 The Placer County Citrus Colony was a short-lived venture from 1888 to 1905, but it is an important part of the history surrounding Loomis and Penryn. Joel Parker Whitney was the most prominent founding member and president of the board of directors for the colony, contributing over 3,000 acres from his 21,000-acre Spring Valley ranch. An additional 4,000 acres were incorporated into the colony, which was designed to be sold in 10-acre citrus ranches.
English Colony Way takes its name from the families who were enticed by effective and targeted advertising in England to move to beautiful Placer County and purchase one of the picturesque parcels. Wide, palm tree-lined roads were built through the colony, land was cleared and terraced, and irrigation water helped beautify the area while thousands of citrus and deciduous fruit trees were planted. Many of these long rows of palm trees still exist today as visible landmarks of the former colony.
At its peak, over 40 families and more than 200 residents lived in the colony. While not strictly required, most of the families were immigrants from England who helped transform the area’s culture with cricket, rugby, tennis, paper chases, horse races and social activities at the colony’s clubhouse.
In the early 1890s, an agricultural training college was built adjacent to the colony to promote education in horticulture and give students an opportunity to gain practical experience by working on local orchards. In 1892, there were between 40 and 50 students enrolled, but between 1893 and 1897, a nationwide recession and growing malaria outbreak spelled doom for both the college and the colony.
In 1897, the agricultural college was abandoned and by 1898 most residents had sold their properties and moved on. The Placer County Citrus Colony Corporation dissolved in 1905.
Photo: Delivery wagon with agricultural training college pictured in the background. Circa 1895. Placer County Museums collection.
Explore our new interactive timeline — updated every Thursday with photographs, milestones and the stories of people who built this county. Explore timeline
 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: 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, The Fountains Sunset Karaoke, Friday Flicks
Rocklin: 26 Parks in 2026, Living Smart Farmers Market
Lincoln: Farmers’ Market at Fowler Ranch, Kaiser Lincoln Farmers' Market, 2026 National Competition “Feats Of Clay” Exhibit
Loomis: Spring Clean-Up Day 2026
Auburn: Auburn Old Town Farmer’s Market – Placer Farmers Market, Farmers Market at Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital, Auburn Music On The Square, Auburn Bike Month Speaker Series, Heritage Trail – DeWitt History Museum
Colfax: Colfax Farmers’ Market, Firefighter storytimes
North Lake Tahoe: Throwback Thursdays, Line Dancing Fridays, Made in Tahoe Festival, Watson Cabin Museum Grand Reopening
...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
 Honor those who gave everything. Placer County communities will hold Memorial Day ceremonies Monday at cemeteries, memorials and gathering places from Roseville to Colfax, with events running throughout the morning and into the afternoon.
Auburn
9 a.m. New Auburn Cemetery War Memorial | 10 a.m. Old Auburn Cemetery War Memorial | 11 a.m. Newcastle Cemetery War Memorial | 12 p.m. Maidu Indian Burial Ground
Colfax
11 a.m. Colfax Ceremony | 12 p.m. Colfax Indian Cemetery | 1 p.m. Iowa Hill
Foresthill
9 a.m Community Cemetery | 9 a.m. Catholic Cemetery | 10 a.m. Todd Valley Cemetery | 10 a.m. Indian Cemetery | 11 a.m. Foresthill Memorial Hall
Roseville
11 p.m. Roseville Public Cemetery
Rocklin
11 a.m. Rocklin Cemetery
Loomis
9 a.m. Del Oro High School Football Field
Lincoln
9 a.m. Sheridan Cemetery | 10 a.m. Manzanita Cemetery | 11 a.m. Santa Clara Cemetery | 2 p.m. 1st Street Cemetery
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