Old Sutter Creek-Amador City Highway (Amador Road) and String Bean Alley

Prior to the building of CA Hwy 49 (1934), the old (stage) road leading to Amador City from Sutter Creek (sometimes referred to as "Old Sutter Creek-Amador City Highway") is now known as Amador Road and String Bean Alley. The former is a two-land country road, but branches into two one-lane roads: Turner Road and String Bean Alley. The latter road runs along the small creek through French Gulch to town.

Keystone Office and Assay Room

Built in 1881, the Keystone Office is a two-story brick building where gold brought from the mine across the road was assayed, weighed, stored, and shipped. The building also housed the offices where the books and affairs of the corporation were maintained and managed, respectively. It is now the Mine House Inn and is reputed to be haunted.

Keystone Consolidated Mine

The Keystone Consolidated Mine was formed from the consolidation of several other local claims. The Granite State and Walnut Hill mines first consolidated with Keystone mine. Then, in 1857, the Spring Hill mine joined the others and the whole operation became the Keystone Consolidated Mine. Keystone continued operations until the fall of 1942.

Schaffer's Diggins

The official Amador City Historical Tour Guide has no information about this building. A couple of sources I found suggested it started as an equipment shed for the Keystone mine.

Fleehart Building

Considered the oldest building in town, the Fleehart Building was constructed sometime in the 1850s by William Fleehart who was an early day mine owner, merchant, and Wells Fargo agent. Fleehart ran a general merchandise store where he sold supplies and news to miners. The building may have housed a Keystone company store for a time. The Fleehart Building is the only store building to have survived the 1878 fire. In 1879, the building was known as Kirkland's Stone Store. The Fleehart Building now houses the Whitney Museum.

Kling Building

Kling's wood framed saloon burned down in the 1878 fire. From the ashes, Kling built a new brick building and used the south (right) side for his saloon while the northern (left) half was occupied by Hewitt and Hammack's dry goods and grocery store. In 1879, Klinggraded the lot next to this building and erected a frame store (which was torn down at some point). Over the years, the north side later housed a justice of the peace, cobbler's shop, and an assay office. Years later, the front bricks were removed to widen the front to accommodate cars in a working garage.

Unnamed Historic Building

The unnamed building is assumed to have been built after the 1878 fire (and one source claims it may have been constructed before the 1876 fire). It was once the town's post office, Western Union office, and general store. The elevated stage within suggests possible entertainment in a saloon. It is now a tasting room for Binz Wines.

Weil Building

Rebuilt of bricks after the 1878 fire destroyed the wooden warehouse at this site, Weil Building housed a mercantile business operated by Mr. Weil for a number of years. It was later occupied by the Keystone Supply Co.

Peyton Building

William Peyton built this brick building in 1879 to replace his wood-frame saloon that was burnt down in the 1878 fire. He re-opened his saloon at this site and ran it until March 1879. He leased the building to J. R. Dunlap who then opened a drug store and post office. The building later housed a general store where gasoline was sold (likely the 1920s or 1930s).

Unknown Saloon

Assumed to have been constructed sometime after the 1878 fire, this unnamed wood building housed a saloon through the 1920s. William Peyton might have owned a saloon here, maybe after he rented the building next door.

Mooney Saloon and Koehler Bakery

Michael G Mooney from County Kilmacduagh, Ireland, opened a saloon in Amador City which burned down three times. Though many pleaded with Mooney to rebuild in brick as fires were frequent, he continued to use cheaper and plentiful wood. Mooney re-opened his saloon in 1880. Next door, Henry John Koehler from the then German Kingdom of WÀrttemberg opened a bakery and restaurant in 1879. After Mooney died in 1886, his widow sold Mooney Saloon to Koehler. Koehler also added a candy store to his growing business. In 1899, Koehler leased his property to W. H. Hueg, who opened a Chinese restaurant. The oven is still present, though it baked its last loaf in 1917. The building now houses Meyer's Antiques. Pig Turd Alley runs along the south side of Koehler Bakery.

Arastra

An Arastra is a mill powered by water or mules that uses large drag stones turned in a circular pit paved with flat stones to grind and pulverize gold or silver ore. This one was found in neighboring El Dorado County, dismantled, and reassembled in Amador City in the 1960s. The shed where it is displayed is located behind Mooney Saloon and Koehler Bakery.

Amador Hotel

The main entrance section of the Amador Hotel was built in 1857, making it one of the city's oldest structures. Samuel Scott opened the Amador House and Livery for business in December of that year. The Hotel was built in stages. In 1872, then owner A. W. Harrington built a large hall which was used as a town hall and, later, a dining room. In 1876, Harrington doubled the square footage by adding a drug store, doctor's office, and other rooms to meet demands. The fire of 1878 destroyed everything but the main entrance section. The Amador Hotel was rebuilt and was used continuously as a hotel until the 1940s. During some periods, the Hotel housed ladies of the night. The entire building was restored in the early 1990s.

Amador Creek

Amador Creek, a tributary of Mokelumne River, passes through the heart of Amador City. This picture is shot looking towards the northeast (upriver) between Amador Hotel and Water Street.

Firehouse

The Firehouse was built by volunteer fireman in the early 1900s. It is near the site of the old livery stable and blacksmith shop. It has been partially restored as a museum and features the Amador City 1939 fire truck.

Old 1930s Gas Pump

Not placed close enough to be considered part of the Firehouse, this old time gas pump seems out of place. Perhaps it was once located at the Peyton Building when that building housed a general store with a gas pump.

Imperial Hotel

On this site before the June 1878 fire stood an old wooden hotel. B. Sanguinetti decided to build a brick store on the lot. In the course of building, Sanguinetti recognized the town's acute need for a hotel to lodge the people coming into town. The store was converted into a restaurant and bar while the second floor was used for guest rooms. The walls are twelve bricks thick at its base and four bricks thick at the roof.

The next year, Sanguinetti built a two-story wood frame addition to the back of the Italian Hotel (as it was first called) to take in the overflow. The wooden structure would be removed years later. At some point, the hotel became known as the Imperial and remained in continuous use as a hotel until 1927. The hotel was sold and renovated in 1968. Today, the Imperial functions as a bed and breakfast. It is said to be haunted.

Chichizola Store

While the business of the Chichizola family dates from the early days of Amador City, the western half (left-side) of this building was completed by November 1877. The eastern half (right-side) was constructed within the decade (though another source claims 1912 as the completion date). The building housed the Chichizola family's general store. The town's Post Office now resides in the center section.

Culbert House

Originally constructed as two houses circa 1870, the Culberts -- a pioneering family prominent in ranching, logging, and mining -- decided to connect the two buildings and make it one large house. A one point, the Culbert House was a bed and breakfast. It is a private residence today.

Knights of Pythias Hall

This local chapter of the Knights of Pythias was organized in December 1877. The wood frame survived the 1878 fire.

Amador Schoolhouse

The front part of the Amador Schoolhouse dates from 1857 while the back wings from late 1878 to early 1879. The schoolhouse escaped the 1878 fire. Two large large classrooms in the new part and two smaller rooms in the older portion handled 150 or more students at its peak with five teachers. The schoolhouse is currently a city hall and community center.

Amador Mine

Located on the east side of School Street, the Original Amador Mine (Little Amador) is the first of two early gold mines (the other being Spring Hill Mine across Amador Creek) in Amador County. It was also one of the first quartz mines producing late into the 1870s. Operations finally came to a halt in 1937.

Old Boarding House

The Old Boarding House was built as a private residence in the early 1900s. The unnamed owner provided room and board to local miners.

Lynch House

Lynch House was built in some unknown year as a private residence with a room dedicated to the practice of medicine. Not sure if the father or son was Dr. G. L. Lynch.

Unknown House

An old residence with no recorded history.

Torres Hall

Torres Hall was built around 1869. Its lower level was used for horse and buggies and bocce ball games. The second floor was burned in 1879 and rebuilt in 1889. It was originally a mercantile store with one side a saloon and Italian restaurant. A third floor was added for dancing with a stage on one end. In 1932, the owners of the building removed the third floor. Torres Hall also served as a movie theater at some point. After World War II, the ground floor was turned into a saloon, a winery, and them a tasting room and game area. Torres Hall is known home to Jensen's Antique Dolls, Bears, and Toys.

Amador House

This home was built in the early 1900s as a private residence for the Torres family, just a few steps from their business.

St. Joseph Catholic Church

The old St. Joseph Catholic Church is located at the end of Pig Turd Alley (Fleehart Street) to the west of the center of town. The Catholic Church bought the land from John and Sarah O'Rourke in 1877 for $100 in gold coin and St. Joseph's was quickly built. It was renovated in 1924 so electricity could be brought tot he church. St. Joseph's served its parishioners until 1964 when services were consolidated in Sutter Creek's Immaculate Conception Church, about three miles to the south. The old church was put on the auction block in 1980 and sold for $31,000. The church still stands, but is now a private residence.

Powder House

Like most mining towns, Amador City had a powder house where black powder explosives were kept. Located on Bunker Hill Rd near the intersection with Old Amador Road, the Old Powder House was built of native stone with an iron door. The roof is now gone, though no one knows whether from natural decay or the volatility of the store black powder.

Amador Crossing

Amador Crossing was an short-term mining camp located upstream on Amador Creek from Amador City where the old stage road running on what is now Turner Road crossed the creek. The mining camp is located in Kanaka Gulch.

Turner Road

Turner Road branches off from the Old Sutter Creek-Amador City Highway and runs to Whisky Gulch to Kanaka Gulch and climbs through a pass to New Chicago Road. It is the stage route from Sutter Creek to the mining camps east of New Chicago. We drove the road from the north to south.

Wandering Turkeys

Wild Turkeys seem to be all over the western slopes of the Sierras. Here, a few are hanging around Amador Creek

Wandering Old Man

Not sure who this creep is. Despite looking a bit lost, this old man seems to follow me everywhere.

Amador City Pioneer Cemetery

Up the hill from the Imperial Hotel, the Amador City Pioneer Cemetery had its first burial in 1851 and its last in 1892. In the 1950s, the city hired a man to clear the weeks and undergrowth which had taken over the cemetery over the decades since it was last used. Sadly, the man took the easy way and used fire to clear the land, burning all the century-old wooden grave markers and crosses in the process.

Oak Knoll Cemetery

The Oak Knoll Cemetery was established in 1905 to be the resting place for people living in the Amador City area. The cemetery is located over the hill from Amador City, close to the old Bunker Hill mines.