Vallecito is one of the oldest communities in Calaveras County having been founded by the Murphy's brothers in 1849. When California State Route 4 was commissioned in 1934 it followed the existing highway corridor through Vallecito (then Vallecita) via Angels Road and Main Street. The original corridor would persist until 1961 when Vallecito was bypassed to the north. The 1961-era bypass of Vallecito was part of larger project which saw California State Route 4 also bypass Douglas Flat and Murphys.
The original alignment of California State Route 4 in Vallecito can be seen in detail on the 1948 United States Geological Survey map of Columbia.
Part 1; the history of California State Route 4 in Vallecito
What was to become Vallecito was founded in 1849 near gold claims of the Murphy's brothers. Said mining camp was originally called "Murphys Diggings" but came to be called "Old Murphys Diggings" when more profitable claims were found to the northeast at what is now the community of Murphys. Old Murphys Diggings would see a revival in 1852 when a large gold deposit was found in the center of town. The community would be renamed as "Vallecita" in 1854 when it received Post Office Service.
Vallecito was brought into the State Highway by 1924 Legislative Chapter 375 as Legislative Route Number 24. Said legislation filled a gap in
Legislative Route Number 24 (Alpine State Highway) from Calaveras Big Trees west to Angels Camp. The original Alpine State Highway alignment through Vallecita was carried by Main Street and Angels Road.
In the August 1934 California Highways & Public Works the initial Sign State Routes were announced. California State Route 4 was announced as the highway crossing Ebbetts Pass via Legislative Route Number 24 and terminating at California State Route 89 (near the unbuilt segment of Legislative Route Number 23) near Markleeville. California State Route 4 was signed through Vallecita along Main Street and Angels Road.
California State Route 4 can be seen passing through Vallecita along Main Street and Angels Road on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Calaveras County (solid red line). Main Street can be seen intersecting Parrots Ferry Road (dotted red line) towards Moaning Cave and the Stanislaus River. The community would rename to Vallecito in 1940.
The original alignment of California State Route 4 in Vallecito can be seen in detail on the 1948 United States Geological Survey map of Columbia.
The November/December 1961 California Highways & Public Works announced a project to rebuild and straighten California State Route 4 between Angels Camp-Murphys had recently been completed. The project bypassed Vallecito via a new alignment straying north of Angels Road and Main Street. The new State Highway alignment tied into an extension of Parrotts Ferry Road which bypassed Vallecito to the east. The same project also bypassed Main Street in Douglas Flat in addition to Main Street and Big Trees Road in Murphys.
Part 2; a drive along Main Street in Vallecito
Modern Parrots Ferry Road (County Route E18 since 1974) bypasses Vallecito to the east. Traffic wishing to access Vallecito is directed to use Main Street.
Main Street continues north into Vallecito and picks up the original alignment of California State Route 4 at Angels Road. Eastbound California State Route 4 would have used Main Street to head towards Douglas Flat and Murphys. The westbound highway would have followed Angels Road towards Angels Camp.
California State Route 4 would have utilized a tee-beam bridge at a branch of Coyote Creek along Main Street just east of Angels Road. This tee-beam structure had been constructed in 1915 and was recently replaced. This photo of the older structure by Mark Yashinsky is from the
bridgehunter website.
California State Route 4 would have followed Main Street to where it merges into the modern highway towards Douglas Flat.
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