Altaville, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Altaville
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 Altaville
Location in California
Altaville
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Calaveras County |
| Elevation | 1,542 ft (470 m) |
| Reference #: | 288 |
Altaville is a historic community in Calaveras County, California. Its name comes from "Alta," a Spanish word meaning "Upper," and "Ville," a French word for "town." Altaville used to be an unincorporated community. This means it was a settlement not officially governed by a local city. Today, it is part of the city of Angels Camp.
Altaville is located about 1,542 feet (470 meters) above sea level. You can find it where two main roads meet: State Route 49 and State Route 4. The community uses ZIP code 95221 and area code 209.
History of Altaville
Early Days
The town of Altaville was started in 1852. It was built near a place called Cherokee Creek. Over time, it had several different names. Some of these names were Cherokee Flat, Forks-of-the Road, Low Divide, and Winterton.
A famous bandit named Joaquin Murrieta was said to have spent a lot of time here. Because of this, a mountain northwest of the creek was named Joaquin Mountain.
Gold Rush and Industry
Gold was found in Altaville in 1854. However, the gold supply did not last very long. Even so, the town continued to grow. This was because it was an important place for supplies and machinery.
In 1854, D.D. Demerest opened a foundry in Altaville. A foundry is a factory where metal is melted and shaped. Other foundries soon opened too. The Altaville Foundry was very important. It built many of the machines used for mining gold. These machines were used in Calaveras and Tuolumne Counties.
A brick schoolhouse was built in Altaville in 1858. The official townsite was set up in 1873.
Later Years
Altaville got its own post office in 1904. The post office closed in 1943 but opened again in 1944.
Altaville is also known for a famous trick involving old bones. This was called the Calaveras Skull hoax. It was a fake discovery of a very old human skull.
Today, Altaville is recognized as California Historical Landmark #288. This means it is an important historical site in California.
See also
In Spanish: Altaville (California) para niños
