ECV1850 Plaque:
Mountain Charlie Bear Fight.

(Monument's new post-quake location.)

[ Photo of original plaque location. ]

(Original location on Mountain Charlie Road.)

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"

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 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 Bear Fight.

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ECV1850 Plaque:
Mountain Charlie Bear Fight.

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Return to MAIN MENU.