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Volcano, California

Coordinates: 38°26′35″N 120°37′51″W / 38.44306°N 120.63083°W / 38.44306; -120.63083
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For the former settlement in Placer County formerly with this name, see Bath, California.

Volcano
census-designated place
The landmark St. George Hotel in Volcano
The landmark St. George Hotel in Volcano
Volcano is located in California
Volcano
Volcano
Location in California
Coordinates: 38°26′35″N 120°37′51″W / 38.44306°N 120.63083°W / 38.44306; -120.63083
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountyAmador County
Area
[1]
 • Total
1.501 sq mi (3.887 km2)
 • Land1.501 sq mi (3.887 km2)
 • Water0 sq mi (0 km2)  0%
Elevation
[2]
2,070 ft (631 m)
Population
 (2020)[3]
 • Total
104
 • Density69/sq mi (27/km2)
ZIP Code
95689
Area code209
GNIS feature ID237127,[2] 2583178[4]
Website
Reference no.29

Volcano (formerly Soldier's Gulch and The Volcano) is a census-designated place[4] in Amador County, California. It lies at an elevation of 2,070 feet (631 m). The population was 104 at the 2020 census. It is located at 38°26′35″N 120°37′51″W / 38.44306°N 120.63083°W / 38.44306; -120.63083, just north of Pine Grove. The town is registered as a California Historical Landmark.[5] The community is in ZIP code 95689 and area code 209.

History

[edit]
Pencil and ink drawing of Volcano, 1854

The town is named for its setting in a bowl-shaped valley which early gold miners thought was caused by a volcano.[6] 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.[7] 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.[8]

During the Civil War, Volcano's gold served the Union. The "Volcano Blues" smuggled the 800 lb (360 kg) 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.[9] 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.[10]

Although small, Volcano is a town of many "firsts":[11]

Tourist attractions

[edit]

Volcano has a number of Gold Rush-era buildings with signs indicating their historic significance. A post office opened in Volcano in 1851.[12] 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.[13] 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.[14]

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.[15]

Notable people

[edit]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
2010115—
2020104−9.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[19]
2010[20]

Volcano first appeared as a census designated place in the 2010 U.S. Census.[20]

The 2020 United States census reported that Volcano had a population of 104. The population density was 74.3 inhabitants per square mile (28.7/km2). 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 65 years of age or older. The median age was 55.5 years. There were 38 males and 66 females.

There were 73 housing units at an average density of 52.1 units per square mile (20.1 units/km2), of which 47 (64.4%) were occupied. Of these, 95.7% were owner-occupied, and 4.3% were occupied by renters.[21][22]

Government

[edit]

In the California State Legislature, Volcano is in the 8th senatorial district, represented by Democrat Angelique Ashby,[23] and the 5th Assembly district, represented by Republican Joe Patterson.[24]

In the United States House of Representatives, Volcano is in California's 4th congressional district, represented by Democrat Mike Thompson.[25]

[edit]

Volcano was featured by Huell Howser in Road Trip Episode 127.[26]

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

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)).

[edit]
  • 1938 Main Street Volcano
    1938 Main Street Volcano
  • Volcano early 1850s
    Volcano early 1850s
  • "Old Abe" cannon from the American Civil War
    "Old Abe" cannon from the American Civil War
  • Astronomical observatory plaque
    Astronomical observatory plaque
  • Volcano park
    Volcano park
  • Plaque commemorating founding of Volcano
    Plaque commemorating founding of Volcano
  • Plaque of hometown hero Brigadier General Harry Bluett Liversedge
    Plaque of hometown hero Brigadier General Harry Bluett Liversedge
  • Bavarian Brewery built 1856
    Bavarian Brewery built 1856

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "2010 Census U.S. Gazetteer Files – Places – California". United States Census Bureau.
  2. ^ a b "Volcano". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  3. ^ "US Census Bureau". www.census.gov. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Volcano Census Designated Place". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  5. ^ "Volcano". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  6. ^ "Unincorporated Cities". Amador County Chamber of Commerce. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  7. ^ "Town of Volcano". St. George Hotel. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  8. ^ Koeppel, Elliot H. (December 1996). "Volcano". The California Gold Country: Highway 49 Revisited. Malakoff & Co. ISBN 0-938121-12-X.
  9. ^ | url=http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=11365 | title=Volcano Marker | publisher=The Historical Marker Database | access-date=2008-12-01
  10. ^ "Volcano". Amador County Archives. Archived from the original on April 9, 2008. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  11. ^ "Volcano Union Inn" (Google cache). BnBstar. Retrieved December 1, 2008.[dead link]
  12. ^ Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, California: Word Dancer Press. p. 572. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
  13. ^ http://www.stgeorgevolcano.com/index.php/aboutaccess-date=2016-01-28 [dead link]
  14. ^ "Memorial To Pioneer Odd Fellowssite of First Amateur Astronomical Observatory of Record In California". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  15. ^ "Daffodil Hill - Sutter Creek Events | Annual Daffodil Hill in Volcano | Amador County Events". Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  16. ^ "History of Volcano". Town of Volcano. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  17. ^ "Harry B. Liversedge, Brigadier General". Arlington National Cemetery. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  18. ^ "San Mateo County". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  19. ^ "Decennial Census by Decade". United States Census Bureau.
  20. ^ a b "2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  21. ^ "Volcano CDP, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing". US Census Bureau. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
  22. ^ "Volcano CDP, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing". US Census Bureau. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
  23. ^ "Senators". State of California. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  24. ^ "Members Assembly". State of California. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  25. ^ "California's 4th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved February 28, 2013.
  26. ^ "Volcano- Road Trip (127) – Huell Howser Archives at Chapman University".
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