Historical Markers in
Amador County, California

- Jackson - 134 Broad Street 135 Amelia Street 1854 · Amador County · 1954 A. Chichizola Store Adam's Express Agency Amador City Cemetery Amador County Veterans' Memorial Amador Ledger Anthony Caminetti Archimandrite Sebastian Dabovich Argonaut and Kennedy Mines Argonaut Mine Astronomical Observatory Astronomical Observatory Bellotti Inn Benny Brown Arena Botilleas Bordellos Botto Saloon Brignoli Building Brown Home Brumel's Building Buena Vista Buena Vista Store Bunker Hill Mine Butte Store C. Soracco Company Carlo Andrea Dondero Central Eureka Mine Chaw Sé Roundhouse Chaw'se Chew Kee Store City of Plymouth Clinton Constitution Saloon Constitution Saloon Cribbs Field D'Agostini Winery Daniel Stewart Co. Store Dr. Sharp's Drug, Ginocchio's Store Drytown Drytown Early Day Butcher Shop Emerson Shaft Excelsior Parlor 31 Fiddletown Fiddletown-Oleta Forest Home Fremont-Gover Mine General Store H. C. Farnham House 1855 Ham's Station Hangman's Tree Hun'ge Hydroelectric Power in Amador County Imperial Hotel In Honor of Ione's Bravest In Memoriam: The '49ers In Memory of General John A. Sutter In Memory of the Heros of Amador County Ione Brewery Ione City Hall Ione City Hall and Police Offices Ione High School Ione Parlor No. 33, N.S.G.W. Ione Pavilion Ione Theater Ione's Annual Picnic Ione's Chinatown Iron Ivan J. Monteverde General Store Museum Jackson Jackson Fire Bell John Doble's Cabin Kennedy Mine Kennedy Mine Headframe Kennedy Mine Tailings Wheels Kennedy Mining and Milling Company Keystone Mine Knight Foundry Knight Scarifier – “The Scarifier that will scarify” Krabbenhoft Building Labor Day Celebration Lancha Plana Law Office Leam's Saloon Leland Stanford, Jr. Levaggi Opera House Levy & Co. Lincoln Mine Lincoln Mine Lory, Gallo Hotel & Astor House M Harris Clothing Store Mahoney Mine Maiden's Grave Martell Stage Station Masonic Hall & Court House Massa (Tunnel) Adit Memorial Entrance Methodist Episcopal Church Miners Restaurant & Exchange Miners' Bend Park Miners' Graves Miners' Graves Moore Mine Moose Milk Mormon-Carson Pass Emigrant Trail Native Sons Hall New Chicago Old Eureka Mine Old Red Brick Building Saloon Original Amador Mine Original site of Mel and Faye’s Diner Peddler Hill Overlook Petroglyphs (Rock Carvings) Pine Grove Pine Woods Pioneer Hall Plasse Resort Plasse’s Trading Post Plymouth Consolidated Mines Preston Castle Provis Park Quincy - Ione's Sister City Robert Carlton Downs Rocca's Hall, Theatre, Arena S. Harris Clothing Store Salute to Early Amador Miners Sanguinetti Building Scully Ranch Sesquicentennial Court House Site Shenandoah School Shenandoah Valley Site of 1852 Louisiana House Site of Pioneer Jewish Synagogue Soldier Gulch South Spring Hill Mine St. George Hotel St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church Stampfly's Tent, Republic House Steam Flour Mill Steckler's Building Sutter Creek Sutter Creek Grammar School Sutter Creek Jail Sutter Creek Sanitarium Sutter Creek United Methodist Church Sutter Creek’s First Fire Bell Tellier's St. Louis Saloon The Arcade Bar The Commercial Hotel The Court House Well The Dutschke Ranch The Heirloom The Kennedy Mine / The Argonaut Mine The Louisiana House The Old Bavarian Brewery The Old Spring The Thomas Starr King Bell To Remember the Men of Amador County Who Died in The World War To The Memory of Mike Tovey Tragedy Spring Treasure Mine U.S. Bakery, Early Amador Dispatch Union Hotel Union Hotel & Odd Fellows Hall Lodge #36 Union Mine Boarding House University of California Foothill Field Station V. S. Garbarini, Sr. Volcano Volcano Masonic Cave Webb Building & Old Livery Stable Weller Hardware, Pioneer Hall Wells Fargo & Co. Express and Banking Office Wells Fargo Building Wheeler Building Wildman Mine William Barker Hubbell William J. Paugh House William Tucker's Fire Bell Zeile Mine and Mine House
In 1965, the Watts Riots erupted in Los Angeles after a police officer arrested a Black man for drunk driving. The six-day riot resulted in 34 deaths, over 1,000 injuries, and $40 million in property damage. The Watts Riots were a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement and helped to spark a nationwide conversation about race relations.
California random facts
Amador County, located in the picturesque Sierra Nevada region of California, has a rich history that dates back centuries. The area was originally home to Native American tribes, including the Miwok and Northern Yokuts, who thrived off the abundance of natural resources in the surrounding landscapes. In the 1800s, the arrival of European settlers brought significant changes to the region.

The discovery of gold in nearby Sutter's Mill in 1848 sparked the California Gold Rush, which led to a surge of settlers seeking their fortune. Amador County quickly became a hub for gold mining, attracting a diverse population of prospectors from all walks of life. The town of Amador City, established in 1853, became a vital center for commerce and trade.

As gold became harder to find in surface deposits, miners turned to hydraulic mining to extract gold from the mountainous terrain. This method caused significant environmental damage, leading to the passage of the Sawyer Decision in 1884, which prohibited hydraulic mining. With the decline of the mining industry, Amador County's economy diversified into agriculture, particularly viticulture.

Amador County is now renowned for its award-winning wineries, surrounded by rolling hills and vineyards. The region's Mediterranean climate and rich soils have proven ideal for growing grapes, especially the iconic Zinfandel varietal. Today, Amador County offers a unique blend of history, wine tasting, outdoor recreation, and picturesque small towns, attracting visitors from around the world.

This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Amador County, California.

  • 1848 - Gold is discovered in Amador County, attracting thousands of miners seeking their fortune.
  • 1854 - Amador County is officially established as a county in California.
  • 1857 - The town of Jackson, the county seat, is founded.
  • 1876 - The Lincoln Mine disaster occurs, resulting in the deaths of 42 miners.
  • 1883 - The narrow-gauge Amador Central Railroad is completed, connecting Sutter Creek to Ione.
  • 1898 - The first public high school in Amador County is opened in Jackson.
  • 1911 - An arson fire destroys much of Jackson's commercial district, leading to the reconstruction of the downtown area.
  • 1937 - The construction of the East Bay Aqueduct is completed, delivering water from the Mokelumne River to Amador County.
  • 1961 - Amador County Fairgrounds is established and hosts its first fair.
  • 1988 - The Shenandoah Valley AVA is established, recognizing Amador County as a wine-producing region.