Skip to content

Building the Foresthill Bridge: Hear what it was like in this week’s Placer County newsletter

Featured Replies

Placer County Newsletter.png

colorful sky over lake tahoe

Photo of the week

This #PlacerLife photo of the multi-colored sky over Lake Tahoe in Tahoma was taken by @giana.teresa on Instagram.

Bookmark and Share


Collage of Donald Anderson and Foresthill photos and cutouts with text: Placer History the Auburn-Foresthill Bridge.

Featured story

Placer Pioneers: Revisiting the construction of the iconic Foresthill Bridge

On Sept. 1, 1973, 53-years-ago this week, hundreds gathered to celebrate the completion of the Auburn-Foresthill Bridge. This week, we interviewed  Donald Anderson about his role in the construction of the bridge and what life was like working on it . As he says, “We were the youngest fools on the project.” Watch video


Wildfire preparedness

Granite Bay residents claim 150th Firewise Community milestone

County and fire officials pose with neighbors in front of a South Placer Fire District fire engine and with a Firewise community commemorative sign

County staff and fire agencies celebrated the designation of Placer’s 150th Firewise community this week, just in time for September’s National Preparedness Month. Placer continues to lead the country in Firewise communities.

Watch video


Community

Join us for 9/11 remembrance events in Roseville and Auburn

The New York City skyline with the twin towers of the World Trade Center with text reading 9/11 Never Forget

Join us for community events in Roseville and Auburn as we mark the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks - remembering the lives lost that day and the sacrifices of those who stepped up to help. Roseville event + Auburn event


Emergency preparedness

Preparedness starts at home: Be ready for any emergency today

Mom and two kids in a kitchen packing a red backpack with emergency supplies to prep a go-kit.

September is National Preparedness Month. Take time this month to know the risks in your community and talk with your family about what to do in an emergency. For more tips, checklists and resources, bookmark readyplacer.org.

Learn more


Volunteering

Honor guard volunteers support cherished local traditions

With a play button overlay, several uniformed honor guard members stand on a track holding the flags of America’s armed services.

Our Veterans Services Office is calling for new honor guard volunteers to help uphold respectful ceremonies at local events across Placer County. A new video highlights why this service matters and how you can get involved. Watch video


Blue background with images from Wednesday’s affordable housing project meeting at North Tahoe High School and white text. Click to watch.


175 years of Placer County history

Rendering of the Domes facility showed the planned ‘domed’ structure of today’s Placer County Administrative Center

The Placer County Administrative Center was built in 1966 on Fulweiler Avenue in Auburn and is a remarkable example of innovative mid-century modernist design. It is composed of five geodesic domes. An open-framework dome is positioned over the entry plaza with a fountain centered beneath. The roof is covered with a golden finish to represent the county’s Gold Rush-era roots while the overall shape emulates the low rolling foothills of the region. 

Commonly known as the Domes, this structure along with the two-story concrete building next door, represented a new era for Placer County. They were originally planned to ease overcrowding at the Auburn Courthouse where the administrative functions of the county had always operated. The site was selected near the courthouse. Here, Placer County purchased 22 acres of vacant land and between 1963 and 1966 built these two structures.

The geodesic design was chosen for cost efficiency expected in the prefabricated project. The entire structure was made in panels of anodized aluminum at the Temcor facility in Torrance, California. Shipped by rail, the first dome took three weeks for crews to complete. After this initial learning phase, it took only about three days to assemble each dome with the entire project taking 10 months at a total cost, including landscaping, of $689,648.47.

At the dedication ceremony Oct. 29, 1966, Board of Supervisors Chairman Will Jones remarked: “To me these new buildings represent new thinking. They represent the ability to gain from the experience of others. They are a new approach and, as I like to think, a new start.” 

Today, this unique structure has been carefully maintained and in 2025 was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural significance.

Explore our new interactive timeline — updated every Thursday with photographs, milestones and the stories of people who built this county. Explore timeline


Bye bye mattress program gif with a mattress flying a way and messaging that mattresses and box springs are being accepted


Advisory committees and commissions

Graphic with forested mountains in the background with text reading Placer County is inviting you to get involved

Whether it’s representing your community or sharing your expertise on topics like agriculture or parks, there are always opportunities for you to help advise county leaders on the issues that matter to you most. Recruitment is open now to fill seats on the following committees or commissions, among others. Learn more and apply

Current recruitments include:


A graphic with homes and water, with question Do you have flood insurance and Learn more.


Fun things to do this week

People eating at a camping trip, with hammocks in the trees nearby

Don’t miss the fun coming this next week in...
Roseville:  Mahany Park Certified Farmers' Market, Maidu Park Farmers' Market, Roseville Fountains Farmers' Market, Kaiser Riverside Farmers' Market, Kaiser Eureka Farmers' Market, Sutter Roseville Farmers Market, 2026 Roseville Greek Food Festival, Food Truck Mania
Lincoln: Farmers’ Market at Fowler Ranch, Kaiser Lincoln Farmers' Market
Loomis: Tales for Tots, Girls’ Night Out at The Flower Farm
Auburn: Auburn Old Town Farmer’s Market – Placer Farmers Market, Farmers Market at Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital, Auburn Music On The Square, Auburn State Theatre Present FernGully: The Last Rainforest, Market in the Square
Colfax: Colfax Farmers’ Market
North Lake Tahoe:  Tahoe City Farmer’s Market, Music on the Beach, Lights in the Sky, Music on the Beach, Northstar Summer Stage Music, 12th Annual Labor Day Cleanup, Rubicon Music Series, Concerts at Commons Beach

...and many Placer County Library and Placer County Museum events.

Visit our regional partners to discover more of the fun happening right here in Placer County!

Placer County Visitors' Bureau
North Tahoe Community Alliance
Tahoe City Downtown Association
The Arts Council of Placer County
Placer Valley Tourism
PlacerGROWN
Placer Wine Trail

Upcoming public meetings and events

Board of Supervisors members listen as a woman speaks from a podium in a wood-paneled chamber with flags and screens.

Placer County offices CLOSED for Labor Day, Sept. 7
Board of Supervisors, Sept. 8, 9 a.m. Information
North Auburn Community Forum, Sept. 8, 6 p.m. Information
North Auburn Municipal Advisory Council, Sept. 8, 6:30 p.m. Information
Sheridan Municipal Advisory Council, Sept. 9, 6 p.m. Information

To learn about other Placer County committees and commissions and current opportunities to serve your community click here.

List of active projects throughout Placer County

Projects are listed alphabetically and by Board of Supervisors districts. A hard copy of the list is available at the Placer County Community Development Resource Agency, 3091 County Center Drive in Auburn. 

Active Projects

Stay connected with us online!

Facebook  Instagram  X  LinkedIn  YouTube  Nextdoor  Soundcloud

 Flashvote

Copyright © Placer County. All Rights Reserved.

Account

Navigation

Search

Search

Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.