Volcano, California

Volcano (formerly Soldier's Gulch and The Volcano) is a census-designated place in Amador County, California. It lies at an elevation of . The population was 104 at the 2020 census. It is located at , just north of Pine Grove. The town is registered as a California Historical Landmark. The community is in ZIP code 95689 and area code 209.

History

The town is named for its setting in a bowl-shaped valley which early gold miners thought was caused by a volcano. Early-morning fog rising from the valley floor only reinforced that belief. The area was first designated by Colonel Stevenson's men, who mined Soldiers Gulch in 1849. In 1851 a post office was established and by April 1852 there were 300 houses. By 1853 the flats and gulches swarmed with men, and there were 11 stores, six hotels, three bakeries, and three saloons. Hydraulic mining operations, begun in 1855, brought thousands of fortune seekers to form a town of 17 hotels, a library, a theater, and courts of quick justice.

During the Civil War, Volcano's gold served the Union. The "Volcano Blues" smuggled the cannon "Old Abe," into the town by hearse, to intimidate rebel sympathizers. The cannon was cast by Cyrus Alger & Co. in Boston in 1837 and is the first of two 6-pounders made on the same day to be stamped with serial number 4. The other cannon still survives at Shiloh Battlefield and is called "Shiloh Sam". "Old Abe" was only fired once during the Civil War. The Confederate faction known as Knights of the Golden Circle owned many of the Main Street businesses. "Old Abe" was fired down Main Street, causing windows to break in all the shops that had not been warned – the ones sympathetic to the South. Abe is the only cannon of that age in the U.S. still on a 19th-century wooden carriage.

The landmark St. George Hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Volcano almost became the county seat in 1854 and again in 1857, but the newspaper closed in 1857 and afterwards, the town began to decline.

Although small, Volcano is a town of many "firsts":
* 1854 First theater group in California
* 1854 First debating society in California
* 1854 First circulating library in California
* 1855 First private schools in California
* 1855 First private law school in California
* 1856 First legal hanging in Amador County
* 1860 First astronomical observatory in California
* 1978 First solar still in California

Tourist attractions

Volcano has a number of Gold Rush-era buildings with signs indicating their historic significance. A post office opened in Volcano in 1851. Volcano boasts one of the longest-running general stores in California, having been in continuous use since 1852. The Union Billiard Saloon and Boarding House opened in 1880 and was also the site of the Volcano Justice Court, presided over by Judge Peter Jonas. In 1862, B.F. George built the St. George Hotel on the previous footprint of the Eureka Hotel, which burned down in 1853, and the Empire Hotel, which burned down in 1859. George Madeira established California's first recorded astronomical observatory in 1860 which is where the Great Comet of 1861 was discovered (in the U.S.). It is registered as a California Historical Landmark.

Volcano is also home to Black Chasm Cave, a National Natural Landmark.

The Volcano Theater Company was founded in 1974. The company conducts a full season each year, performing in both the 1856 Cobblestone Theater and in the larger outdoor Volcano Amphitheater.

Daffodil Hill is a public garden open each spring to the public at no cost for admission. Daffodils were first planted in the mid-19th century by landowner Pete Denzer to remind him of Holland, his home country. In 1877, Arthur McLaughlin and his wife, “Lizzie” van Vorst-McLaughlin bought the property, which is still owned and managed by their descendants. Approximately 300,000 flowers are in bloom during the Spring.

Notable people

* James T. Farley, United States Senator for California (1879–1885)
* Harry B. Liversedge (1894–1951), born in Volcano. He is a two-time track star at both the 1920 and 1924 Olympics and later Brigadier General best known as the leader of the regiment figured in the historic Iwo Jima flag raising.
*Angelo Joseph Rossi, 31st Mayor of San Francisco (1931–1944)

Demographics

Volcano first appeared as a census designated place in the 2010 U.S. Census.

The 2020 United States census reported that Volcano had a population of 104. The population density was . The racial makeup of Volcano was 81.7% White, 1.9% African American, 1.0% Native American, 1.9% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 1.9% from other races, and 11.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.6% of the population.

There were 47 households, out of which 19.1% included children under the age of 18, 34.0% were married-couple households, 8.5% were cohabiting couple households, 29.8% had a female householder with no partner present, and 27.7% had a male householder with no partner present. 55.3% of households were one person, and 44.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.21. There were 18 families (38.3% of all households).

The age distribution was 16.3% under the age of 18, 6.7% aged 18 to 24, 19.2% aged 25 to 44, 18.3% aged 45 to 64, and 39.4% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 55.5years. There were 38 males and 66 females.

There were 73 housing units at an average density of , of which 47 (64.4%) were occupied. Of these, 95.7% were owner-occupied, and 4.3% were occupied by renters.

Government

In the California State Legislature, Volcano is in , and .

In the United States House of Representatives, Volcano is in .

In popular culture

Volcano was featured by Huell Howser in ''Road Trip'' Episode 127.

A 10-minute scene on The Big Valley TV show is set in Volcano. Mrs. Barkley is arrested for rustling there.

The Civil War episode was the subject of Death Valley Days Season 7 Episode 21: ''Eruption at Volcano'' (see List of Death Valley Days episodes#Season 7 (1958–59)).

Gallery

Historic American Buildings Survey Sacramento Chamber of Commerce Taken 1938 GENERAL VIEW - Stone Store, Main Street, Volcano, Amador County, CA HABS CAL,3-VOLC,3-2.tif, 1938 Main Street Volcano
Historic American Buildings Surveys Sacramento Chamber of Commerce Early 1850's GENERAL VIEW - Volcano, General View, Volcano, Amador County, CA HABS CAL,3-VOLC,4-1.tif, Volcano early 1850s
Old Abe cannon - Volcano CA.jpg, "Old Abe" cannon from the American Civil War
Astronomical observatory plaque in Volcano CA.jpg, Astronomical observatory plaque
Volcano California 452 - panoramio.jpg, Volcano park
Plaque commemorating founding of Volcano California.jpg, Plaque commemorating founding of Volcano
Plaque of Harry Liversedge in Volcano California.jpg, Plaque of hometown hero Brigadier General Harry Bluett Liversedge
Bavarian Brewery Volcano 1856.jpg, Bavarian Brewery built 1856

References

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Census-designated places in Amador County, California
California Historical Landmarks
Census-designated places in California
1849 establishments in California
Populated places established in 1849