Today's Jackson is an active and vibrant Sierra foothills town that has grown from its early roots as a small gold-mining settlement into a thriving economic and recreational destination and the county seat for Amador County. Nestled in a valley at the foot of Butte Mountain, with attractions like the Jackson Rancheria Casino and Lake Camanche nearby, the city is a gold-country favorite. In years past, Jackson was visited by such notables at Will Rogers, Max Baer, and John Wayne, and its gold mines (such as the Argonaut and Kennedy operations) are famed as among the world's most productive. Growing from a small gold-rush camp at the present-day location of the National Hotel, Jackson holds onto its history in the face of the modern world.