Amador County – According to Marilyn McDanel of the Fiddletown Preservation Society, two treasures located in Fiddletown will soon be open to the public. The Chinese Gambling Hall and Chinese General Store, both over 150 years old, have undergone extensive renovations. “The bricks have been meticulously removed one at a time and replaced in the same manner,” said McDanel in a release last week. She said the buildings came very close to imploding as the walls bulged and the cracks widened and were only months away from becoming ruins when the restoration crew stepped in. “With renewed life these buildings can, hopefully, withstand another 150 years,” she said. Leland Peterson Construction of Pioneer, the Amador Sawmill & Mining Association and Project Manager Carl McDanel of RKT Builders of Santa Rosa all worked hard to keep the project on time and within budget. The Society plans to eventually turn both buildings into museums. Despite a number of successful grant applications and fundraisers, the Fiddletown Preservation Society is still about 30,000 dollars short of the funds needed. If you are interested in contributing towards the restoration and maintenance of these and other historic local buildings, contact them at 296-6476 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Donations are tax deductible in most cases. Story by Alex Lane (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).