Entry No. 33 — the Sacramento file — filed under: hangtown
Hangman's Tree Ice Cream Saloon
In 1849 a vigilante mob hanged accused robbers from an oak tree on this exact spot — the reason Placerville was called Hangtown for its first century. The tree's stump is reportedly still under the building's foundation, and a mannequin nicknamed George still hangs from a noose above the entrance of what is now, incongruously, an ice cream parlor marked as California Historical Landmark No. 141.
The story
In 1849, an angry Gold Rush mob dragged three men accused of robbery to a white oak on Main Street and strung them up. That single afternoon gave Placerville its original, unapologetic moniker: Hangtown. The tree itself was cut down long ago, but its ghost stayed embedded in the town's real estate. When the building at 305 Main Street was constructed over the site, the stump was simply sealed beneath the floorboards near the middle of the room.
In 2017, Jamie Taylor and her family opened the Hangman's Tree Ice Cream Saloon on this exact patch of timber and history, officially recognized as California Historical Landmark No. 141. To make sure nobody forgets the address's grim pedigree, a Gold Rush-garbed mannequin nicknamed "George" sways in a noose directly above the front entrance—a spectacle that routinely rattles passersby and sparks local debate, though George invariably finds his way back up.
There is a distinct surrealism to standing inside a brightly lit parlor ordering scoops of Oregon-made Cascade Glacier ice cream while knowing you are standing directly over the severed roots of 1850s vigilante justice. It’s pure Sierra foothill history: raw, bizarrely commercialized, and entirely unpolished.
What it's like
When you walk up to 305 Main Street, look straight up to spot George dangling over the threshold before you step inside. The vibe inside is part classic ice cream shop and part relic room, with original historic flooring right above where the stump sits beneath your shoes. Hours and operations along foothill Main Streets can be famously fickle, so double-check that they are open before making the drive up Highway 50.
The move: Split a scoop under the hanging dummy out front, then read the landmark plaque marking the exact hanging site under your feet.
- 📍 Placerville (Hangtown)
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 305 Main Street, Placerville, CA 95667
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Loved To Death on Main — Walk two minutes down Main Street to swap Gold Rush vigilante history for diaphonized specimens and oddities at this TV-famous curio shop.
- Coloma Jail Ruins — Drive seven miles north to Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park to see the 1856 stone cellblock where Gold Rush lawbreakers were actually locked up.
- Knight Foundry — Head south into Amador County to experience the heavy industrial side of 19th-century mining at America's last water-powered foundry.
Good to know
Is the original hanging tree stump still inside?
Yes. The stump of the 1849 oak tree remains buried directly beneath the floorboards in the center of the building.
Who is the dummy hanging outside?
That's "George," a mannequin dressed in Gold Rush-era attire suspended from a noose above the front door as a nod to Placerville's historic "Hangtown" nickname.
What is California Historical Landmark No. 141?
It is the official state landmark designation marking the precise site of the 1849 vigilante hangings on Main Street.
What do they serve here?
The shop serves waffle cones and scoops of Cascade Glacier ice cream in a historic storefront setting.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Wikipedia · noehill.com · sacbee.com · mtdemocrat.com · comstocksmag.com
last checked: 2026-07-20