The site of Placerville's original hanging tree — California Historical Landmark No. 141 — is on Main Street, marked by a wooden effigy of a hanged man swinging above what is now a saloon. The original oak tree, used for summary executions during the Gold Rush when Placerville was known as "Hangtown," was cut down long ago, but the tradition of the hanging dummy has continued across multiple buildings on the same spot.
The saloon underneath is a tourist bar, but it's worth stepping in for the Gold Rush memorabilia and the dark sense of humour about the town's gruesome nickname. The story goes that the town earned the name after three accused criminals — charged with attempted robbery and murder — were hanged here on the same day in 1849, at the urging of a mob of miners. It was more efficient than waiting for the courts, which is really all you need to know about frontier justice.
story: "Placerville was briefly the third-largest city in California during the Gold Rush. By the time the gold ran out and the population fled, some of the most famous figures in California history had passed through Main Street — including John Studebaker, who made wheelbarrows here before going back east to start a wagon company, and Philip Armour, who ran a butcher shop before founding his meat-packing empire."