a 10 to 15 family wagon train came up Beckwourth Pass (which was created by James Beckwourth, the first pioneer to this area). They brought a large supply of horses, oxen, cows, and other needed supplies and were the first settlers of American Valley. When they got there, they found a population of hundreds of Maidu Indians, which were peaceful and friendly.

The Population of Elizabethtown got up around 2000 and 2500 people between 1853 and 1856. The first year over 30 county licenses were issued for business in the area. The Main Street extended across the entire town. There were many stores, 2 story buildings, saloons, gambling houses, shops, gilded palaces, lodging houses, and eating houses.They also had a lodge for the Sons Of Temperence (see Temperance movement) which had over 200 members.

In 1857 and 1858 there was some demoralization within the town with the Frazier River gold mining and the Comstock mines in Virginia City (see Comstock Lode, Nevada. Many residents ended up living in Indian and Honey Lake valleys. Many buildings were moved to Quincy and rebuilt there and slowly the town disolved into history.

Today there is excavations of brick foundations being found in one of the creek beds there. You will also find a brick and metal monument to the town by the Native Sons and Daughters of Quincy on September 9, 1927. It is located 2 miles west of Quincy off Highway 70. You will see a California Historical Marker right off the Highway.

Thanks to Plumas County Museum, and the 1929 Elizabethtown Pioneer Trails prepared by Plumas County Abstract Company for this wealth of information.