Amador City, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amador City
|
||
|---|---|---|
Historic buildings in Amador City
|
||
|
||
| Nickname(s):
The gold country's hidden nugget
|
||
| Motto(s):
"Essence of the California Gold & Wine Country"
|
||
Location of Amador City in Amador County, California.
|
||
 Amador City
Location in California
Amador City
Location in the United States
|
||
| Country |  United States |
|
| State |  California |
|
| County | Amador | |
| Incorporated | June 2, 1915 | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 0.31 sq mi (0.80 km2) | |
| • Land | 0.31 sq mi (0.80 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) 0% | |
| Elevation | 919 ft (280 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
|
||
| • Total | 200 | |
| • Density | 645.16/sq mi (249.46/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) | |
| ZIP code |
95601
|
|
| Area code(s) | 209 | |
| FIPS code | 06-01514 | |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1657922, 2409693 | |
Amador City is a small city in Amador County, California, in the United States. It used to be called Amadore's Creek or South Amador. In 2020, only 200 people lived there, making it the least populated city in California. It's also the smallest city in California by land area.
Contents
Exploring Amador City's Location
Amador City is very close to Sutter Creek, only about 2 miles (3.2 km) away on Old Highway 49. It is the smallest city in California by land area. The city covers about 0.3 square miles (0.8 square kilometers) of land.
The History of Amador City
.jpg)
Amador City began in 1849. Gold panners came to the area, especially to Amador Creek. One group was called the Sunol Group, and José María Amador was part of it. He looked for gold in the creek. But he was more successful selling supplies he brought from his ranch.
José María Amador left after six months to care for his sick wife. He must have made a big impression. The creek, the city, and the county were all named "Amador" after him.
Gold Mining in Amador City
In 1851, people found gold inside quartz rocks further west along the creek. They used special machines called arrastras to crush the quartz. Soon, bigger machines called stamp mills were brought in to process the hard rock. By September, two stamp mills were working along Amador Creek. These mills were so important that a famous photographer, Eadweard Muybridge, took pictures of them in 1851. He even made 3D images!
Amador City officially became a city on June 2, 1915.
Who Lives in Amador City?
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 824 | — | |
| 1890 | 984 | 19.4% | |
| 1920 | 377 | — | |
| 1930 | 171 | −54.6% | |
| 1940 | 249 | 45.6% | |
| 1950 | 151 | −39.4% | |
| 1960 | 202 | 33.8% | |
| 1970 | 156 | −22.8% | |
| 1980 | 136 | −12.8% | |
| 1990 | 196 | 44.1% | |
| 2000 | 196 | 0.0% | |
| 2010 | 185 | −5.6% | |
| 2020 | 200 | 8.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The population of Amador City has changed over time. In 1880, there were 824 people. By 1930, it had dropped to 171. In 2020, the population was 200 people. This makes it one of California's smallest cities.
Population in 2010
In 2010, Amador City had 185 residents. Most people, about 92.4%, were White. A small number were Native American or Asian. About 5.9% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.
There were 85 households in the city. About 26% of these households had children under 18. Many households were married couples. Some were single-parent homes or people living alone. The average household had about 2.18 people.
Population in 2000
In 2000, there were 196 people living in Amador City. There were 85 households. Most residents were White, about 90.82%. About 9.18% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age in Amador City in 2000 was 42 years old. About 19.4% of the people were under 18. About 13.3% were 65 or older.
Schools Near Amador City
Amador City is part of the Amador County Unified School District. There are no schools directly inside Amador City. Students from Amador City attend schools in nearby towns. These include Amador High School, Ione Junior High, and Sutter Creek Elementary.
Fun Places to Visit in Amador City
Amador City has several interesting places to see. You can find old brick buildings that show how people built things long ago. The historic Imperial Hotel is one example of beautiful old brickwork. A project in 2014 made the city center even nicer. It added outdoor dining at the Imperial Hotel and new public restrooms.
- Little Amador Railroad — This was once a very detailed model train set in a garden. It had tiny mines and mills. It also featured full-size mining equipment from the early 1900s. It is not used anymore, but you can still see parts of it.
- Amador City Cemetery — This cemetery is located behind the Imperial Hotel. It covers about 1.25 acres (5,000 square meters). You can take a self-guided tour. The cemetery dates back to when the town first started.
- Amador Whitney Museum — This museum is in one of the oldest commercial buildings in town, built in 1860. It collects and shows items about the history and culture of the Mother Lode region. The museum is named after Mr. Whitney, an antique dealer. He gave the building to the city to be used as a museum.
See also
In Spanish: Amador City para niños
