VOLCANOVILLE

NAME: Volcanoville COUNTY: El Dorado ROADS: 2WD GRID: 1 CLIMATE: Warm summers, very cold winter BEST TIME TO VISIT: Anytime, but use chains in snow.

COMMENTS: Some residents, there is a little development around the original town site. I only drove though... REMAINS: A few old buildings

After driving through, I was very interested in knowing about the town, so I looked it up and found out it had a really awesome history! "During the days of the California Gold Rush, Volcanoville boasted a lively population of thousands, including a large Chinatown. In the cemetery, two headstones remain which speak of the town's past. The tombstones tell of two 49ers interred here -- both youths had been murdered for their miner's poke by Gold Rush highwaymen. It was during the mid-1870's when Volcanoville saw a serious decline in mining as many quartz mines played out. With gold more difficult to find, anger and hate for all non-Anglos in the diggings became a hot subject. Most Chinese were now working in the larger cities in Northern California, for those who remained in the Mother Lode they suffered the most since they represented competition to White miners. Such was the case in 1874 when Chinese miners discovered a 10 oz. pure gold nugget on their claim at the Cooley (Chinese) Mine in Volcanoville. For years treasure hunters have sought to answer the question of the lost Chinese caches buried in and around Volcanoville." --From The Eldorado County Website Submitted by: Carrina Hanson

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