Once Upon a Time in Placerville No. 22: The Spencer Home on Washington Street

Good morning. Tina here once again with another Once Upon a Time.

This is the Spencer house which was on Washington Street. Washington Street has been reconfigured, I believe when the freeway went through town, so this home may have been torn down then. It used to meet with Mosquito Road at some point near where Broadway now begins at the east end of Main Street. The photo below was dated 1889.

I wish I knew more about this home which was lost to the wrecking ball. At one time quite a few years ago these photos were for sale on ebay and I didn't win the bid, but I saved the copies of the photos.

The Spencers are gathered here in the photo above, circa 1899. It looks like they have upgraded the home with more porch additions and fencing. It also looks like the kids are getting older.

This shot of the street itself shows a fairly flat area. As the street now begins, it heads south up a steep hill and then for a bit goes fairly flat and then heads downhill again to Cedar Ravine.

The Spencer family plays croquet near their home in 1905. The elevated railway and possibly Hangtown Creek is behind them.  It isn't easy to read the names but they appear to be Maxine, George, Annie, Ray, Frank, Larry (or Lorrey?) and Mabel. I found Annie L. Spencer, housewife, in the Precinct Register for Placerville in 1938, and a Miss Lorena Spencer and N. L. Spencer Jr., a mechanic.

One last shot of "Our dear old home". When I think of all the old homes that are no longer standing in our lovely historic town, I get such a feeling of loss. Memories are gone to ash, streets are rearranged and trees and gardens destroyed. This little area above is completely unrecognizable. It just makes me sad.

I wish I knew more about the Spencers and their home, but hopefully I can help keep their memory alive just by sharing this post.