By the fall of 1848, three stores had been built in the mining camp village of Coloma where Marshal discovered gold. The camp quickly grew with hundreds of tents and shanties covering the hillsides around Marshall's original log cabins. As Coloma became a central point for mining in the region more substantial buildings were constructed and it soon had hotels, and restaurants in addition to becoming the county seat serving surrounding mining camps and mines. Many of these camps would develop into towns that would in some way influence Rubicon Springs such as Ford's Bar, Volcano, Big, Sandy, Junction, Gray Eagle, Georgetown, Kelsey, Spanish Flat, Cool, Pilot Hill, Lotus, Auburn, and Placerville.

The gateway to the Rubicon Trail, Georgetown started as mining camp in 1849, soon after gold was discovered in Empire Canyon, about 8 miles north east of Coloma. George Phipps, the name’s sake of the town, put up his tent and stayed in the area while other prospectors moved on. The town, on a natural divide between the Middle and South Forks of the American River, about 30 miles west from Rubicon Springs, developed into a busy community of stone and brick commercial buildings by 1855. The business district included several saloons, gambling halls, a theater, three hotels, and at least four restaurants.

 The Georgetown Divide Ditch, a major water diversion project was developed as a town water supply and to power a lumber mill. The ditch extended up slope along the Georgetown Divide ridge to Gerle Creek, the South Fork of the Rubicon River, Wentworth Springs and Loon Lake. Georgetown became the home of George and John Hunsucker the founders of Rubicon Soda Springs and the starting point of the original Jeepers Jamboree.