History of Main Street

Mokelumne Hill served as the Calaveras County seat from 1852 to 1866. The population continued to grow, the mines continued to pay, and the town continued to prosper. Along with the usual businesses and organizations of the time, Mokelumne Hill also boasted a race track, a bowling alley, a skating rink, a rock quarry, a water bottling company and a good-sized brewery.

Three devastating fires swept through Mokelumne Hill, each one nearly obliterating the town. The first occurred on a Sunday morning, August 24 of 1854. Breaking out in Levenson's Store, a canvas covered structure on Center Street, the fire consumed everything in its path except two stone buildings which were able to withstand the flames. Losses were estimated at over $500,000. After this fire, many of the buildings that were rebuilt were made from a light brown stone known as rhyolite tuff, a material common to much of the Gold Country. The town's second great fire took place on February 26 of 1865, originating on the second floor of the Union Hotel. The third major fire occurred on September 4 of 1874, in which practically all of the business section of town was destroyed.

8307 Main Street {The McFadden Stone Store}

Hodapp's Hardware and Grocery, Gerhardt's Centre Market and McFadden Groceries 1854

After the fires in 1854 a structure of three units were built on this location [8307 Main Street] (lot 20 block 10), the vacant lot next to us (lot 21 block 10), and the "Foreigners" Bldg. [8299 Main Street] (lot 22 block 10). The first three business's to occupy the buildings in 1859 were Hodapp's Hardware and Grocery, Gerhardt's Centre Market (Butcher Shop) and McFadden's Groceries. The Hodapp Building is still standing but is in serious disrepair because it was vacant for long periods in time. The Centre Market, with its grand arches no longer exists. The only building, from the original three, the McFadden building, is the only building that consistently operated as a business or was at least occupied. This is the McFadden Stone Store and this is it's history...

The McFadden Stone Store was built in 1854, constructed of dressed rhyolite stone front with rubble walls. William McFadden, born May 21, 1830 in Roscommon Ireland married to Julia, born in 1835 also from Ireland immigrated to the United States and started their new life in Mokelumne Hill. They had three daughters Mary Jane (born 1858, Mokelumne Hill), Anna Maria (born 1859) and Sarah Julia. The McFadden's along with his brothers, Peter, Bernard (Barney), Bryan and Andrew owned a lot of the property in Mokelumne Hill. At this location, William McFadden built the Stone Store and sold liquors, wines, groceries and provisions until 1857. On August 29,1857, at the age of 27, William McFadden sold the property to Gustav Runkel and Conrad Platt for $4,500.00 [Calaveras Archive Deed B-891]. William McFadden died seven years later, January 1, 1864, at the age of 34. (William and his brother Peter (died May 21, 1880) are both buried in the Catholic Cemetery in Mokelumne Hill.)

William McFadden Headstone, Catholic Cemetary, Mokelumne Hill

Julia never remarried and continued to live and do business in Mokelumne Hill until her death on October 1, 1890. Mary Jane married on February 9,1875 in Virginia City to a T.H. Rooney. Anna Marie (Annie) married on August 4, 1881 in San Andreas to a Asaph Fletcher Newton.

Runkel and Platt sold hardware stock here through the 1860's. And on May 28, 1867, Conrad Platt sold the property to William G. Depew for $1,500.00 ($3,000.00 less than what they paid for it ten years earlier) [Calaveras Archives Deed P-247].

William G. DePew and his wife, Nellie sold merchandise, furniture and silver during the 1870's and 1880's and even into the 1890's. On July 27,1871 their son "Little Willie" died at the age of 9 months and 23 days. A year later, on October 30 1872, William G. Depew died at age 43. Less than a year after her husband died, on July 7 1873, her son Frankie died at the age of 1 year, 1 month and 22 days. (Her entire family is buried in the Protestant Cemetery in Mokelumne Hill.)

Frankie, Little Willie and William Depew Headstone, Protestant Cemetery, Mokelumne Hill

Nellie, alone continued to run the family business for another twenty years until, August 25, 1892, Nellie still a widow, never remarried, sold the property to John W. Meyer for $175.00 ($2,825.00 less than what she and her husband paid for it 25 years earlier) [Calaveras Archives Deed 21-635].

The Oasis Saloon 1892 (I believe the man and woman on horseback are John and Jeanne Meyer)

John Meyer, 39 years of age, a native of Germany, married Jeanne Baudin of Mokelumne Hill on March 19, 1885 in San Andreas. After John Meyer purchased the property he began to renovate the building. Instead of three sets of French doors there was now, one set of paneled doors in the center, flanked by two windows with panels below. The dentil frieze on the front is now topped by a false front supported by brackets and corbels and paneled. The building has remained in that state to this very day, except for the awning, which had to be replaced in 1995. John Mayer operated it as "The Oasis Saloon".

On October 3, 1896, he renovated the Saloon once again. He sold the contents of the bar with another piece of property on Center Street, to Severino Gobbi (buried in the Protestant Cemetery in Mokelumne Hill) for $10.00. Gobbi later opened "The Club" Saloon. [Calaveras Archives Deed 30-537]

In the year 1898, Mokelumne Hill had 3 Churches, 1 School, 1 Post Office, 1 Town Hall, 1 Fire House, 1 Lumber Yard, 1 Tinshop, 1 Carpenter, 1 Wagon Shop, 1 Livery and Feed Stable, 1 Photographer, 1 Upholstery Shop, 1 Printer, 1 Chinese Laundry, 1 Chinese Market, 1 Drug Store, 1 Meat Market, 1 Kitchen,1 Boarding House, 1 Grocer, 2 Cobblers, 2 Barbers, 2 Bakeries, 3 Dining Halls, 3 Lodgings, 4 General Stores and 9 Saloons....this included "The Oasis Saloon".

Twelve years after John Meyer purchased the property, John W. Meyer transferred ownership of the property to his wife, Jeanne with "love and affection he has and bears towards his wife" on April 20, 1904 .Included in the deed were saloon fixtures, tables, chairs, pictures and a billiard table. [Calaveras Archives Deed 49-220] (The deed actually reads "love and affection..")

Six years later, in Stockton, California, on December 9, 1910 John Meyers died at the age of 57. Three years prior, on February 27, 1907, Jeanne Meyer had sold the property to Julius Chichizola for $10.00 ($185.00 less than what her husband paid for it 15 years earlier) [Calaveras Archives Deed 51-236].

Julius Chichizola

Julius Chichizola (was one of the founders of the Amador County Italian Benevolent Society founded in 1881...he also built the St. Joseph Church in Amador City which later burned and demolished) held onto the property for 4 years until he sold it to E. Marre and Charles Marre on March 29, 1911 for $10.00. [Calaveras Archives Deed 54-542]

On April 30, 1921, Charles A Marre died. On November 25,1925, Enrico Marre was appointed administrator of the estate of Charles A. Marre, decessed. [Calaveras Archives Misc. E-448] On February 4, 1941, Enrico Marre died. The property was now Enrico Marre's widow, Emilia. Then on September 21, 1944, Emilia Marre sold the property to M.H. Manuel. for $10.00. [Calaveras Archives Deed 31-416]

Less than seven months later, on April 10, 1945, M. H. Manuel and Laura O. Manuel sold the property to Frank E. Reed and Laurel E. Reed for $10.00. [Calaveras Archives Deed 31-436]

Frank Reed 1966 Reed's Grocery

Frank Reed with his wife Laurel and sons Frank Jr. and Paul, operated “Reed’s Red and White Store”. On March 10,1947, Frank and Laurel leased the business to Lawrence Doyle. [Calaveras Archives Book 43 page 148] On August 17,1966 Frank Reed reclaimed it and renamed it, “Reed’s Grocery”. [Calaveras Archives Book 218 page 413]

On November 23 1970 Frank and Laurel Reed sold the property and business to N. Lee Baccus and Jayne M. Baccus, his wife. [Calaveras Archives Deed Book 306 page 646] They opened the “Baccus Market”.

{This is as far as I have come in my research of the property...time and patience is required.}

But what I do know (through conversation) is, Dwayne and Toni Dark bought the property and opened "The Moke Hill Market". It was in business until the late 1970's.

Dwayne Dark 1974 Moke Hill Market and General Store

After the property was sold and resold, eventually Dr. Yourcheck bought it. He remodeled the interior to accommodate his needs to operate his medical practice. He added individual rooms, carpeted, wallpapered and created a home environment, using antique fixtures, stained glass and a wood burning stove.

After Dr. Yourcheck moved his business to Jackson, Bill John resided in the building into the eary 1990's. In 1995 Steven bought the building from Patricia Ames. She had planned to operate an Antique Store. Steven worked for years to make the building more sound. He also added a kitchen and an addition of four more rooms.

In 2001 Tony moved in and brought his collection of antiques, glass and art. Together fenced in the backyard and created a patio garden. The house is a work in progress...but oh what a history and oh what a house.

Click here to see the house today