Events & Public Programming
Experience El Dorado County's vibrant history through scholarly presentations, field hikes, and historical reenactments that educate and enlighten!
(Scroll down to purchase tickets to an upcoming event)
The El Dorado County Historical Society (EDCHS) offers a variety of engaging events that provide valuable educational experiences while fulfilling its mission to preserve and share the region's rich past. These events include:
Walking Tours: These interactive experiences transform the streets of our county’s historic towns into a living history classroom. Participants learn about the Gold Rush era, architectural styles, and the lives of early settlers through firsthand observation and engaging storytelling.
Home Tours: Stepping inside historic homes provides a unique opportunity for hands-on learning. Visitors can observe architectural details, imagine life in the past, and gain a deeper understanding of social history and cultural practices.
Speaker Series: These presentations offer in-depth insights into various aspects of local history, fostering critical thinking and historical analysis. By learning directly from experts at significant historical sites, participants gain a deeper appreciation for the complexities and nuances of the past.
By offering these diverse and engaging educational experiences, the EDCHS empowers individuals of all ages to connect with the past, develop a deeper understanding of our community's history, and become active stewards of our shared heritage.
2025 EDCHS EVENTS CALENDAR
JANUARY 25, 2025 - The Hangtown Fry: A Placerville Classic
FEBRUARY 22 & 23, 2025 - An Evening with 19th Century Placerville’s Beloved C.C. Peirce (Event to benefit the Federated Church's restoration fund for the historic M.E. Church)
MARCH 15, 2025 -Celebrating the Mother Road: The Lincoln Highway in El Dorado County
APRIL 19, 2025 - Placerville’s Bedford Avenue & Clay Street Historic District Home Tour
MAY 24, 2025 - A Legacy Etched in Stone: Historic Stone Structures of the Town of El Dorado
JUNE 21, 2025 - Pioneer Vintners of the Sierra Foothills: The Origins of El Dorado County Wine
JULY 19, 2025 - 2nd Annual Quilt, Fiber Arts, & Historic Textile Show
JULY 25, 2025 - EDCHS Summer Potluck & Book Talk: "Tahoe Meadows: 1924-2024" with author Maggy Gorrill
SEPTEMBER 20, 2025 - Mines, Caves, & Quarries of El Dorado County
OCTOBER 17, 2025 - Hanging Justice: A Retrospective on the Last Legal Hangings in El Dorado County
OCTOBER 24 & 25, 2025 - Whispers of the Past - Macabre Tales of Placerville’s Bedford Avenue/Clay Street Historic District
DECEMBER 4, 2025 - Spirits of Christmas Past at the Bee-Bennett Mansion: An Old-Fashioned Dickens Christmas Convivium
DECEMBER 12, 2025 - Annual EDCHS Holiday Luncheon
*All ticket sales are donations, the net proceeds of which support the EDCHS in its mission to honor the people who came before us by rescuing, preserving, researching, and displaying El Dorado County’s rich history, and to ensure that its significance will be appreciated for generations to come. Donations also help to support the operations and maintenance of the Society’s historic Fountain & Tallman Museum. If you would like to donate a different amount, please call us at our Fountain & Tallman Museum.
PLEASE NOTE: In addition to the keynote presentation, two of the four activities in this program are ADA accessible: one mine tour and the pop up gem and mineral exhibit and presentation. The mining claim tour and the second historic mine require climbing multiple steps and navigating steep, uneven terrain, so please plan accordingly. Additional program details will be emailed to ticket holders one week before the event.
*EDCHS members, please check your email for the special discounted ticket link that was sent to all current EDCHS members. Not yet a member? Join us!
