Visit Date: May 1, 2021The one thing that always gives me joy is to drive through the California foothills in the spring. The green hills with all of the different blooming wildflowers though can make me a danger on the road. I have tendency to swivel my heads trying to identify as many of the flowers and shrubs as I drive these backroads. This was what made my trip to Fiddletown in Amador County doubly enjoyable. Tons of wildflowers as well as a number of historic stone buildings, including the Schallhorn Blacksmith and Wagon Shop. For historic structures, Fiddletown is certainly more well-known for its buildings associated with the Chinese, in particular the Chew Kee herbalist shop (which we will eventually get to). These Chinese buildings are at the western end of town. The Schallhorn building thought sits at the eastern end, amongst a number of other beautiful historic buildings. The building is exceptional in its solid construction and integrity. As much as any of the buildings I've visited, it looks like it last for generations to come. According to the marque on the front of the building, it was constructed in 1870 for C. Schallhorn as a blacksmith and wagon shop. After a little searching, it's not surprising that Christopher Schallhorn invested in building such a fine structure. He seems to have been a true innovator. Enough so that shortly after having the building constructed, he filed for and received two patents. With his partner Frederick Knapp, in 1876 they received a patent for a safety-guards or cock-eyes for a harness. He was really big on safety. The following year, they again put their heads together and came up with a better way. This time they patented a way better Buckle and Snap-Hook. Don't believe me, check this out. According to the authors of the Bulletin 141 Building Survey, the blacksmith shop was constructed "of rectangular hewn blocks (measuring 12 by 18 by 10 inches) of Valley Springs rhyolite tuff which is easily worked when first quarried but hardens after exposure." I've left myself some work to do in the future since they also wrote that it was taken from a quarry "about 1.5 miles east of Fiddletown (that) may be seen across a field to the south of the road." I didn't take the time to track the quarry down on this trip so I need to return and do my best to find it with just that sketchy description. (Maybe this is it!) Hopefully it'll a beautiful spring day.
1 Comment
Sebastian Nelson
7/17/2021 06:27:43 pm
Amazing! This is what I call a 'local attraction'
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AuthorMy name is Jeff and I am on a hunt to find historic brick and stone structures along Highway 49. Archives
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