Volcano, formerly known as Soldier’s Gulch and The Volcano, is a charming census-designated site in Amador County, California, situated at an elevation of 631 meters (2070 feet). As of the 2010 census, the population was 115. Located just north of Pine Grove, at coordinates 38°26′35″N 120°37′51″W, this town is recognized as a historic landmark in California. It falls within the 95689 ZIP code and the 209 area code.
The Origins of Volcano: A Valley Shaped by Legends
The town’s name derives from its bowl-shaped valley, which early miners believed to have been formed by volcanic activity. This belief was reinforced by the early morning fog rising from the valley. Initially established by miners from Colonel Stevenson in 1849, Volcano saw a surge in population and development. By April 1852, the area boasted 300 houses, and by 1853, it was bustling with activity, including 11 shops, six restaurants, three bakeries, and three lounges. Hydraulic mining, which began in 1855, attracted thousands of fortune seekers and led to the establishment of 17 hotels, a library, a theater, and rapid justice courts.
Volcano’s Civil War Legacy: The Tale of “Old Abe”
During the Civil War, Volcano played a unique role in the smuggling of the “Old Abe” cannon into the city by hearse. Cast in 1837 by Cyrus Alger & Co. in Boston, “Old Abe” was one of the first two 6-pounder cannons to be stamped with serial number 4 on the same day. The cannon, intended to intimidate Confederate sympathizers, was only fired once and is now notable for being the only cannon of its age still on a wooden carriage from the nineteenth century. The cannon’s history is marked by its dramatic firing down Main Street, which shattered windows in shops owned by the Confederate faction known as the Golden Circle Knights.
