HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
A 1916 El Dorado County roadhouse still operating as a restaurant, where staff and customers have documented a consistent cast of apparitions across multiple ownerships.
545 Pleasant Valley Rd, Diamond Springs, CA 95619
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$
Standard restaurant pricing for country cooking fare.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Ground-floor restaurant with flat access from the parking area.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1916 · Carson Emigrant Trail · Gold Rush El Dorado County History · Sole Surviving Hotel Structure in Diamond Springs
Diamond Springs sits in the foothills of El Dorado County, roughly three miles south of Placerville on what was once the Carson Emigrant Trail — a primary overland route used by Gold Rush immigrants arriving from the east. The town was established around natural springs that gave it its name, and settlement was accelerated in 1849 when a Missouri pioneer reportedly discovered a 25-pound gold nugget in the area.
At its peak, Diamond Springs supported several hotels, boarding houses, and commercial establishments. The building at 545 Pleasant Valley Road was constructed in 1916 by Antone Meyer (also spelled Anton in some sources) and was the last of the town's original hotel structures to survive into the modern era.
The hotel ceased operating as overnight lodging some decades ago and transitioned into a restaurant, a function it continues to serve. Current owners Moon and Amy Shim operate it under the tagline 'Old Fashioned Country Cooking,' emphasizing its role as a community landmark. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Saturday for breakfast through dinner and Sunday for breakfast and brunch.
The town of Diamond Springs also functioned as a Pony Express station. Its distance from Placerville kept it a distinct community through the 20th century, though it is now effectively a rural neighborhood within the broader Placerville area.
Sources
Paranormal accounts at the Diamond Springs Hotel have been reported by staff and customers under at least two separate ownership groups, giving the claims some consistency across time.
The most frequently cited figure is a little girl in a yellow sundress, seen in the dining room or adjacent areas. A man who tends to occupy the back booth — described as translucent or 'filmy' — has been noted by multiple diners over the years. Staff have also described a woman's apparition visible from outside the building, peering from an upstairs window.
From the upper level of the building, the sounds of children giggling and running have been heard by staff when the floor is unoccupied. Unexplained noises in the restroom area have been reported by customers. Objects placed on surfaces have been reported missing, only to turn up elsewhere in the building.
A figure identified by some staff as resembling Antone Meyer, the building's original builder, has been described — a man with a black dog appearing near Table 19. A woman named Rosa has been cited in some accounts, though she has not been connected to any verifiable historical person associated with the property.
The Miwok crematorium origin attributed to the site in some regional sources could not be verified against any credible historical or archaeological documentation during this build; that claim has been omitted per editorial policy.
Notable Entities
A working country-cooking restaurant in a 1916 building in El Dorado County, the lone survivor of the many hotels and boarding houses that populated Diamond Springs during the Gold Rush era. Staff and customers have described apparitions at specific locations in the dining room — notably the back booth, an upstairs window, and the restroom corridor.
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