Loomis (Images of America)

A small town set along Interstate 80 in the Sierra Nevada foothills, Loomis anchors what was once an internationally known agricultural area, a distinction it gained after early settlers came for gold mining along the rivers. The Central Pacific Railroad soon laid tracks here, providing a means for transporting fruit crops to market. Established first as Pine Grove in the 1850s, the town later became Placer, then Smithville, and later Pino. This led to confusion with Reno, so in 1890 it officially became Loomis, in honor of postmaster and saloon keeper James Oscar Loomis. Agriculture is mostly gone now, but many downtown businesses retain their original architecture, and the restored railroad depot helps keep Loomis's heritage alive.