Mosquito is a sleepy little community nestled on a ridge across the American River and about 13 miles from Placerville. For those looking for a Sunday drive with a little excitement, try an out-and-back trip there (out Mosquito Road across the swinging bridge and back via Rock Creek Road).

Beginning in 1849, miners explored and exploited Mosquito Creek; according to Lois Pearson, a third-generation resident, the name Mosquito dates back to 1853. Miners searching for a name for their camp decided to use the next word anyone spoke aloud. Slapping a mosquito, one of the miners exclaimed, “Damn mosquitoes!” And so, the area became known as Mosquito—“because they couldn’t call it Damn,” contended Ms. Pearson.

 In the early years, the road from Placerville to Mosquito was little more than a goat trail. In 1859, the board of supervisors ordered a road be opened between Placerville and Mosquito, although it was still not much of a road by today’s standards. It’s unclear when the first Mosquito Bridge was built, but it may have been a toll bridge. In 1867, the “wire bridge,” as it was nicknamed, was constructed using cables manufactured near the site by Hiram Tipton, an Englishman. The bridge had no side rails, and when autos began using it, their weight sent the bridge rolling, leading to the current moniker—the swinging bridge. 

Minimal maintenance was done on the road and bridge, and by the turn of the century, the drive to Mosquito was daunting. A survey done in October 1907 deemed the bridge unsafe for heavy loads, and residents began petitioning the board of supervisors to repair the road and bridge. A letter to the editor in the April 11, 1924, issue of the Mountain Democrat noted that, “all drivers of conveyances take their life in their hands if they attempt to cross this unsafe bridge.” 

The bridge was rebuilt, in its present form, in 1939 by Hector Williamson using cables, wood and cement pillars on each side. In 1943, the road from Placerville to the bridge was paved.

Logging was big business in the area, and the Michigan-California Lumber Company needed an alternative route to get their lumber to market. In 1901, they constructed a 2,650-foot cable tram 1,250 feet above the American River to transport lumber to the sawmill in Camino. The tram bypassed the need to use Mosquito Road and had a carrying capacity of 35 tons. It was used until 1949 when a fire destroyed the south tower and melted the cables. By that time, Rock Creek Road had been constructed, giving motorists a second route between Mosquito and Placerville.

In 1934, a Civilian Conservation Corps camp was built near the current intersection of Mosquito Road and Rock Creek Road. It housed 200 individuals who worked on the construction of Rock Creek Road, which connects Mosquito to Chili Bar and Placerville. This road, while straighter than Mosquito Road, is narrow and hugs the side of the mountain with breathtaking views of the river hundreds of feet below. Several bridges were also built, including a 140-foot span bridge across Rock Creek. The road was completed in 1937, providing residents of Mosquito with an alternative route to their community.

by Jerrie Beard // Top photo by Aaron Roseli. Bottom photo courtesy of California State Library