Irishtown, California

Irishtown
Former settlement
Irishtown Location in California
Coordinates: 38°23′20″N 120°40′29″W
Country	United States
State	California
County	Amador County
Elevation [1]	1,972 ft (601 m)
GNIS feature ID	1733395[1]
California Historical Landmark
Reference no.	38

Irishtown (also, Irish Town)^[2] is a former settlement in Amador County, California, United States. It was located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south-southwest of Pine Grove,^[2] at an elevation of 1972 feet (601 m). The townsite lies within the boundaries of Pine Grove.^[3] Irishtown is a former Miwok settlement.^[3]

History

When the first white people arrived to the area, en route to finding mines, they saw a "city of wigwams."^[4][3] The Miwok also left signs of bedrock mortars in the stone. These bedrock mortars are remnants of food processing/grinding once used by the Miwok who lived in the area.^[4][3]

Irishtown is now a part of Pine Grove. Albert Leonard, Pine Grove's first postmaster, lived in the area in 1854, in an inn that he built. It served as a popular spot to visit for those traveling between Jackson and Clinton.^[3]

References

1. "Irishtown (historical)". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
2. Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, Calif.: Word Dancer Press. p. 538. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
3. "Irishtown (No. 38 California Historical Landmark)". Sierra Nevada Geotourism MapGuide. National Geographic. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
4. "Irishtown". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved 2012-03-30.