Early Auburn

By Art Sommers, John Knox and April McDonald-Loomis

Located at the junction of gold-rich ravines, Auburn was the site of the first gold discovery in Placer County. Though the superficial gold was quickly panned out, by 1850, the town had become an important trading center. Auburn became a center for goods, services, entertainment, and a place for miners to "winter-over." More importantly, it became a transportation hub. As the county seat, Auburn's hotels, saloons, and merchants experienced a steady stream of customers as county residents came to town to deal with legal matters. Though plagued by numerous destructive fires, the citizens of Auburn rebuilt, and the town continued to thrive. This book will introduce the reader to some of the individuals who were instrumental in shaping Auburn as it grew into the town it is today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Release date: Apr 20, 2015
• ISBN: 9781439650943

Art Sommers

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.

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