Amador

Formed May 1, 1854 (38^th county)

Amador County (40,474), Jackson (5,010), Ione (5,142)                

A Modern style red brick structure was built in 2005 to replace the 1863 courthouse.  The facility is located on Argonaut Lane at Hoffman Street.  California State Highway 88 is two blocks to the southeast.  Glass Architect provided the designs for the courthouse.  On May 1, 1854, Amador County was formed from Calaveras County as the 38^th county with Jackson as the only county seat.  Landowner Jose Maria Amador is the namesake for the county.  Jackson was named for Colonel Alden Jackson. 

Amador County government consists of a sheriff, assessor, controller, and treasurer (executive).  It has 5 Supervisors (legislative.)  Two Superior Court Judges, clerk, and counsel serve Amador County (judicial.)  The county is just east of Sacramento, California in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  The Consumes River is the northern border and the Mokelumne River is the southern border.  The county center is 10.7 miles Northeast of Jackson nearer Volcano.  The county is surrounded clockwise by El Dorado, Alpine, Calaveras, San Joaquin, and Sacramento counties.  The county is shaped like a soupspoon with the biggest end on the west side.  Jackson is in the southwest quarter of the county.  Ione is located in the far west part of the county.  Jackson is the county seat and Ione is the largest city.  Jackson is 12.4% of the county population while Ione is 12.7% of the county population.  The county is pronounced AM-A-DOOR.  The largest city is pronounced IE-OEN.

The area of the county is 606 square miles.  It is 53 out of 58 in the state.  It ranks 46 out of 58 in population in the state.  It has a density of 66.8 persons per square mile making it 36 out of 58 in the state.  Amador County has 34.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  There are no Interstates or United States Highways in the county.