Plymouth Trading Post - Plymouth, California

DATE VISITED:  04/11/2015

HISTORICAL SITE:  Plymouth Trading Post

LOCATION:  Main Street, between Mill & Mineral Streets, Plymouth, Amador Co., CA

MARKER #:  470

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS:

After driving up and down Main Street, this was the only building that truly looked old enough to be “historic” but without a placard, there was no way to know. So I told Daniel that I was going to get out and take a few pictures and then when I got home, I would do some research and find out if the building in the picture is what we were looking for.

We didn’t spend much time here and you can see, Daniel didn't even get out of the car…just took the pictures and off we went. It didn’t take much research…just as few key strokes to the Oracle (otherwise known as Google) and I had my answer. This place is indeed the Plymouth Trading Post. I found one reference to a placard, but no picture or other reference. I don't think there was one but I guess it could have been stolen.
 

Plymouth came into being after most gold camps had closed down.   This building, constructed entirely of brick, was built by Joe Williams in 1857. All the doors and windows are cast iron and the walls are 30" thick at the base. It's said that some of the gun ports still exist although I don't remember seeing any. Now the hitching posts..those I saw. 

In 1873, many of the small mines in the area were combined to become Plymouth Consolidated, and this building became the company's office. The company was in business from 1873 to 1947 and took in $13.5 million from gold.