Introduction to Roseville, California
Placer County is home to the California city of Roseville, which is also part of the metropolitan area of Sacramento (the city of Sacramento is situated 17 miles to Roseville's southwest). Principal highways running through Roseville include Interstate 80 and California Highway 65.
Roseville History
Roseville was developed on the ground marking the junction of the Central Pacific and California Central railroad lines which crossed there in the 1860s. Designated on railroad maps for years simply as "Junction," Roseville existed for decades thereafter as merely a small freight and passenger railroad shipping point of about 250 inhabitants catering to the needs of local farmers and ranchers. Things changed in the early 1900s, when the railroad roundhouse and repair facilities were moved to Roseville from nearby Rocklin, which had until then been the area's major railroad service center.
Almost overnight, the landscape of this small village changed into that of a bustling town of two or three thousand. In 1909, the town incorporated and sustained a steady period of growth, finally becoming Placer County's largest and most significant city. Roseville continued as an unchallenged railroad center into the post-war years, but by the 1950s the airline and trucking industries provided stiff competition. By 1972, the local depot was closed but in 1987 passenger traffic was reintroduced and a new intermodal depot facility was completed. In the meantime, the city of Roseville grew by leaps and bounds. While still true to its "Junction" roots, today's Roseville is no longer completely dependent on the railroad, as the electronics industry has made its presence felt with both Hewlett-Packard and NEC Electronics becoming major employers in Roseville and South Placer County.
Roseville Culture and Entertainment
The Carnegie Museum provides a walking tour of historic Roseville. The Carnegie Library, Roseville's first permanent library, was constructed in 1912 and funded in part by Andrew Carnegie. The Maidu Interpretive Center and Historic Site offers guided museum tours highlighting ancient Nisenan Indian culture. The Roseville Telephone Museum explores 100 years of telephone history and showcases an outstanding collection of antique telephones and telephone memorabilia. Art enthusiasts can take advantage of the "3rd Saturday Art Tours," where every third Saturday of the month Roseville art galleries and businesses present a reception-style event, complete with a wide variety of art, music, food and an opportunity to meet the artists. Shoppers will find a variety of offerings at Denio's Farmers Market and Auction, a combination farmer and flea market (open Saturdays and Sundays). Another popular Roseville attraction is the Magic Circle Theater, where a full schedule of musicals, mysteries, comedies, youth musical workshops and concerts are presented in the historic Roseville Theater.
Attractions in other parts of Placer County include: Johnson-Springview Park (Rocklin), Historic Main Street (Newcastle), Lakeview Farms (Lincoln), Traylor Bird Sanctuary and Nature Preserve (Penryn), Griffith Quarry Museum (Penryn), Rocklin History Museum, Gladding McBean & Co. (Lincoln) and the Blue Goose Fruit Shed (Loomis).
Less than a 30-minute drive away is the California State Capital of Sacramento, which offers its own host of attractions, including the California State Railroad Museum and the Sacramento Zoo. Area sports fans can watch the Sacramento Kings (NBA basketball), Sacramento Monarchs (WNBA women's basketball), Sacramento Knights (World Indoor Soccer League) and Sacramento River Cats (Minor League AAA farm team of the Oakland Athletics).
