Two years later, Placerville tried again, and this time the contest was limited to just the two towns. Again, the official vote showed Coloma the victor, but a group of indignant Placerville citizens called a meeting to air their suspicions of ballot box stuffing and election fraud.

Apparently, the evidence supporting the charges was sufficient to convince the State Legislature to settle the matter once and for all. So, by an act of the Legislature, the county seat was moved to Placerville in 1857.

On July 6, 1856, Placerville was nearly destroyed by a fire, and as local mining declined, Placerville gained new life from the Comstock silver strike in Nevada in 1859. Throughout the 1850’s Placerville had been the western terminus for the Overland Trail. The year 1859 saw the new beginning of a massive reverse migration. From 1859 to 1866, the Placerville-Carson Road (later U.S. Highway 50 was built) witnessed the greatest era of freighting and staging by horse-drawn vehicles ever known.Due to dispute with the railroad, the City of Placerville disbanded in 1873 and incorporated again in 1900.

Today Placerville remains the hub of the Mother Lode. The industry has turned from mining to lumber, agriculture, light manufacturing, tourism and recreation and is famous for its vineyards and production of fine wines. Placerville remains the location of the offices of the El DoradoCounty government, but when the city and its rich history are recalled, it is the colorful name of Hangtown which has endured.