On July 12, 1876, Placer County Undersheriff Asahel Huntley discovered a breakout attempt by a group of men incarcerated in the Placer County jail. The men had removed some of the floorboards in one of their cells and, over several days, dug a tunnel.
While working on the tunnel, they filled pants and shirts with dirt and put them in the jail. When their work was finished for the night, they put the dirt-filled clothes in their tunnel. By the time Huntley caught them, their tunnel stretched about 10 feet, just beneath the outer wall of the jail. They were probably one night away from escaping, but Huntley believed there was an escape attempt underway and did his utmost to uncover it.
The jail was a brick building that sat next to what was Placer County’s second courthouse, which stood where the current courthouse is today. The jail was about where the current front parking lot is. Asahel Huntley was elected sheriff in 1882 and served through 1886. He also built a large home in 1888 that is now known as the Power’s mansion.
Photo: Asahel Huntley, c. 1880
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 Placer’s first responders are training throughout the year to make sure they’re ready when disaster strikes.
This week, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office and CAL FIRE NEU/Placer Fire Department led a unified command training exercise at Northstar Ski Resort in Truckee—bringing together approximately 75 emergency personnel from across east Placer County.
Agencies participating included local special districts, the California Highway Patrol and the U.S. Forest Service, working together to prepare for real-world emergencies that could impact our mountain communities.
This year’s training featured in-depth tabletop exercises simulating large-scale incidents, community-wide evacuations, sheltering displaced residents and strategies for safe and efficient repopulation.
Placer County remains deeply committed to keeping residents and visitors safe through proactive coordination, hands-on training and strong interagency collaboration.
 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:
 Don’t miss the fun coming this next week in...
Roseville: Food Truck Mania, New Moon on Monday concert, Concerts On The Square: Matchbox Twenty Too, Downtown Roseville Tuesday Nights
Rocklin: Toad the Wet Sprocket & Sixpence None the Richer concert
Auburn: Old Town Auburn Co-Op
North Lake Tahoe: The Sam Chase & The Untraditional - Music on the Beach, Skate the Lake 2025, Celebrate Tahoe Summer Artist Reception, Cool Cool Cool concert at Commons Beach, Commons Beach Concerts Afterparty
...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
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