Black Crater - Lava Beds National Monument
N 41° 45.910 W 121° 33.385
10T E 619994 N 4624710
This roadside historical sign is located in the Lava Beds National Monument (seasonal fees may apply).
Waymark Code: WMFW9P
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 12/07/2012
Views: 4
Visitors to the Black Crater roadside stopover are welcomed with two information signs. One sign highlights the volcanic terrain that surrounds this landscape within the Lava Beds National Monument. The other sign discusses the history of the
Modoc Indian War of 1872-73 and the Thomas-Wright Battle, one of many battles of the Modoc War. This excerpt taken from the sign says:
The End of the Modoc War
Through the winter of 1872-1873, a vastly outnumbered group of Modoc Indians resisted attempts by the U.S. Army to remove them from their homeland. Driven from the Captain Jack's stronghold, the Modoc moved into this area in mid-April. Intimate knowledge of the land helped the Modoc abmush an Army partol in the Thomas-Wright Battle and avoid capture for several more weeks. Ongoing disagreements among the Modoc, however, led to a splintering of their group, which brought about their eventual defeat. Modoc survivors of the ware were exiled to Oklahoma, where many perished and their traditional culture was all but lost.
There is a trail leading from the parking area where this historical sign is located to the Thomas-Wright battlefield site. This site is in the National Register of Historic Places and there is another marker at the site that highlights this. Be prepared for a long walk to the site, though, if you choose to visit it.