Former California State Route 4 on Main Street in Douglas Flat

Douglas Flat is a small former mining community founded in the 1850s in Calaveras County between Vallecito and Murphys. When California State Route 4 was commissioned in 1934 it followed the existing highway corridor through Douglas Flat via Main Street. The original corridor would persist until 1961 when Main Street was bypassed a new alignment located a short distance eastward. The 1961-era bypass of Douglas Flat was part of larger project which saw California State Route 4 also bypass Vallecito and Murphys.

The original alignment of California State Route 4 in Douglas Flat 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 Douglas Flat

Douglas Flat was settled as a mining camp during the early 1850s between what is now Vallecito and Murphys. By 1857 the Harper and Lone Star claims had produced $130,000 in gold. The community was located near ancient river deposit of gold which is known as the Central Hill Channel.

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 Douglas Flat was carried by Main Street.

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 Douglas Flat originally along Main Street.

California State Route 4 can be seen passing through Douglas Flat along Main Street on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Calaveras County (solid red line).

The original alignment of California State Route 4 in Douglas Flat 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 Douglas Flat

From modern California State Route 4 traffic is advised of a historical California State Historical Plaque #272 can be found on along the original alignment on Main Street. Said plaque is reportedly missing and is in need of replacement.

There are very few structures from the heyday of the Douglas Flat community to be found on Main Street. One significant remaining structure is the Italian Store built by Antonio and Caterina Gagiardo in 1861. The structure once served as a Wells Fargo office for a time and contained a safe which housed gold from the nearby mines.