Located on highway 49 south of Sonora, Coulterville was named after George Coulter, one of the first whites to come to the gold camp already populated by Chinese and Mexicans. The Chinese first appeared in 1850, creating a small settlement at the north end of what was to be Coulterville. Eventually, there were three thousand American miners plus the Chinese and Mexicans who made up the citizens of Coulterville. The Americans left the placer operations to the foreigners and centered their efforts on the hillsides to establish the rich hard rock mines. The most notable was the Mary Harrison discovered about 1867 and operated until 1903 when it was closed permanently. The entire area is a haven for rock and mineral collectors. When visiting Coulterville, be sure to see the town's "Hang Tree" from which a series of lynchings and "lawful executions" took place and the tiny steam engine that was used to haul ore from the Mary Harrison. Submitted by Henry Chenoweth.

East of Modesto at the juncture of Highways 132 and 49 lays the picturesque town of Coulterville. Like some other ghost towns along the Mother Lode, Coulterville is returning to life with some business in its old buildings. There is the three story Jeffery Hotel (1851), the Barrett blacksmith shop (early 1850s), the Canova store (early 1860s) and a number others.

Public Cemetery
Courtesy Dolores Steele

Coulterville
Courtesy Dolores Steele

Marker -- born Nov. 1879 - died Oct. 1882
Courtesy Dolores Steele