Welcome to the
Mountain Charlie History Tour.
![[ Portrait of Mountain Charlie. ]](images/mc_painting.gif)
Charles Henry
"Mountain Charlie"
McKiernan.
Have you ever wondered...
Who was this "Mountain Charlie" anyway?
Now you can join us in a virtual tour of
places where our chapter has erected
historical markers or plaques in Charlie's
honor, and learn more about his fascinating
and colorful life.
Or, if you would like to visit the locations
in person, I suggest beginning your tour at
Oak Hill Memorial Park in San Jose.
After visiting Charlie's gravesite,
go West on Curtner Avenue to Hwy.17.
Go southbound on Hwy.17 through the town of Los Gatos.
Take the Summit Road Exit-WEST, then make a very sharp
turn onto Mountain Charlie Road heading South-West.
On this road, named in his honor, was where he had
his Cabin and survived his legendary "Bear Fight."
Then continue on Mountain Charlie Road to "Glenwood,"
and Charlie's Big Tree.
Return on Old Santa Cruz Highway to the
"Patchen" plaque, near Holy City.
Because these mountain roads are very narrow
and hazardous, please drive carefully.
Except for the last two plaques in Weaverville and Murphys,
California, all are within an easy days drive.
For a full list of all the plaques that Chapter No. 1850 has dedicated,
Please go to our ECV1850 PLAQUE MENU page.
ECV1850 Plaque:
Charles Henry McKiernan
|
CALIFORNIA REGISTERED POINT OF HISTORICAL INTEREST No. SCL-053 |
| CHARLES HENRY McKIERNAN |
|---|
|
"MOUNTAIN CHARLIE" 1825 - JANUARY 16, 1892 MOST COLORFUL OF ALL CHARAC- TERS IN SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS. THE FIRST WHITE SETTLER IN SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAIN SECTION. A PIONEER HUNTER, RANCHER, TEAMSTER, AND ROAD BUILDER. HIS MOTTO WAS "RIGHT WRONGS NOBODY" DEDICATED JULY 20, 1974 MOUNTAIN CHARLIE CHAPTER NO.1850 E CLAMPUS VITUS |
Located at the North-West corner of Section-Q
(San Jose Avenue and Machpelah Avenue) Oak Hill Memorial Park
300 Curtner Avenue (at Monterey Road)
San Jose.
Santa Clara County, CA
(408) 297-2447
Use the main entrance at Curtner Avenue and Little Orchard Street.
Map and directions to the gravesite are available at the cemetery office.
| GPS Charles Henry McKiernan |
|---|
| WGS84 Datum |
| N 37.29924° |
| W -121.86301° |
ECV 1850 Plaque:
Mountain Charlie Road
| MOUNTAIN CHARLIE ROAD |
|---|
|
IN 1858, THE SANTA CRUZ TURNPIKE COMPANY AWARDED A CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $6000 TO CHARLES HENRY "MOUNTAIN CHARLIE" McKIERNAN AND HIRAM SCOTT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A ROAD. THE ROAD FROM THE SCOTT HOUSE, LOCATED IN WHAT IS NOW SCOTTS VALLEY, TO THE SUMMIT WAS LATER KNOWN AS THE McKIERNAN TOLL ROAD. IT SUB- SEQUENTLY BECAME PART OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY ROAD SYSTEM ON AUGUST 27, 1878 WHEN THE SANTA CRUZ BOARD OF SUPER- VISORS ISSUED A WARRANT FOR $600.00 TO CHARLES McKIERNAN IN CONSIDERATION OF SAID ABANDONMENT BY HIM. |
|
DEDICATED OCTOBER 9, 1982 MOUNTAIN CHARLIE CHAPTER No. 1850 E CLAMPUS VITUS "RIGHT WRONGS NOBODY" |
This plaque is located on
Mountain Charlie Road,
50 Feet from Summit Road,
just west of Hwy.17
in Santa Cruz County, CA.
| GPS Mountain Charlie Road |
|---|
| WGS84 Datum |
| N 37.14415° |
| W -121.98543° |
ECV1850 Plaque:
Mountain Charlie's Cabin
| "RIGHT WRONGS NOBODY" MOUNTAIN CHARLIES CABIN |
|---|
|
NEAR THIS SITE, CHARLES HENRY "MOUNTAIN CHARLIE" McKIERNAN, NATIVE OF IRELAND, ERECTED HIS CABIN IN 1850. THE CABIN WAS BUILT OF WHIP-SAWED LUMBER CUT FROM NEARBY REDWOOD GROVES. WHIP-SAWING WAS A CRUDE FORM OF LUMBERING PERFORMED BY TWO MEN, ONE IN A PIT UNDER THE LOG AND THE OTHER ABOVE. |
|
DEDICATED OCTOBER 25, 1975 MOUNTAIN CHARLIE CHAPTER No. 1850 AND MONTEREY VIEJO CHAPTER No. 1846 E CLAMPUS VITUS |
Located on the south side of Mountain Charlie Road.
0.9 Mile from the Hwy.17/Summit Road intersection,
and about 50 yards east of Riva Ridge Road.
Santa Cruz County, CA.
This is a private home.
Please do not disturb the residents.
| GPS Mountain Charlie Cabin |
|---|
| WGS84 Datum |
| N 37.13769° |
| W -121.98746° |
ECV1850 Plaque:
Mountain Charlie Bear Fight.
(Original location on Mountain Charlie Road.)
(Monument's new post-quake location.)
| MOUNTAIN CHARLIE BEAR FIGHT |
|---|
|
NEAR HERE IN MOUNTAIN CHARLIE GULCH ON MAY 8, 1854, CHARLES "MOUNTAIN CHARLIE" McKIERNAN AND A FRIEND NAMED TAYLOR WERE ATTACKED BY A GRIZZLY BEAR. THE BEAR SPRANG FROM A THICKET, BOTH MEN FIRED, BUT THE BEAR GRABBED MOUNTAIN CHARLIE, BITING HIM ON THE ARMS AND FACE. A PIECE OF SKULL ABOUT 4 INCHES SQUARE WAS BITTEN FROM OVER MOUNTAIN CHARLIE'S LEFT EYE AND NOSE BY THE BEAR. Dr.T.J. INGERSOLL OF SAN JOSE PREPARED A PLATE OF SILVER AND APPLIED IT TO THE AREA OF THE MISSING SKULL AT McKIERNAN'S REQUEST. IN THE ENSUING WEEK, THE PLATE WAS NOT HEALING AND IT WAS REMOVED AGAINST MOUN- TAIN CHARLIE'S PROTESTS. ABOUT A YEAR LATER AN OPERATION TO REMOVE AN ABSCESS UNDER THE BRAIN RELIEVED HIS INTOLERABLE PAIN. MOUNTAIN CHARLIE WAS MUCH DISFIGURED FROM HIS WOUNDS, BUT HE SURVIVED ANOTHER 38 YEARS. THUS BEGAN THE LEGEND AND FOLKLORE ABOUT THE MAN WITH THE "SILVER SKULL." |
|
DEDICATED OCTOBER 15, 1983 IN MEMORY OF CLAMPER CHRIS MISNER BY HIS FAMILY AND MOUNTAIN CHARLIE CHAPTER No.1850. E CLAMPUS VITUS. "RIGHT WRONGS NOBODY" |
Please note:
This monument was heavily damaged during the
Loma Prieta Earthquake on October 17, 1989,
and is currently at its new location
overlooking Mountain Charlie Gulch in
Santa Cruz County, CA.
From Mountain Charlie Road, turn west on Pierce Road.
(2.1 miles south of Summit Road/Hwy.17 intersection)
Make an immediate right turn onto a private road and
follow it 0.2 (two-tenths) of a mile to the monument
located on your right, under a large Oak tree.
| GPS Mountain Charlie Bear Fight |
|---|
| WGS84 Datum |
| N 37.12681° |
| W -121.98897° |
ECV1850 Plaque:
Mountain Charlie Big Tree
| MOUNTAIN CHARLIE BIG TREE |
|---|
|
NAMED FOR CHARLES HENRY "MOUNTAIN CHARLIE" McKIERNAN, WHO WAS ONE OF THE FIRST WHITE SETTLERS IN THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAIN AREA. ONE OF THE LARGEST TREES OF ITS SPECIES, THIS SEQUOIA SEMPERVIRENS WAS ORIGINALLY OVER 300 FEET HIGH. THE TREE STANDS TODAY AT 260 FEET FROM THE GROUND, HAVING BEEN BROKEN OFF IN A STORM YEARS AGO. IT IS 18 FEET IN DIAMETER AT THE BASE, 60 FEET IN CIRCUMFERENCE, AND OVER 5 FEET IN DI- AMETER AT THE TOP. IN 1880 WHEN MOUNTAIN CHARLIE BEGAN TO TIMBER THIS AREA, HE PLANNED TO CUT BOTH THE BIG TREE, KNOWN THEN AS"KING OF THE FORREST," AND THE "QUEEN," WHOSE STUMP STILL REMAINS AS A TESTI- MONY TO THAT GRAND TREE. PROBLEMS WITH THE "QUEEN" CHANGED THAT DECISION AND THE "KING" STILL STANDS TODAY AS IT HAS FOR OVER A THOUSAND YEARS. |
|
CALIFORNIA REGISTERED POINT OF HISTORICAL INTEREST No. SCR-005 DEDICATED JUNE 9, 1984 MOUNTAIN CHARLIE CHAPTER No. 1850 E CLAMPUS VITUS "RIGHT WRONGS NOBODY" |
Plaque located 450 feet North of the old Glenwood Highway,
across from the Big Redwood Park Subdivision
Glenwood.
Santa Cruz County, CA.
| GPS Mountain Charlie Big Tree |
|---|
| WGS84 Datum |
| N 37.11700° |
| W -121.98753° |
Patchen:
State Registered
Landmark No. 448
| PATCHEN |
|---|
|
"MOUNTAIN CHARLIE" McKIERNAN, ONE OF THE EARLIEST RESIDENTS OF THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS, SETTLED NEAR HERE IN 1850, AND JOHN MARTIN SCHULTHEIS AND HIS WIFE HOMESTEADED LAND ABOUT A MILE FROM HERE IN 1852. THEIR HOME WAS STILL STANDING (1950). THE PATCHEN POST OFFICE, NAMED FOR A FAMOUS RACE HORSE, WAS LOCATED IN THIS VICINITY 1872-1920's. |
|
STATE REGISTERED LANDMARK No. 448 TABLET PLACED BY CALIFORNIA CENTENNIAL COMMISSION BASE FURNISHED BY LOS GATOS LIONS CLUB DEDICATED MAY 20, 1950 |
|
RESTORED BY LOS GATOS CHAPTER DAR 1968 |
Note: Although this is not an ECV monument, it deserves
a special place among those honoring Mountain Charlie.
This monument is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains,
at the intersection of Old Santa Cruz Highway (P.M.3.57) and
Mountain Charlie Road. (1.2 Miles South-East of Holy City.
Santa Clara County, CA
From Highway 17, take the Summit Road exit.
Go East a short distance to Mountain Charlie Road.
Turn on Mountain Charlie Road and follow it east (downhill)
to Old Santa Cruz Highway.
The Patchen monument is in the small turnout area,
on the other side of the intersection.
| GPS Patchen |
|---|
| WGS84 Datum |
| N 37.14862° |
| W -121.97443° |
ECV1850 Plaque:
Mountain Charlie
(Weaverville, CA)
| MOUNTAIN CHARLIE |
|---|
|
CHARLES "MOUNTAIN CHARLIE" McKIERNAN, A NATIVE OF IRELAND, MADE HIS FORTUNE AS A TEAMSTER NEAR THE WEAVERVILLE MINES. BUSINESS WAS PROSPEROUS UNTIL THE LOCAL NATIVES RAN "HIS MULES" OFF, FORCING HIM TO MOVE TO SANTA CLARA COUNTY, WHERE HE CONTINUED HIS TEAMSTER OPERATIONS AMONG HIS MANY OTHER VENTURES AND BECAME THE "CELESTIAL" CLAMPATRIARCH OF THE ANCIENT AND HONORABLE ORDER OF E CLAMPUS VITUS, MOUNTAIN CHARLIE CHAPTER. HIS MOTTO: "RIGHT WRONGS NOBODY." |
|
DEDICATED NOVEMBER 8, 1980, TRINITARIANUS CHAPTER No. 62 AND PREVIOUSLY DEDICATED IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY OCTOBER 11, 1980, MOUNTAIN CHARLIE CHAPTER No. 1850 E CLAMPUS VITUS |
Plaque is located at the intersection
of State Highways 3 and 299.
Weaverville.
Trinity County, CA.
| GPS* Mountain Charlie (Weaverville, CA) |
|---|
| WGS84 Datum |
| N 40.73456° |
| W -122.94250° |
ECV1850 Plaque:
Mountain Charlie
ECV Wall Of Comparative Ovations
(Murphys, CA)
| CHARLES HENRY (MOUNTAIN CHARLIE) McKIERNAN 1825 - 1892 |
|---|
|
NATIVE OF IRELAND WHO SERVED WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN NEW ZEALAND. CAME TO CALIFORNIA IN 1849. ENGAGED IN MINING AND FREIGHTING BY PACK MULE TO THE TRINITY RIVER DIGGINGS. AFTER SETTLING IN THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNT- AINS IN 1850, HE BECAME LEGENDARY AS A HUNTER, RANCHER, TEAMSTER, ROAD BUILDER, LUMBERMAN, AND "CELESTIAL" CLAMPATRIARCH OF MOUNTAIN CHARLIE CHAPTER No. 1850, E CLAMPUS VITUS. |
|
MOUNTAIN CHARLIE |
Visit this Mountain Charlie plaque and many others at
the famous ECV Wall of Comparative Ovations on the
historic Peter L. Traver Building and Oldtimer's Museum,
Main Street and Sheep Ranch Roads.
Murphys.
Calaveras County, CA.
Museum is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Hours: 11am - 4pm.
The un-official Clamper Capital of the world.
| GPS* Murphys |
|---|
| WGS84 Datum |
| N 38.15277° |
| W -120.46234° |
Mountain Charlie Grave.
To PLAQUE MENU. See ALL of Chapter 1850's Plaques.