Fort John, California facts for kids
Fort John was a small settlement and mining spot in Amador County, California. It was only active for a short time in the 1850s, during the exciting days of the California Gold Rush. You could find Fort John about 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of a town called Volcano, right on the South Fork of Dry Creek. The settlement was named after a person called John Stuart.
The Start of Fort John
Fort John quickly became a busy place. As early as 1850 or 1851, people built a church and a schoolhouse there. These were some of the very first buildings of their kind in what would later become Amador County. The church was a Methodist Episcopal church, and it was built by someone named P.Y. Cool.
Life in the Mining Camp
For about a year, Fort John was a lively spot. Miners worked hard, hoping to find gold. Life there was simple but full of adventure. An old story from 1857 described Fort John as a place that still felt like the early days of the Gold Rush. It had log cabins with canvas roofs and simple houses with mud chimneys. People often cooked basic meals like pancakes and beans. Miners were known for having gold in their pockets and enjoying card games.
Why Fort John Didn't Last
Fort John's success didn't last long. Miners soon discovered that the gold mining was much better in the nearby town of Volcano. Because of this, many people left Fort John and moved to Volcano.
After about a year, most of the settlement was abandoned. Only a few miners and residents stayed behind. By 1881, a county history book mentioned that only one person still lived there. This person seemed to stay just to show visitors where the old town used to be and share stories of its past glory. Even so, the official Mining Bureau still listed Fort John as a site as late as 1954.
