Newcastle, California

Newcastle is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Placer County, California. Newcastle is located 8mi northeast of Rocklin.It is nestled in the Sierra Nevada foothills, 31 miles northeast of Sacramento. Newcastle generally has moderate winters and warm summers.The latitude of Newcastle is 38.874N, the longitude is -121.132W, and an elevation of 945 ft. The town's zip code is 95658 and area code 916.The population of the CDP as of the 2010 U.S. Census is 1,224.HistoryNewcastle was founded in the 19th century. According to Transcontinental Railroad Landmarks the "Regular freight and passenger trains began operating over the first 31 miles of Central Pacific's line to Newcastle June 10, 1864, when political opposition and lack of money stopped further construction during that mild winter. Construction was resumed in April, 1865." The region is also in the vicinity of what was the cradle of "gold country", where in the mid-19th century a flurry of miners and gold prospectors searched for their fortune. During this time however, the town of Newcastle was known more for its orchards rather than abundant gold mines.The Newcastle post office opened in 1864.GeographyAccording to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP covers an area of 2.4 square miles (6.2 km²), 99.82% of it land, and 0.18% of it water.