Volcanoville in El Dorado County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

The Josephine Mine Cemetery

Photographed By Jeff Schmidt, September 12, 2013

1. The Josephine Mine Cemetery Marker

Inscription. The Josephine Mine was an integral part of the 1849 California Gold Rush and remained in operation until 1937. This cemetery is the final resting place of some of the pioneers that forged the western frontier and veterans of early American wars. The cemetery and the surrounding property were donated to the Native Sons of the Golden West - Georgetown Parlor #91 by Vera Fraser on February 11, 1974 to ensure its stewardship and preservation.

Dedicated as a "Pioneer Cemetery" August 10, 2013
Native Sons of the Golden West
Dwight A. Dutschke
Grand President

In Memory of
James D. Phelan
United States Senator

Erected 2013 by Native Sons of the Golden West. (Marker Number 137-03.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Cemeteries & Burial Sites. In addition, it is included in the Native Sons/Daughters of the Golden West series list. A significant historical date for this entry is February 11, 1974.

Location. 38° 58.788′ N, 120° 47.353′ W. Marker is in Volcanoville, California, in El Dorado County. Marker can be reached from Paymaster Mine Road, 0.7 miles south of Volcanoville Road. From Hwy 193 in Georgetown, turn into town (northeast) on Main Street (Main Street turns into Wentworth Springs Road)

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and continue for 8.3 miles to Volcanoville Road. Turn left and continue for 6.9 miles (at about 2.7 miles take the right fork at the fire station) to Paymaster Mine Road. Turn left on Paymaster Mine Road and continue for 0.6 to 0.7 miles. Turn right on the, as yet, unnamed forest road for about 1/4 mile to the cemetery at the end of the road.

I highly recommend studying a map before attempting to locate this site. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Georgetown CA 95634, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Foresthill Protestant Cemetery (approx. 2.9 miles away); Foresthill School Bell (approx. 3.1 miles away); St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Bell (approx. 3.1 miles away); Foresthill General Store (approx. 3.2 miles away); Forest Hill (approx. 3.2 miles away); Compressed Air Engine (approx. 3.2 miles away); Michigan Bluff (approx. 5.1 miles away); Michigan Bluff to Last Chance (approx. 5.1 miles away).

Also see . . . 2nd Regiment of Cavalry, Massachusetts Volunteers (The California 100 and the California Cavalry Bat. The history of the California 100 including John L. Hunter who now rests in the Josephine Mine Cemetery (Submitted on August 14, 2013, by James King of San Miguel, California.)

Additional commentary.

The Josephine Mine Cemetery Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Jeff Schmidt, September 12, 2013

2. The Josephine Mine Cemetery Monument

1. Josephine Mine Cemetery; The Dedication That Almost Wasn’t
“Hey, your cemetery is on fire!” That phone call from Past Grand President Jim Shadle almost made my knees buckle. We had been at the cemetery site in Volcanoville, 16 miles up-country from Georgetown barely two hours before installing the gate arbor and sign for the Josephine Mine Cemetery. Three of us had been on fire watch while Shane and Nick did the necessary welding and grinding. Had we missed something? We were about to turn ourselves in when I got a call, again from PGP Shadle, informing that the fire now raging out of control had originated some one mile further down the road in Frazierville. While it was a relief to know we had not been responsible for starting the conflagration, we could just imagine the ruined marble headstones and melted sign and fencing. The scheduled Grand Parlor dedication and ground breaking for the NSGW Cemetery and Memorial Park was just a week away.

The next morning saw nine of us going to the site to assess the damage. As we approached the cemetery, we were greeted with a still intact arbor, fence, and sign. All through the blackened skeletons of manzanita and madrone, yellow fire hoses hung like Christmas tinsel. Still burning stumps added even more smoke to the heavily laden air. It appeared the efforts of Cal-Fire and the

Photographed By Jeff Schmidt, September 12, 2013

3. The Josephine Mine Cemetery & Monument

U.S. Forest Service were successful in stopping the fire a mere 30 feet from the cemetery itself by an accurate drop of fire retardant from an air tanker. The bad news was that all the graves, headstones, fencing, and sign were covered in what looked like dried strawberry milkshake. While some of us speculated if it could be made presentable in time for the scheduled dedication and ground breaking, Nick and Shane were already on the cell phone arranging to bring a pressure washer to do a clean up. So, largely through their efforts, the dedication was still on!

What a dedication it was! The day, Saturday, August 10th, started at 8 a.m. with a fine breakfast prepared by Bill Arsenith and crew in the historic IOOF hall in Georgetown. Around 10 all guests and participants made their way up-country to Volcanoville, formerly known as Josephine, to the middle of nowhere it seemed, and the historic Josephine Mine Cemetery. It looked fabulous with patriotic bunting on the fence and all the headstones sparkling clean.

The event began at 11 a.m. with a short introduction and cemetery history before the presentation of colors by the Growlersburg VFW Post #9241 followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Grand Marshal Jim Brazil. Grand President Dwight Dutschke and team then commenced the always-beautiful dedication ceremony. After Grand President Dutschke’s introduction of