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Road Trip May 2009 Ione, CA

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Picture borrowed from Wikipedia

Ione is named after the Ione Valley, which is believed to be named by Thomas Brown around 1849 after one of the heroines in Edward Bulwer-Lytton's drama "The Last Days of Pompeii." During the days of the Gold Rush, the miners knew the town by the names of "Bedbug" and "Freezeout." The town doesn't look like much today, but its history is really interesting. Unlike other communities in Amador County, which were founded on gold mining, Ione was a supply center, stage and rail stop, and agricultural hub. The first school was built in 1853. The historic Methodist Church was organized in 1853 and the structure was completed in 1862. The first flour mill was built in 1855. The first post office opened in 1852 and the first brick building was built in 1855.

New Town Hall and Police Department, built 1993

The oldest historic artifact in town is this piece of bedrock. It contains fifteen grinding holes, used by the local Miwok people to grind acorns. Although the town is plastered with markers and plaques referring to its pioneer history, this important piece of pre-Colombian history, though well preserved, did not receive a plaque of any kind. Here are some of the other pieces of local history

Post Office, built 1852		Daniel Steward Co. Store, built 1855

The general merchandise store built by Daniel Stewart in 1856 was the first brick building erected in lone Valley. It was built with bricks from nearby Muletown. It is still owned and operated by the same family.

This is the oldest church in this part of California. The cornerstone was laid in 1862 and construction was completed in 1866. The church, first dedicated as the Ione City Centenary Church and later popularly known as the Cathedral of the Mother Lode is made of locally fired brick and still serves the community today.

Old No. 7 was the last steam locomotive to operate over the Amador Central Railroad between Ione and Martell. The twelve mile long railroad lies entirely within Amador County and is one of the shortest railroads in this country. Iron Ivan is a fine example of one of the early steam locomotives produces by the Baldwin Locomotive Works. This engine was manufactured in January 1901 and was brought to the Amador Central Railroad from the McCloud River Railroad in 1937. The last trip was made by this engine between Ione and Martell in 1956.

We also stopped briefly in Pine Grove, a little bit further north. Here is what a local marker told us about this little settlement: Late 1854, in a grove of tall pines, Albert Leonard built his Pine Grove Home & Inn and was the first Postmaster. It was located at the junction of stage roads to Jackson and Clinton. Pine Grove Post Office was established July 12, 1856. The first school was opened about 1853. Several nearby mines, located in the East Gold Belt were worked during the Gold Rush and have been prospected ever since.

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