38°47′56″N 120°49′15″W / 38.79889°N 120.82083°W
Kelsey | |
|---|---|
  Kelsey Location in California  Kelsey Kelsey (the United States) | |
| Coordinates: 38°47′56″N 120°49′15″W / 38.79889°N 120.82083°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | El Dorado County |
| Elevation | 1,923 ft (586 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 473 |
Kelsey (formerly, Kelsey's Diggings) is an unincorporated community in El Dorado County, California.[1] It is located 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Chili Bar,[2] at an elevation of 1923 feet (586 m).[1]
A post office operated at Kelsey from 1856 to 1872, from 1875 to 1903, with several moves, and from 1920.[2] The name honors Benjamin Kelsey, who came to California in 1841 and discovered gold at the site in 1848.[2] Kelsey at one time had 24 saloons, 12 stores, six hotels, two barber shops, and a makeshift court of justice.[3]
Kelsey was among the first settlements of the California gold rush, with the first homes built in 1849. A schoolhouse was built in 1858, and rebuilt in 1903; it remained in service until 1984.[4]
