Blogging about Jackson history yesterday put me in mind of
Placerville, which was known as Hangtown in the old days. And, I had a
visual reminder as well, this coin.

M
any
stories exist on how this name was acquired, the most famous story
involved a colorful event that occurred in January of 1849. A gambler
named Lopez gained a lot of attention for his big winnings at a local
saloon. After he retired for the evening, several men tried to overpower
him. Lopez fought back, and with the help of others, the robbers were
captured. During their "flogging", three of the robbers were also
accused of being wanted for a murder and robbery.
With
no more evidence than that, a short 30 minute trial took place and a
unanimous "guilty" verdict was given. The crowd demanded that the men be
sentenced to "death by hanging" and the rest was history. The famous
hanging tree once stood in Elstner’s Hay Yard, next to the Jackass Inn.
Today, the original stump from the old tree remains in the cellar of
"The Hangman’s Tree" tavern on Historic Main Street. (Information from
Placerville Historical So.)
By
other accounts, there were plenty of hangings in Hangtown over gold
disputes and disreputable characters, gamblers, con men taking advantage
of local miners claims.
By 1850, the temperance league and a
few local churches had begun to request that a more friendly name be
bestowed upon the town. The name was changed in 1854 when the City of
Placerville was incorporated. At its incorporation Placerville was the
third largest town in California. In 1857 the county seat was then moved
from Coloma to Placerville, where it remains today.
There you
have it, but my own memories of moving to the Mother Lode was eating my
first Hangtown Fry. It was a delightfully, greasy sandwich filled with
fried onions, green peppers and oysters to which you could add steak
sauce or Worcestershire and lettuce on a hard french roll. Yum. I've
made them at home. The key is not to overcook the oysters.
But, I've learned since there is a legend behind the Hangtown Fry.
Legend
has it that a 49'er hit a glory hole, an incredibly rich pocket of gold
nuggets. He walked into the El Dorado Hotel restaurant in Hangtown, now
Placerville California, and asked the waiter what was the most
expensive item on the menu. The waiter answered that would be one of
three things, oysters, which were tinned and shipped all the way from
Boston, Bacon, which was scarce, and Eggs, which were also scarce and
hard to get to the Motherlode without breaking in a bumpy stage-coach
ride. The prospector answered, fix them all on one plate and bring it
to me.
Another story claims it was a prisoners last dinner and he
chose items hard to get to delay his hanging because it took several
weeks to get oysters. Though available in San Francisco bay, they would
spoil and had to come around the horn in cans. So was born the
'Hangtown Fry'.
It was a San Francisco Restaurant that named it
and kept it on their menu for 160 years. I don't even know if you can
buy one in Placerville. But, there are many variations on that dish, as
omelet and a sandwich. Keeping the oysters tender. Coat them in flour,
saute in butter, then pour the eggs over last. All manner of herbs can
be added. And, restaurants continually refine and add to the Hangtown
Fry.
There you have it folks. Enjoy.