Experience Hillmen history with this new self-guided walking tour brochure. Get yours at multiple locations in Auburn.

Step Into History: Explore Placer High with New Self-Guided Walking Tour Brochure

Alumni| Placer High School| Events
November 24, 2025•2 min read

Discover 16 iconic landmarks and over a century of Hillmen history with this new self-guided walking tour brochure—your invitation to explore one of California’s most historic campuses.

Placer High School, one of California’s most historic and picturesque campuses, is inviting alumni, students, and the community to experience its storied past through a new self-guided walling tour.

A colorful brochure, sponsored by the Hillmen Foundation and the Placer County Historical Society, celebrates Placer High’s long and proud history, making the school’s story more accessible to everyone.

Perched on the hillside overlooking downtown Auburn, Placer High School has been an integral part of the Auburn community since its founding in 1897. With more than a century of rich history, the campus is home to remarkable architecture, academic and athletic traditions, and generations of Hillmen pride.

The new self-guided walking tour allows visitors to explore at their own pace while discovering the stories behind iconic landmarks such as the upper campus auditorium and art building, the lower campus college buildings, the Earl Crabbe gym and plaza, and the Athletic Hall of Fame Museum.

Each of the tour’s 16 stops offers interpretive content and historical photos. One page is devoted to the school’s legendary teachers and coaches, many of whom have buildings or sites on campus named for them.

Visitors can start the tour at any point, and no appointment is needed, making it a perfect way to experience Auburn’s educational heritage. The tour should only be taken, however, when school is not in session.

Placer High School is one of the oldest continuously operating high schools in California. Known for its academic excellence, athletic achievements, and deep community roots, the school continues to honor its legacy while preparing students for the future.

The brochure was composed and written by Hillmen Foundation board members Bob Burge and Randall Fee, with layout by Stewart Feldman.

Copies are available in Auburn at:

  • Placer High School Office: 275 Orange Street

  • Placer County Museum in the historic Placer County Courthouse: 101 Maple Street

  • Placer County Visitor Center: 1103 High Street, Suite 150

  • Auburn Chamber of Commerce: 1103 High Street, Suite 100

placer high schoolhillmen foundationwalking tour brochurewalking tour
Bob Burge taught journalism and English at Placer High School from 1973-2006. For 38 years, he was the public address announcer at Lefebvre Stadium. Now retired, he is former chairman of The Hillmen Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports Placer High in the areas of academics, student activities, and athletics.

Bob Burge

Bob Burge taught journalism and English at Placer High School from 1973-2006. For 38 years, he was the public address announcer at Lefebvre Stadium. Now retired, he is former chairman of The Hillmen Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports Placer High in the areas of academics, student activities, and athletics.

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