Scotts Valley in Santa Cruz County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Mountain Charlies Cabin

“Right Wrongs Nobody”

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 12, 2012

1. Mountain Charlies Cabin Marker

Inscription. Near this site Charles Henry “Mountain Charlie” McKiernan, native if 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 preformed by two men, one in a pit under the log and the other above.

Erected 1975 by E Clampus Vitus, Mountain Charlie Chapter No. 1850 & Monterey Viejo Chapter No. 1846.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the E Clampus Vitus series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1850.

Location. 37° 8.25′ N, 121° 59.251′ W. Marker is in Scotts Valley, California, in Santa Cruz County. Marker is on Mountain Charlie Road just east of Riva Ridge Road, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 23104 Mountain Charlie Road, Scotts Valley CA 95066, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Mountain Charlie Road (approx. half a mile away); Mountain Charlie Bear Fight (approx. ¾ mile away); Patchen (approx. one mile away); Chateau Liberté (approx. 1.3 miles away); Mountain Charlie Big Tree (approx. 1.4 miles away); Charles Martin Winery

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(approx. 2 miles away); Glenwood (approx. 2.1 miles away); Alma College Library Foundation (approx. 3.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Scotts Valley.

Regarding Mountain Charlies Cabin. Charles McKiernan, "Mountain Charlie", settled in the Santa Cruz Mountains in 1851. He was born in Ireland in 1830. He left during the potato famine and came to California hoping to strike gold. He married Barbara Berricke Kelly in 1862, and they raised seven children. They raised sheep and cattle and planted orchards. On a hunting expedition in 1854 he was badly injured by a grizzly bear. He survived and lived another 38 years.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 12, 2012

2. Mountain Charlies Cabin Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on March 13, 2012, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 704 times since then and 84 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 13, 2012, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.