The Fountain & Tallman Soda Factory Museum is a small history museum at 524 Main Street in historic downtown Placerville, California. Its circa 1852 building began as a soda works serving early residents and pioneers, and today its displays trace local life through artifacts, photographs and memorabilia.
- Location: 524 Main Street, Placerville, California 95667
- Typical opening pattern: Open Friday to Sunday; closed Monday to Thursday
- Admission: reported as free, with donations accepted
The Museum’s Place in Placerville History
The museum occupies what the El Dorado County Historical Society identifies as the oldest extant building on Placerville’s Main Street. Dating to circa 1852, it was the site of John Fountain and Benjamin Tallman’s Soda Works, which supplied drinking water and refreshments to early Placerville and El Dorado County pioneers.
The building’s rock-rubble stone walls are more than 2 feet thick. Their substantial construction helped keep ice and soda supplies cool. After the soda works closed, the building served several purposes, including as the town jail and as a Pacific Gas & Electric office from 1927 to 1961.
Fay Rupley Cannon donated the building to the Historical Society in 1981 on the condition that it be preserved for public benefit as a historical landmark. The society later renovated the structure, uncovering objects that connect its past uses with the museum’s collections.
What Visitors Can See
The museum’s collections bring together artifacts and photographs from Placerville’s history, including objects found during the building’s renovation. The El Dorado County Historical Society says those finds—a bowie knife, flakes of gold and broken soda-bottle glass bearing the original owner’s mark—remain on display.
Displays are arranged across the building’s floors. On the first floor, exhibits focus on 1850s Gold Rush-era Placerville, with miners’ tools, photographs, early firefighting equipment, Snowshoe Thompson’s skis and a piece of the hanging tree associated with the nickname “Hangtown.”
Second-floor displays turn to downtown businesses and local life. Objects include a Pacific Gas & Electric display, a Hangtown Band drum, an early jeweler’s lathe, a Bartlett Baseball team uniform and furnishings from the Tracy family. The museum also includes turn-of-the-century furniture and photographs from Placerville native Stella Tracy, along with other 19th- and 20th-century memorabilia.
How do you get from downtown Placerville to the museum?
The museum is on Main Street in historic downtown Placerville, at 524 Main Street. From Mother Lode rooms in Placerville, the drive takes about 4 minutes; walking takes about 42 minutes.
The operator lists the museum’s address but does not provide specific driving directions or parking guidance, so plan your approach using your preferred navigation service.
Hours, Admission and Access
Admission is reported as free, with donations accepted; the Historical Society does not specify a fee or ticketing arrangement. Check the official site before you go, and contact the Historical Society at +1 530-626-0773 if you need to confirm visit details.
Opening hours
- Friday to Sunday: 12 PM–4 PM
- Monday to Thursday: closed
Last checked November 2026. Hours can change on holidays and for special events.
The first floor is accessible. A photograph album shows exhibits and artifacts from the second floor, which can help you get a sense of that level’s displays.
Pairing the Visit with Downtown Placerville
Because the museum stands on Main Street, you can pair its local-history displays with time in downtown Placerville. Its Soda Works story, former civic and business uses, and collections on local life offer a focused starting point for understanding the historic street around it; a guide to Placerville’s historic Main Street covers the area’s central street.
If you are planning a broader day in town, the one-day Placerville itinerary can help you fit the museum into a wider visit. Keep the museum’s stated opening days and hours in mind when arranging the order of your stops.
FAQs
What is the Fountain & Tallman Museum?
It is a museum in a circa 1852 Main Street building that once housed John Fountain and Benjamin Tallman’s Soda Works. Its exhibits cover Placerville history and local life.
What is on display at the museum?
Collections include Gold Rush-era tools and photographs, historic business and community objects, and artifacts uncovered during renovation. The displays span the first and second floors.
Is there an admission fee?
Admission is reported as free, and donations are accepted. The Historical Society does not specify an admission arrangement.
Is the museum accessible?
The first floor is accessible. A photograph album shows exhibits and artifacts from the second floor.