Ranlett, California facts for kids

Ranlett was once a small community, or "settlement," located in Amador County, California. It was about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) west of another place called Sunnybrook. Even though it's not a town anymore, Ranlett played a small part in California's history.

What Was Ranlett?

Ranlett was a small settlement that existed for a time in the beautiful area of Amador County. A "settlement" is a place where people start to live and build homes, often in a new or undeveloped area. Ranlett was never a big city, but it was important to the people who lived and worked there.

The Post Office and Its Purpose

One of the most important things in Ranlett was its post office. A post office is where people send and receive letters, packages, and other mail. The Ranlett post office was open from 1895 to 1905. This means it operated for about ten years.

The post office at Ranlett also served a nearby place called the Newton mine. Mines are places where valuable minerals, like gold or silver, are dug out of the ground. Miners and other workers at the Newton mine would have used the Ranlett post office to send and receive their mail, connecting them to the outside world.

How Did Ranlett Get Its Name?

The settlement of Ranlett was named after a person named Arthur G. Ranlett. He was the very first postmaster for the Ranlett post office. A "postmaster" is the person in charge of a post office. It was common in those days to name new places or post offices after important people who helped establish them.

Where Was Ranlett Located?

Ranlett was situated in Amador County, which is in the central part of California. This area is known for its history during the California Gold Rush, when many people came looking for gold. While Ranlett itself wasn't a major gold rush town, its existence was tied to the mining activities in the region, like the Newton mine.

Today, Ranlett is considered a "former settlement." This means that the community no longer exists as an active town or village. Sometimes, places like Ranlett fade away as industries change or people move to bigger towns. However, its name remains a part of California's historical records.