# Altaville, California

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altaville%2C_California
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{{Short description|Unincorporated community in California, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}

{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
|name          = Altaville
|other_name             =
|native_name            =  
|nickname               = 
|settlement_type        =[Unincorporated community](/source/Unincorporated_area)
|image_skyline          = 
|imagesize              = 
|image_caption          = 
|pushpin_map            =California#USA
|pushpin_label_position =bottom
|pushpin_mapsize        =
|pushpin_map_caption    =Location in California
|pushpin_image=California Locator Map with US.PNG
<!-- Location ------------------>
|subdivision_type       = Country
|subdivision_name       =[United States](/source/United_States) 
|subdivision_type1      = State
|subdivision_name1      = [California](/source/California)
|subdivision_type2      =County
|subdivision_name2      = [Calaveras County](/source/Calaveras_County%2C_California)
|subdivision_type3      =
|subdivision_name3      = 
|<!-- Politics ----------------->
|established_title      =  <!-- Settled -->
|established_date       = 
|coordinates            = {{coord|38|05|02|N|120|33|43|W|type:city_region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes    =  <ref>{{gnis|1659688}}</ref>
|elevation_m            =470 
|elevation_ft           =1542
|footnotes              = {{Designation list|embed=yes|designation1=California|designation1_number=288<ref name=CHL/>}}
}}
'''Altaville''' (''Alta'', [Spanish](/source/Spanish_language) for "Upper" and ''Ville'', [French](/source/French_language) for "town") is a former [unincorporated community](/source/unincorporated_area) in [Calaveras County](/source/Calaveras_County%2C_California), [California](/source/California), now located in the northwest portion of the city of [Angels Camp](/source/Angels_Camp%2C_California). It sits at an [elevation](/source/elevation) of 1,542 feet (470 m) above [sea level](/source/sea_level) and is located at {{coord|38|05|02|N|120|33|43|W|}}, at the intersections of [SR 49](/source/California_State_Route_49) and [SR 4](/source/California_State_Route_4). The community is in [ZIP code](/source/ZIP_code) 95221 and [area code 209](/source/area_code_209).

The town was established in 1852 on Cherokee Creek and was known variously as '''Cherokee Flat''', '''Forks-of-the Road''', '''Low Divide''', and '''Winterton''' over its history.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{California's Geographic Names|740}}</ref> Notorious bandit [Joaquin Murrieta](/source/Joaquin_Murrieta) supposedly spent so much time here that a mountain northwest of the creek was named Joaquin Mountain. Although [gold](/source/gold) was discovered here in 1854, it didn't last long, but the town survived due to its position as an important point for supplies and machinery. D.D. Demerest established a foundry here in 1854, and others soon followed. Most of the stamp mills and a large part of the mining machinery erected in Calaveras and [Tuolumne](/source/Tuolumne_County%2C_California) Counties were built at the Altaville Foundry. A [brick schoolhouse](/source/Altaville_Grammar_School) was built at Altaville in 1858 and the townsite was established in 1873.

A post office was established in 1904, closed in 1943, and re-established in 1944.<ref name="ReferenceA" />

Altaville was also the site of an archaeological hoax, the [Calaveras Skull](/source/Calaveras_Skull).

The town today is registered as [California Historical Landmark](/source/California_Historical_Landmark) #288.<ref name=CHL>{{cite ohp|288|Altaville|2012-10-06}}</ref>

==References==
<references/>

{{Calaveras County, California}}
{{California Historical Landmarks in Calaveras County, California}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Unincorporated communities in Calaveras County, California
Category:California Historical Landmarks
Category:Unincorporated communities in California
Category:1852 establishments in California
Category:Populated places in the United States established in 1852

{{CalaverasCountyCA-geo-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Altaville, California](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altaville%2C_California) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altaville%2C_California?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.