Jackson

Brown Home/Amador County Museum

The Brown Home currently houses the Amador County Museum. Built atop a hill with a fine view of the town below, this handsome, two-story brick home was erected in 1859 for Armstead Calvin Brown, one of the thousands of 49’ers who traveled across the plains to reach the gold mines of California. Brown arrived in the placer mines of Clear Creek, later a part of Shasta County, in the late summer of 1849. Making his way south, he arrived in Jackson either in late ’49 or early 1850. He must have liked what he saw, because he sailed home in 1850 to pick up his wife Phillipa and their children. The family reached Jackson towards the end of 1851, Brown once again taking the overland route. The Amador County Museum provides a fascinating look back at the early day life of Gold Rush mining camp. Some of the original furniture along with many historical items from Jackson’s past are on display throughout the rooms of this old building. Mining equipment of various shapes, sizes, and uses are scattered about the museum grounds and a scale model of a stamp mill may be viewed as part of the museum tour. It is located at 225 Church Street.