HISTORY OF COPPEROPOLIS
The Cannon & The Bell

The cannon was cast (made from bronze) in 1837 and purchased by the Copperopolis Blues Union Guard, a military company organized of volunteer miners. It was used for training and ceremonial purposes during the Civil War. It shot 6 lb. cannon balls and was kept at or near the Armory. The cannon had wheels at one time to move it around easily. It was shot off for holidays and funerals until the early 1900’s. Around that time it was neglected and wound up in the Union Mine scrap pile.

We almost lost the cannon when a scrap metal dealer came to town, loaded it onto his wagon and headed down the road toward Milton. William Vickery, a local resident, and the last of the remaining members of the Copperopolis Blues Union Guard, saw the cannon go by, grabbed his horse and buggy.  He overtook the junk dealer on the road and returned the cannon to town.

The Bell

The bell was cast in 1860 and placed upon the first schoolhouse in Copperopolis in 1862. The bell yoke shows repair from a break probably from the school fire of 1906. The original schoolhouse was a two-story building located south of the present Masonic Cemetery. The bell was stolen by a sorority from University of Pacific College in Stockton and was missing for about 20 years.  It was recovered by Charlie and Rhoda Stone from the basement of  the University after a call from the Dean inquiring if we were missing a bell. The bell and the cannon were placed on the school grounds at the same time.

This excerpt from the History of Copperopolis courtesy of the “School Tour” notes by Linda Beck, with permission taken directly from "Tools Are On The Bar" written by Charlie & Rhoda Stone.