Roseville

In 1864, the California Central and the Central Pacific Railroad came to a junction in an area that was to become Roseville. This junction was termed just that -- "Junction" and everybody riding those train lines or living in the area referred to it as Junction. If it weren't for the fact that a pretty girl had the name of Rose, and Mother Nature had decorated the surrounding countryside with an abundance of roses, you would now be in Junction rather than Roseville.

True to our heritage, the first building to be built in Roseville was the freight depot, operated by Cyrus Taylor, our town's first resident. As soon as Cyrus got his freight depot going, things started to spring up all over the place. There was a hotel, a few stores, a train ticket office, blacksmith, stables and even a shoe repair shop. A school was erected in 1872 and things really got into high gear. The first appearance of a saloon occurred when Tom Berry arrived in Roseville in 1870. This saloon inspired William Branstetter to go one step further. In 1870, Branstetter opened the Golden Eagle Saloon and Lodging House, a grand two-story building complete with porch and flagpole. And to this date, the oldest dwelling still standing in Roseville is the I.O.O.F. building on Pacific Street. It was the first brick building constructed in Roseville and it was built in 1874.

By 1875, the consensus was that Roseville was a real comer and that it was
on its way to becoming one of the most important towns in Placer County. As
the 1800's rapidly drew to an end, Roseville was described as a "quiet, unassuming little place taking on glamorous pretensions to greatness," and
it was generally conceded that it had a promising future. And indeed it did.

Roseville had a thriving winery for a number of years that was the second largest employer after the railroad. In 1905, Southern Pacific moved the freight yards from Rocklin to Roseville, a step which really turned Roseville into a bustling town. In fact, by 1906 Roseville even had a Chamber of Commerce, which led the town to its incorporation in 1909.

Roseville is a town that grew from a few wood and brick buildings into a community of fine houses, golf courses, parks, city facilities and schools. It grew from a town totally dependent on the railroad into a center for the industrial locations of Formica, Western Electric, Reynolds Metals, American Olean Tile Company, Hewlett-Packard Company and NEC.

It also grew into a community of fine, down-to-earth people who really care about their community and who involve themselves in the care and orderly growth of their town. People in Roseville tend to stay in the area, raise their children here and watch them settle down with their children. Welcome to Roseville, and if you like us, why not stay!