Placerville City Council affirms 'Old Hangtown' nickname after removing noose from logo Sacramento Bee 5 hrs ago Vincent Moleski, The Sacramento Bee May 2—Placerville City Council members last week unanimously voted to approve a resolution affirming the Gold Rush-era nickname "Old Hangtown," a little over two weeks after they agreed to remove a noose from the city's logo. The city has been facing heightened scrutiny for the past year over its historical connection to vigilante executions during the mid-19th century, with critics arguing that the city's branding is racially insensitive. Criticism intensified last summer, when a series of large-scale protests against racism and police brutality swept the nation following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. In July, Placerville City Council members deferred action regarding the city's logo until this year. Earlier this month, the council again took up that same discussion, voting to remove the symbol, which had been depicted hanging from a tree standing behind a miner panning for gold.