Fountain-Tallman Soda Works
Also known as: El Dorado County Historical Society Museum
Why it's listed
At 524 Main Street in Placerville stands a small two-story building of brick and local stone, constructed around 1853-54 for John Fountain and Benjamin Tallman, who moved their soda and ice business there from across the street. Its walls are more than two feet thick, and the stone came from the hillside directly behind it. Brick outlines the doors and windows and forms a row of dentils beneath the eaves. The building survived the destructive fires of the mid-1850s and is considered one of the oldest standing structures in the city, as well as the earliest documented stone masonry building in Placerville. Over the decades it passed through several owners, including a mining company that used it for storage and later power companies. Alterations include a 1920s skylight and a filled-in window. The front facade remains largely unchanged. Since 1981 the El Dorado County Historical Society has operated it as a museum with displays of local artifacts.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building dates from the peak of the Gold Rush and is the earliest documented stone masonry structure in Placerville, and likely one of the oldest surviving in the city. It also reflects the rise of mercantile business in the town and the people who joined the rush to the Mother Lode.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 84000770, listed September 13, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 524 Main St., Placerville |
|---|---|
| County | El Dorado County |
| Listed | September 13, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000770 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1853-54 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular design using brick and native stone (slate, serpentine) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Open to the public as a museum run by the El Dorado County Historical Society; interior recently remodeled; integrity described as relatively high. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 38.72926, -120.79829 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 84000770.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5474673
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.