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Fiddletown (from 2010 the population was 235 according to the 2010 census) is a census-designated place in Amador County, California, United States. It is located 3.5 miles (5.6 km) northeast of Plymouth on Fiddletown Road.
The place was first settled by Missourians in 1849 and in the 1850s served as a trading center for a number of mining camps in the area. The town also had one of the largest Chinese communities in the state (over 2,000 in the 1860 census).
At the time of its founding, placer mining was the most popular mining technique, which is heavily dependent on water. The name Fiddletown was coined when the miners were “only working about half the time 'fiddling around' because of lack of water,” according to local lore.
However, when the mining season was in full swing, the water supply was more than adequate, but by then the name Fiddletown had stuck. The town also had its own schoolhouse, hotels, a post office, blacksmiths, a church, and various saloons.
Today, several structures from this early period, including the Chew Kee Store and the schoolhouse, still remain. The town was declared a California Historical Landmark in 1949. Fiddletown’s rich history and picturesque landscape make it a fascinating stop for visitors touring California’s Gold Country.
The area has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate and an average of 53 inches of rain per year and snow about once every 5 years.
Fiddeltown is now filled with cellar holes and a few maintained buildings, including a Chinese gambling house. Some current wineries (including Vino Noceto, Andis, and Dobra Zemlja) are located here and can be visited by tourists.