4095 Cameron Park Dr Cameron Park, CA 95682
Shingle Springs
Originally an early, bustling, California gold mining settlement, Shingle Springs has taken on the character of a peaceful country community with ranches and homes on acreage. The area was riddled with rich placer mines, yielding up to $200 per rocker per day. With the discovery of gold came people and the first general store in 1865. As claims failed, the miners moved on, but cattle ranchers and farmers saw the value in these hills and continued to support the area. The first post office was established on February 3, 1853, and in 1866 the Sacramento Valley Railroad was extended to Shingle Springs. As a railroad terminus, the town boomed with trains and stages departing daily. It became one of the busiest business centers in the Golden State.
In 1867, the railroad found a new route through Auburn. Some area residents moved on, but many decided to stay and establish Shingle Springs as a permanent community. On May 11, 1865, the name was changed to Shingle. It stayed that way until 1955 when it again became Shingle Springs.
Cameron Park is a relatively new community in a county where gold was discovered in 1848 to set the stage for the California Gold Rush. Visionary Larry Cameron purchased the 5000 foothill acres that now encompass Cameron Park in the ’50s for ranching purposes. Slowly, with the help of others, he divided the land into lots of varying sizes. Cameron Park reflects a wide scope of interests, with ranch sized properties, medium and high-density residential, shopping areas, a championship country club, recreational lake, and the Airpark Estates. The Cameron Airpark Estates provides a unique opportunity for pilots to commute from home to destination without ever leaving the plane. Wide streets double as taxiways between homes and the airstrip.
Some glimpses of the past can also be found; grinding rocks and burial mounds of the Niesnan branch of the Maidu Indians are still visible. For another look at past endeavors, some structures of the Skinner Winery from 1865 can be seen at the corner of Green Valley Road and Cameron Park Drive. Cameron Park was conceived as a community to meet many needs and continues to strive for that goal.
Gold, that lustrous precious metal, was the major attraction that put Shingle Springs on the map. Now, clean air, rolling uncluttered landscapes and a country-paced lifestyle are responsible for the influx of new settlers to the Shingle Springs/Cameron Park area.
A blending of old and new typifies the community. Historical monuments sit proudly proclaiming a colorful Gold Rush past, next to a new era of construction.
Where the Niesnan branch of the Maidu Indians once lived is now home to 15,000 Cameron Park residents. Shingle Springs, founded in the 1850’s with gold mines, lime mines, and agriculture as the draw, is now home to 7,500. The two areas offer a rural atmosphere with the amenities found in cities close at hand. Several shopping centers provide a wide array of goods and services. For additional needs, Sacramento is 30 miles to the west.
Recreational opportunities center around the seasonal climate found in the Mother Lode. Although the area is below the snow, a short drive of 70 miles puts the traveler in the heart of the best winter sports setting found in the United States; Lake Tahoe. The crystal waters also serve the summer outdoor enthusiast. The American and Consumnes Rivers offer a wonderland of activities year-round and the spacious El Dorado National Forest features many pleasant experiences.
