California’s ‘Hangtown’ with grim past vies to be a Christmas town

A Northern California city once known for its grim Gold Rush-era hangings is now in the running to be crowned one of the merriest Christmas towns in America by the Hallmark Channel.

Placerville, located in El Dorado County, was founded in 1848 and was originally known as Dry Diggins before earning the unfortunate name “Hangtown.”

During the Gold Rush, the discovery of gold in nearby rivers and mountains brought a surge of newcomers to the area. Several frontier justice hangings during that period ultimately gave the community its notorious nickname, which it carried until 1854.

Today, it is home to roughly 10,300 people and is known for something considerably more cheerful: its Christmas celebrations.

Placerville is one of 25 communities across the country competing in the Hallmark Channel’s Merriest Christmas Towns contest, part of the network’s 25th anniversary celebration.

The city’s holiday traditions include the Hangtown Christmas Parade, the Hometown Holiday on Main celebration and Christmas Tree Lane, when a stretch along Highway 50 is decorated with Christmas trees and lights.

The public will be able to vote in the contest, while a panel of judges will also help select the “Merriest Christmas Town,” according to the Hallmark website.

The towns will be judged on their “community spirit, holiday traditions, neighborhood charm, and goodwill.”

Other communities in the running include Ashland, Oregon; Bemidji, Minnesota; and Berlin, Maryland.

Each of the 25 communities participating in the contest has already been designated an Official Hallmark Christmas Town.

But the grand-prize winner will receive an even bigger distinction: the opportunity to serve as a filming location for a Hallmark movie.

Voting is open online once per day through 11:59 p.m. ET on Sept. 4, 2026.

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