California Historical Landmarks in Tuolumne County
California Historical Landmark 140
Wells Fargo Express Company Building
Main Street and Solinsky Alley
Chinese Camp
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This building, erected in 1849 by the Walkerly brothers, was subsequently owned by the Morris brothers. It housed a general merchandise store in connection with the office of Adams Express Company, predecessor of Wells Fargo & Company. The original express agents were Sol Miller, C. W. H. Solinsky, and the Morris brothers.
Citation from California Office of Historic Preservation
1 January 2009
(Click Photo to Zoom)
Born December 17, 1880, in Snelling, Calif. One of the last of the stage drivers, Eddie made the haul from Chinese Camp to the Coulterville, Groveland areas between 1898-1902 and drove the first mail stage over the new Shawmut Road.
Dedicated by E Clampus Vitus
May 6, 1961
Mining camps started as clusters of tents and other makeshift shelters. If the mine was productive, wooden buildings were erected and a town was born.
Conflagrations were a recurring curse. Often entire town were repeatedly destroyed by fire. Stonemasons, especially Italian immigrants from Liguria, began building "fire proof" banks and stores of stone or brick with iron doors and iron window shutters to protect the contents from fire.
Many of these stone buildings survive. Some of them, such as the Butte Store, are the sole reminders of a lost mining town.
Some of these buildings are:
Butte Store in Amador County
Calabozo in Hornitos
Civil War Armory in Georgetown
Compere Store in Murphys
Downieville Museum in Downieville
Fountain & Tallman Soda Works in Placerville
Gamble Building in Big Oak Flat
Hirshfeldter Building in Downieville
Honigsberger Store in Copperopolis
Italian Store in Douglas Flat
Kohler Store in Washington
Mackerman & Company Building in Downieville
Masonic Lodge in Columbia
Masonic Lodge in Hornitos
Nevada Brewery in Nevada City
Nevada Theatre in Nevada City
Odd Fellows Hall in Big Oak Flat
Old Segale Building in Murphys
Old Stone Garage in Truckee
Plymouth Trading Post in Plymouth
Pearson Soda Works in Placerville
Sam Choy Store in Angels Camp
Stage Stop in La Grange
Valente Building in Murphys
Watts & Tannahill Company Store in Groveland
Wells Fargo Bank and Stage Stop in Georgetown
Wells Fargo Express in Chinese Camp
Wells Fargo Express in French Corral
Wells Fargo & Company in North San Juan