Charles Henry McKiernan
Euro-American settler in California (c. 1825–1892)
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Charles Henry McKiernan (c. 1825–1892), known popularly as "Mountain Charley," was one of the first Euro-American settlers in the Santa Cruz Mountains region of California. McKiernan was a hunter, rancher, teamster, road-builder and stage-line operator. His personal motto was allegedly: "Right wrongs nobody." Part of McKiernan's local fame was due to his disfigurement by a grizzly bear on a hunting expedition in May 1854. McKiernan barely survived and had a destroyed portion of his skull replaced by a local doctor with a plate of silver.[1] As a consequence, "it was said of McKiernan that no grizzly would argue with him over the right-of-way on a trail, a typical tall tale that in no way detracted from McKiernan's sterling reputation."[2]
Charles Henry McKiernan | |
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| Born | 1825 Ireland |
| Died | January 18, 1892 (aged 66–67) |
| Other names | Mountain Charley, Mountain Charlie |
Legacy
Multiple landmarks in the Santa Cruz and Santa Clara area bear McKiernan's name. Mountain Charley's Restaurant and Saloon operated in downtown Los Gatos for more than fifty years.[3] Mountain Charlie Road, which runs from Scotts Valley to State Route 35, roughly follows the original route of McKiernan's stage road.[4] A series of plaques along the road mark key locations in McKiernan's life, including the site of his original cabin and the general area of the grizzly bear attack.