The Calaveras County communities of Copperopolis and Telegraph City are located in region of the Sierra Nevada foothills which went through a copper mining boom starting in the 1860s. When California State Route 4 was commissioned in 1934 it followed the corridor of Reed's Turnpike through Telegraph City to Main Street in Copperopolis. Both communities were bypassed during the late 1970s, but California Transportation Commission shelved plans to modern the highway east to Altaville (not part of Angels Camp). Recently the Wagon Trail Realignment Project between Copperopolis and Angels Camp has been revived as is currently in construction as of the publishing of this blog.
California State Route 4 can be seen passing through Copperopolis along Reed's Turnpike and Main Street below on the 1942 United States Geological Survey map of Copperopolis.
Part 1; the history of California State Route 4 in the Copperolis and Telegraph City area
Copperopolis and Telegraph City both lie in the southern extent of Salt Springs Valley. The valley was part of the Madam Felix Mining District which had sparse success for gold mining operators beginning in the 1850s. The towns of Hodson and Felix were accessible via stage road which followed Rock Creek east of Stockton. In 1857-1858 the valley would be first dammed by William H. Hanford as it was found it be more useful for cattle grazing.
The Royal Mill at Hobson can be seen in an undated photo from the Calaveras County Historical Society. Hobson was located approximately a mile west of Rock Creek Road on Littlejohn Creek.
Copperopolis was founded in 1860 by William K. Reed, Dr. Allen Blatchly and Thomas McCarty. The claims at Copperopolis were the second major copper strike in Calaveras County after those found at Telegraph City (originally Grasshopper City) in 1860. By 1862 William K. Reed sold his interests in the Union Mine and constructed the namesake Reeds Turnpike to Stockton. This roadway would remain a franchise toll road until 1865 when it became a public highway. Reeds Turnpike would later be used as a basis for much of early California State Route 4 between Stockton and Copperopolis.
State Highway service through Telegraph City and Copperopolis would begin in 1933 when Legislative Route Number 75 was extended from Walnut Creek east to Legislative Route Number 65 in Altaville. The August 1934 California Highways & Public Works would announce the initial run of Sign State Routes. California State Route 4 was announced as passing through Telegraph City and Copperopolis via Reed's Turnpike and Main Street.
California State Route 4 can be seen passing through Copperopolis along Reed's Turnpike and Main Street on the 1942 United States Geological Survey map of Copperopolis.
The same map displays California State Route 4 passing through the site of Telegraph City via Reed's Turnpike (then Stockton Road). The road through the former community is now known as Telegraph Road.
A planned bypass alignment (black dotted line) of California State Route 4 at Copperopolis and Telegraph City first appears on the 1969 Division of Highways map. The planned corridor is shown to stray north of the original alignments through both communities. A similar planned realignment between Copperopolis and Altaville is shown.
The Telegraph City and Copperopolis Bypass appears as the then new alignment of California State Route 4 on the 1977 Caltrans map. The realignment east of Copperopolis to Altaville (annexed by Angels Camp in 1972) still appears as a planned highway.
Interest in the modernization of California State Route 4 in Calaveras County revived in the early 2000s. In November 2002 the California Transportation Commission selected a two-lane expressway alignment as the then proposed bypass of Angels Camp along California State Route 4. Construction of the Angels Camp Bypass would commence in 2007 and would be open to traffic on July 21, 2009. The Angels Camp Bypass strays north through the neighborhood of Altaville and bypasses downtown Angels Camp. An overpass structure was constructed over Murphys Grade Road as a grade separation. Stockton Road several miles west of California State Route 49 was relinquished to local authorities as part of the Angels Camp Bypass.
The planned realignment of California State Route 4 between Copperopolis and Altaville was revived in the 2020s. The so-called Wagon Trail Realignment Project originates at Postmile R12.729 near Bonanza Mine Way and extends to Postmile R18.769 near Stockton Road. The California Transportation Commision made substantial allocations for the project in August 2022 and most recently March 2024 for the Eastern Segment. This project is currently underway as of the publication of this blog.
Part 2; exploring former segments of California State Route 4 in Copperopolis and Telegraph City
Hunt Road has been recently extended over a bypassed portion of California State Route 4. This particular segment was part of the Western Segment of the Wagon Trail Realignment corridor. The original corridor of Hunt Road is easily identified due to it being a single lane with a 7-ton weight limit.
In recent years Copperopolis has begun to modernize with numerous new subdivisions being constructed to flank the Lake Tulloch Reservoir. Much of the mining era structures in the community are found near the original alignment of California State Route 4 at intersection of Reed's Turnpike and Main Street.
There isn't much to find at the site of Telegraph City along the original alignment of California State Route 4 on Telegraph Road. There are several building foundations which line the roadway but little else. Telegraph City had Post Office service from 1862 through 1894 and has long become a ghost town.
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