Vallecito Bell Monument

Calaveras County · Vallecito · location approximate

One of California's important early-day mining towns named by Mexicans meaning little valley. Gold was discovered here by the Murphy brothers in 1849. It was originally called "Murphy's old diggings." This bell was cast at Troy, New York, in 1853. After being brought around the horn it was purchased from the ship with funds contributed by early-day residents, then brought to Vallecito and erected in a large oak tree in 1854. It was used to call the people together for all purposes until February 16, 1939, when a severe wind blew the old tree down.

1971 register text, presented as a historical document. It uses the period's terms for Native people; the state's landmark listings still carry most of this wording, and the California Office of Historic Preservation maintains the program's current texts.

Many of these plaques have since been recast or their texts revised. The California Historical Landmarks program and its current texts are maintained by the California Office of Historic Preservation. California Office of Historic Preservation ↗

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Marker data: State of California, Department of Parks and Recreation, California Historical Landmarks (1971)

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