RV Lifestyle The history of the Bell Tower began back in l856. Three fires that year, in April, July and August, claimed most of Placerville’s business section. The need for an alarm system to call the volunteer fire department was obvious, and a bell was ordered fromEngland. Cast in 1860, the bell arrived in Placerville in 1865. The city gave its approval to place the bell in a tower in the plaza. All this was done at a cost of $380. The Bell Tower has been remodelled, relocated and renovated. Today, it serves as a gathering place for parades, celebrations and other Historic Main Street events. Placerville is just minutes from more than 50 farms and ranches of the Apple Hill area, as well as award-winning wineries. We enjoyed the changing views, stopping occasionally for photo ops; our two major stops were Grace Patriot Wines for a great wine-tasting experience in a majestic setting and Boa Vista Orchards, part fruit stand and part farmer’s market. Grace Patriot Wines, a family-run business, provides not only award-winning wine, but history to the area. The winery and adjacent vineyards sit at an elevation of 3,000 feet, with an amazing eastward view over the Sierra Foothills and onwards toward the Crystal Range of the High Sierras on the far horizon. The estate grapes of Grace Vineyards and the winery are on a historic piece of property that was originally the Irving Ranch. Established in 1890, the Irving Ranch was ideally set along the Pony Express route. The integrity of the property’s history has been preserved. Today’s vineyards surround the original Irving barn and ranch house. Now refurbished and repainted, the landmark red barn has been part of the property since long before there was a vineyard or winery. Together with an 1885 ranch house that has been put back together, the restored original buildings help maintain the 100-plus years of history which used to be the Irving Ranch. Today, a simple sign reading “tasting room” directs visitors beyond the barn to the Grace Patriot experience. The inviting front gives way to an elegant expanse. The historic barn falls into the background as our focus shifts to the view from the patio. Neat rows of Christmas tree farms and rolling hills of pines sprawl out naturally toward the vast Crystal Range. Rows of vines line the northern edge of the patio, where visitors can sit and sip their wine only feet from where the grapes are grown. From here, it’s a showcase of the beauty of El Dorado County. Our visit to the winery was memorable, as we had the opportunity to taste from their portfolio of wines. We found all of their wines to be finely crafted, deftly balanced and boldly expressive. Please note: Touring California God Country travel experiences will continue in a future issue. 24 | www.snowbirds.org
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