Overview
Native peoples
Before the arrival of the Spaniards in 1542, native peoples in the Maidu and Miwok groups wandered the Sierra foothills freely, gathering acorns on the hillsides and collecting berries along the creeks. The local Indians organized themselves into villages, a characteristic they share with El Dorado Hills residents today.
The Spanish and Mexican periods
Between 1542 and 1848, California was controlled first by Spain and then by Mexico. Although the arrival of the first Europeans had a significant impact on the Indians living in the western part of California, the way of life of the local natives remained relatively stable during this period.
The two key events at the end of this period that produced overwhelming political and social upheaval for California as a whole, and for the Sierra foothills specifically, were the Mexican-American War and the Gold Rush.
The Gold Rush period
Mining and related activities in the Gold Rush period (1848-1860) significantly changed the landscape of the Sierra foothills.
Clarksville, as the El Dorado Hills area was then known, was not one of the major mining areas, although even its tiny creekbeds were scoured for gold. The Clarksville area played a more significant role as a major stopping point for travelers and freight going to and from the gold fields.
The ranching period
The Gold Rush was over in a matter of a few years. Most gold-seekers either went home with little profit to show for their adventures, or, if they stayed on, switched to other economic endeavors and settled down in the Sierra foothills.
Property was typically held in large land grants before and during the Gold Rush. Toward the end of the 19th century many of these were broken up into smaller ranches on which cattle, horses, and sheep grazed.
Some of the mining camps, Clarksville included, began to take on a more civilized appearance. Stone houses replaced canvas and wooden ones. Schools and libraries were established.
Real estate development
Ranching and other agricultural pursuits were the main economic activity from the Gold Rush until the late 1950s, when the local hills were "discovered" by real estate developers, who bought a number of local ranches and created a master plan for the new community of El Dorado Hills.
The first housing development (or “village,” as many of them came to be known) opened in 1962. From then until now, real estate development has dominated the local scene.
