It is located about 40 miles (64 km) from Sacramento in the Gold Country foothills and sits directly on Highway 50.

[4] Like many of the other towns in California's Mother Lode, Shingle Springs grew out of a camp set up by gold miners during the California Gold Rush - in this case, a group of "49ers" who'd followed the Carson-Emigrant Trail through Pleasant Valley, Nevada.

[5] A rich store of written records preserved by Shingle Springs pioneers has left a detailed picture of the Gold Rush.

For example, the Boston-Newton Joint Stock Association, which left Boston on April 16, 1849, camped there the night before their arrival at Sutter's Fort on September 27, after a remarkable journey across the continent.

[6] Of particular interest is the fact that, before the area was settled by Anglo-Americans, a Maidu village called Bamom was located in the vicinity of modern-day Shingle Springs.

[7] According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 8.2 square miles (21 km2), of which, over 99% is land.

[10] Federally, Shingle Springs is in California's 5th congressional district, represented by Republican Tom McClintock.