| California (Mono County), Benton — Aurora and Owens River Wagon Road |
| |
Established by the Nevada
Territorial Legislature
February 20, 1864
Rates of Toll
Wagon with two animals $1.00
Carriage and one animal $.75
Each additional animal $.25
Empty teams returning half price
Saddle animals each $.25
Pack do do $.15
Loose do do $.10 — Map (db m20732) |
| California (Mono County), Benton — Montgomery City California |
| | In October of 1863, rich silver discoveries led to the formation of Montgomery Mining District and Montgomery City which, although short lived, supported a newspaper, The Pioneer. There were no continuous veins found and mining operations soon ceased. Cloudbursts have destroyed the site, located 2½ miles east of U.S. Highway 6 from Benton Station.
Plaque dedicated September 11, 1976
Bodie Chapter of E Clampus Vitus
Mono County Board of Supervisors — Map (db m3492) |
| California (Mono County), Bodie — Bodey’s Grave |
| | This marker placed in memory of William S. Bodey, discoverer of the Bodie mines, who lies buried on this hillside.
“Let him repose in peace among these everlasting hills”
Erected by Snowshoe Thompson Chapter ECV October 5, 1957 — Map (db m8549) |
| California (Mono County), Bodie — 341 — Bodie |
| | Gold was discovered here in 1859 by W.S. Bodey after whom the town was named. Once the most thriving metropolis of the Mono Country, Bodie’s mines produced gold valued at more than 100 million dollars. Tough as nails, the “Bad Man from Bodie” still carries his guns and his Bowie knife down through the pages of Western history. — Map (db m8437) |
| California (Mono County), Bodie — Return to Bodie |
| | During the California gold rush, E Clampus Vitus was a fraternal order and benevolence society for miners. It was rumored to be one of the secret societies in the town of Bodie during its heyday.
Today, ECV is dedicated to the preservation of California history and accordingly, members of the present day Bodie chapter were instrumental in preserving the town as a historical landmark. With their help in 1956, legislation was drafted to add Bodie to the state park system. By 1962 the process . . . — Map (db m8493) |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — "Bridgeport Inn" |
| | The old Levitt House which became The Bridgeport Hotel and is now the Bridgeport Inn was built in 1877 by Sam Hopkins for Hiram L. Leavitt. Weary travelers in the old west used this historic hotel as a stage and buggy stop to and from the Bodie gold mining town. Legend has it that Samuel Clemens was a guest here and a bed room has been so named the “Mark Twain Room.” Legend also has it that the hotel is haunted by the “white lady” who has been seen by various guests through out the years. — Map (db m10365) |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — "The Irwin" |
| | Presented to the town of Bridgeport by J. S. Cain in 1914. Built in 1881 by J. Renault, machinist for the Standard Co. of Bodie, Calif. This cannon was never fired. — Map (db m10323) |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — Bridgeport Elementary School |
| | Built in 1880, this historic building was used until October, 1964. Plans for a new school building called for the destruction of this one. It was saved by the Mono County Historical Society, the citizens of Bridgeport and Mono County. Through the support of Mono County Supervisors, the building was purchased and moved to this location to serve as the first county museum. This is a proud old building and when first set in place on its new foundation, its doors and windows would not open or . . . — Map (db m10324) |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — First Bridgeport Courthouse |
| | Located near this site was the first courthouse in the town of Bridgeport. Previously, the county courthouse was in Aurora (the county seat established in 1861) However, a state boundary survey completed in 1863 determined that town was actually in Nevada.
With the relocation of the county seat to Bridgeport in 1864, a new courthouse was needed. A survey of the town revealed only one suitable building – the American Hotel (owned by J. C. Kingsley). Subsequently the hotel was . . . — Map (db m8545) |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — Mono County Court House |
| | Since April 1, 1881 with the trial of Morton, indicted for theft of gold bullion from the Standard Co. of Bodie, the scales of justice in this building have continuously weighed the problems of Mono County from infancy to this present day. This impressive building remains a classic example of the artisans of yesterday. — Map (db m10322) |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — Mountain Warfare Training Center — U.S. Marine Corp |
| | Was established in 1951, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service. One of the Corps most remote and isolated posts. The mission was providing cold weather training for Korea bound replacement personnel. The name changed to “Marine Corp Cold Weather Training Center” after the Korean conflict. In 1963, because of its expanded role, the center was re-named “Marine Corp Mountain Warfare Training Center,” operating on a full-time basis until 1967 when it was placed on . . . — Map (db m11919) |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — Old County Jail |
| | Since the formation of Mono County in 1861, six facilities have served as the county jail. This stone building was placed into service by Sheriff C.F. McKinney, Dec. 5, 1883, and became the 5th Mono County Jail. It replaced the wooden jail facility partially destroyed, December 16, 1882, during an escape attempt by prisoners. This replacement jailhouse, larger than its predecessor, contained – an office, dining area, 6 cells, 2 wash and storage rooms. The walls were two feet thick and . . . — Map (db m10364) |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — Poor Farm |
| | It began as the county hospital in Bodie in 1879. With the decline of Bodie in the mid 1880’s, the hospital was moved eventually to a site east of this monument and Highway 395 to the rear of the small meadow that you see. At that time it became known as the “Poor Farm”, a refuge for the aged, ill, and penniless. It continued to operate for several years, but the high cost of maintaining the facility forced its closure and the building and property were put up for bid and sold to a local rancher. — Map (db m11347) |
| California (Mono County), Coleville — Coleville |
| | Founded in 1860 by A. Horteshorne, Coleville played a major roll in the development of Mono County. It was once known as Centerville, Double Town (due to the high prices charged for supplies) and Amonia. It was finally named as Coleville after Senator Cornielus Cole. Coleville was one of the very important stage and freighter supply centers coming to Bodie and Mono County area from the booming towns of the Comstock Lode Country. — Map (db m11342) |
| California (Mono County), Lee Vining — 792 — Dog Town — 1857 |
| | [Main Marker]:
Site of the first major gold rush to California’s eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada, Dog Town derived its name from a popular miners’ term for camps with huts or hovels. Ruins, lying close to the cliff bordering Dog Town Creek are all that remain of the makeshift dwellings which here formed part of “diggins”.
[Supporting Marker to the Left of the Main Marker]:
Boom and Bust
Boom and Bust “Here today, gone tomorrow” describes . . . — Map (db m11586) |
| California (Mono County), Lee Vining — Navy Beach |
| | During the Cold War, Mono County was home to one of many remote facilities used by the US Military to test new weapons and weapons systems. A "secret military installation" operated by the US Navy was located along the south shoreline of Mono Lake.
During the 1950's and 1960's several branches of the US Armed Forces utilized this test facility to conduct various research. Numerous top-secret exercises were actually performed here during what was called "seismic testing." However with the . . . — Map (db m20739) |
| California (Mono County), Lee Vining — Sheriff James P. Dolan |
| | In July of 1915, the peace and quiet of Mono County was shattered when Sheriff James P. Dolan died as a result of gunshot wounds received while attempting to apprehend two outlaws who had terrorized ranchers a short distance from this location.
Outraged by the shooting of Sheriff Dolan, the citizens of Mono County quickly formed a Sheriff’s posse which tracked the outlaws to a location near the Mono Craters. Justice was served when both outlaws were killed in a shootout with possemen. A . . . — Map (db m11416) |
| California (Mono County), Lee Vining — Upside-Down House |
| | A distinctive local landmark and nationally renowned tourist attraction. It was the creation of - Nellie Bly O’Bryan (1893–1984), visionary, entrepreneur and long time resident of the Mono Basin.
Originally, located along US-395 north of the Tioga Lodge, it was inspired by two children’s stories—“Upside Down Land” and “The Upsidedownians.” Upon her death in 1984 The Upside-Down House fell into disrepair until....October 9, 2000 when it was rescued and . . . — Map (db m10167) |
| California (Mono County), Lee Vining — West Portal |
| | East of this site was located West Portal, the largest of 4 'camps' or company towns, built in 1934 by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power for employees and their families who worked on the Mono Basin Project. At the height of construction, the town had over 200 residents and 26 buildings. And for its time, it had many 'modern' conveniences - telephones, electricity, gas, mail service, paved roads, water and sewer systems (a metropolis by Mono County standards). By 1941 the project . . . — Map (db m8173) |
| California (Mono County), Mammoth Lakes — Casa Diablo |
| | A distinctive landmark and gathering place used by many early inhabitants of the area for bathing, food preparation, ceremonial and medicinal purposes. It was named “House of the Devil”, by early explorers, for it’s boiling hot springs, plumes of rising steam and spectacular geysers.
From 1878 to 1881 it was a stage stop along the Bishop Creek—Bodie state route, a vital relay station for supplies, mail and equipment en route to the mining camps of Mammoth City, Mill . . . — Map (db m2950) |
| California (Mono County), Mammoth Lakes — Convict Lake |
| | Convict Lake and Creek are so named as the result of an encounter here September 17, 1871, between Robert Morrison, Benton Merchant and member of a posse of citizens, and three convicts who had escaped from the Carson City, Nevada, State Penitentiary. Morrison encountered the convicts on present Convict Creek, then known as Monte Diablo Creek. Morrison was killed and the convicts escaped. Other members of the posse captured the fugitives in Round Valley. They were taken to Bishop where two of . . . — Map (db m19879) |
| California (Mono County), Mammoth Lakes — Historic Knight Wheel |
| | Originally hauled by mule teams from Mojave to Mill City in 1878 this Knight Wheel powered Mammoth Mining Company’s 20 stamp mill for processing gold ore until 1895, when it was relocated to Mammoth City.
This high pressure, low volume wheel was ultimately moved to it’s present location in 1902 and converted to an electric generating plant for the Wildasinn Hotel nearby. In the 1920’s, it also supplied electricity to Charlie Summer’s Mammoth Camp.
The adjacent structure housed the . . . — Map (db m2186) |
| California (Mono County), Mammoth Lakes — Legend of Deadman |
| | In 1861 the burned and headless body of Robert Hume, a prospector, was found in a shallow grave not far from this site. Later, the head was located in a nearby stream (now known as Deadman Creek). Hume was last seen alive with his partner, Farnsworth, searching for the fabled Lost Cement Mine. When next seen, Farnsworth was asked about his partner, to which he told a story of a surprise indian attack and barely escaping with his life. A subsequent investigation proved this to be untrue. . . . — Map (db m615) |
| California (Mono County), Mammoth Lakes — Lost Cement Mine |
| | Somewhere near this spot is located the famous Lost Cement Mine. First discovered in 1857, the find was described as a ledge, "wide as a curb stone" of rusty, reddish cement, two thirds of it pure gold. Various circumstances prevented the original discoverers from returning to claim their wealth. History indicates the location of the Lost Cement Mine may have been rediscovered and mined periodically until 1877 and then again concealed. An occasional prospector still searches for the elusive . . . — Map (db m759) |
| California (Mono County), Mammoth Lakes — McGee Mountain Rope Tow #34 |
| | The first permanent rope tow in the Eastern Sierra was built west of this site on the east slope of McGee Mountain. This predecessor of Mammoth Mountain ski area was constructed here in 1938 because of its dependable snow and nearness to a highway. Prior to this facility most down hill skiing was done by use of a portable rope tow system (a working gasoline engine, rope, and pullies.) Dave McCoy—world class skier, entrepreneur, and visionary, was instrumental in organizing and promoting . . . — Map (db m2951) |
| California (Mono County), Mammoth Lakes — Tragedy at Convict Lake |
| | On February 19, 1990, a tragedy occurred at this site. Three boys from a local youth camp fell through the ice. Two counselors, David Myers and Randy Porter, U.S. Forest Service employee Clay Cutter, and Long Valley Fire Captain Vidar Anderson sacrificed their lives while attempting a heroic rescue. This plaque is dedicated to those brave men. — Map (db m2895) |
| California (Mono County), Walker — The C-130 Crew — Lost During the Cannon Fire - June 17, 2002 |
| | In Loving and Grateful Memory of
The C-130 Crew
Steve Wass, Craig Labare and Mike Davis
Who gave their lives to save
our community on June 17, 2002 — Map (db m23036) |
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