The Smith Flat House
Point of Historical Interest - Eld-007
A hotel originally built in 1853 with substantial additions including a blacksmith shop in 1863. In the cellar is the famous opening to the Blue Lead Mine. Known early as "3 Mile House" the building has served as a stage coach stop, general merchandise store, hotel, post office and community hall for 135 years. This building is perhaps the best preserved frame structure of its size in the entire Mother Lode. The earliest owner of record was Elihu Meredith who owned hotels in Coloma and on Green Valley Road. According to the Mountain Democrat, this house also served as the voting precinct headquarters from 1854 until after the turn of the century.
Marker is on Smith Flat Road west of Smith Flat School Road, on the right when traveling west.
Courtesy hmdb.org
