Keefe-McDerby Mine Ditch, East of East Bidwell Street between Clarksville Road & Highway 50, Folsom, Sacramento County, CA

The original survey used the address "East of East Bidwell Street between Clarksville Road and Highway 50." At the time of the addendum, the address was changed to "Between Clarksville Road and White Rock Road, along East Bidwell Street and Placerville Road," to include the greater length of the ditch that was documented.

Significance: The Keefe-McDerby Mine Ditch was constructed ca. 1851 to serve the Willow Spring Hill Diggings and other local dry diggings mining areas. It is estimated to be among the first of the major ditch systems in the area, pre-dating the Natomas Ditch, which also supplied water to the miners at the local dry diggings. It was important to the development of the local economy as it brought water from Carson Creek to the dry diggings at Willow Spring Hill to allow for year-round placer mining of the area. Later, it was likely used to supply water for ranching and farming. Mining and agriculture have been two of the major economic mainstays of California's economy, and water, transported to these industries, allowed these enterprises to prosper.

Survey number: HAER CA-195

Building/structure dates: ca. 1851 Initial Construction

ditches mining folsom keefe mcderby mine ditch keefe mcderby mine ditch bidwell east bidwell street clarksville clarksville road highway sacramento sacramento county california water supply agriculture people jeremy adams diamond ridge ditch company inc ecorp consulting robert a hicks historic american engineering record dan osanna us army corps of engineers sacramento district ric windmiller photo white rock road placerville road ultra high resolution high resolution library of congress

1969 - 1980

Library of Congress

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