The first mention of Penn Valley happened back in 1848.  A Jonas Spect wrote the
following:  “Sometime in the summer of 1848 I went prospecting up Deer Creek, and just
remember that I came to the finest kind of valley which I think they afterwards called Penn
Valley, but nothing occurred which would be of interest.”

According to a legend, Penn Valley got it’s name from the fact a livestock “pen” was built
there in the early days.  For lack of a better name, folks started calling it “Pen Valley”.  An
extra “n” was added sometime later and it became “Penn Valley”.

During the Gold Rush days, Penn Valley never could brag about any great Bonanzas.
But, Penn Valley did get the reputation as ‘The Pantry of the Northern Mines’.
Discouraged miners left the boomtowns and gold mines, and pioneered the valley to seek
riches from a different source - agriculture.  They traded their gold pans for ploughs, and
turned Penn Valley into lush grazing lands, orchards, and farms.

Penn Valley became rich in agriculture with lots of beef and dairy cattle.  It’s prime
location between Sacramento and Marysville on the way to the Motherlode mines made it
an ideal stopover place to obtain meat, produce, fruit,  and supplies.  Livery stables and
Blacksmith services were also available.

  When the mining operations cut back, Penn Valley was able to survive while a lot of the
towns totally dependent on mining became virtual ghost towns.

Today, Penn Valley has some wonderful horse and ranch property.  Lake Wildwood is a
very upscale gated community with it’s own private lake and golf course that is located in
Penn Valley.

The Penn Valley Chamber of Commerce provides great services to local businesses, and
talk is that a  convention center could soon come to Penn Valley, with a large hotel.

Right now, real estate is a bargain in Penn Valley.  Lots of people are escaping the rat race
of the Bay area, and are enjoying the great prices and people of Penn Valley, Nevada
County.