BRUCE & DALE MARTIN-SHERRILL

Bruce & Dale Martin-Sherrill are pioneers of LGBT+ visibility in Amador County. Bruce Sherrill, a longtime entrepreneur, and now owner of several downtown buildings, first came to Amador City in 1959, and opened his first business, an Ice Cream Parlor, in 1961. After moving to Lake Tahoe in 1977, he opened City Lights, Tahoe’s first gay bar. In 1979, he met Dale Martin, who worked in hospitality, and their relationship eventually brought them back to Amador City.

In 1988, they refurbished and opened the Imperial Hotel, which was the premiere restaurant in Amador County at the time.They also built and opened the Little Amador Railroad in 1996, which people still come to Amador City looking for to this day. In 2001 they sold the Imperial to simplify, adopted their dog, Baily in 2006, and set out on the road in 2007. It was not until 2014, Bruce and Dale were legally married here here in Amador City at the Arastra. Bruce was elected to serve on as an Amador City councilperson in 2022 and was sworn into office in January, 2023. Amador City is lucky to have Bruce & Dale back for good.