Virginiatown, California

Virginiatown (formerly, Virginia)^[2] is a former settlement in Placer County, California.^[1] Virginiatown is located on Auburn Ravine, 7.5 miles (12.1 km) west of Auburn.^[2]

Virginiatown
Unincorporated community
Plaque in Virginiatown
Virginiatown Location in California Show map of California Virginiatown Virginiatown (the United States) Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 38°54′02″N 121°12′53″W
Country	United States
State	California
County	Placer County
Elevation [1]	322 ft (98 m)
California Historical Landmark
Reference no.	400

Virginiatown is California Historical Landmark #400.^[3] The town was the site of one of California's first railroads, built in 1852 to carry gold ore from the mines to Auburn Ravine.^[4] After the first wave of gold mining ended, wood-cutting became an important local industry, to support railroad construction and to fuel the kiln at the pottery mill in nearby Lincoln. A large number of Chinese miners moved into the area around this time and reworked the diggings;^[5] the white residents voted to expel the Chinese from town in 1860, claiming a "fire hazard", and the Chinese resettled just west of town.^[6] A Chinese temple stood outside Virginiatown as late as 1907,^[7] and two rammed-earth Chinese houses were still standing as of 1957.^[8]

The site of Virginiatown is now occupied by rural homes and small farms.