The 20th Century Cave Dwellers of Dublin Gulch

Shoshone, California, “The Gateway to Death Valley” is an interesting village with a full-time population of about 31. That’s 31 people who can wake up and go to sleep with this panoramic view of their home. Dublin Gulch is on the southwest outskirts of Shoshone. The caves were dug out of compacted volcanic ash from 600,000 years ago by early 20th century miners, prospectors and others. It is believed the ash is the result of the Lava Creek eruption that occurred in Yellowstone National Park. The caves had three great benefits; they were rent free, warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Some featured stovepipe chimneys and even a garage. They have not been occupied since the 1970s.

During the 1920s miners carved dwellings in this caliche clay embankment. The name “Dublin Gulch” may have come from an area of the same name in Butte, Montana, where a German immigrant, Joe Vollmer (1858-1938), had once lived. He liked to play Wagner on his Victrola and waxed his mustache like Kaiser Wilhelm. “Castle in Clay” is another cave dug out by Harvey Rutledge southeast of Shoshone.

According to the San Bernardino Sun published on April 12, 1959 written by L. Burr Belden, mining brothers Harry and Henry Ashford had two sizable rooms in their cave, but it wasn’t so much the size but its ornamental doorway that branded it “the Mansion of Dublin Gulch.” The “fancy touch” was a golden oak door with rounded top, and ornate panels. It had once been the entrance to the Rhyolite Saloon. Harry Ashford had seen it in Charles A. Brown’s warehouse and wanted to buy it. Brown wanted $5 dollars for the heavy piece of oak and Ashford balked at the sale. Brown offered other doors from 50 cents and up but Ashford couldn’t be happy until he had the $5 item. Incidentally, L. Burr Belden was the co-founder and first Humbug of the Billy Holcomb Chapter of ECV, as well as a prolific writer about the Mojave Desert. 

This is the one-time home of the Ashford brothers on the north side of the gulch facing south. Ashford Mine and Ashford Mill on the southern end of the Black Mountains are named for them.

Jack Norman, known as “Deafie Jack” because of his bulky hearing aid, lived in Dublin Gulch during the 1960s. He creatively set up an array of mirrors to reflect light into his dwelling by using a 8’X12′ mirror set on a tripod several feet in front of his cave. The adjustable contraption would reflect sunlight onto butcher paper he had on his ceiling, providing both light and heat. He was also known for having “whirl-a-gigs” outside his cave.

Prospector and miner “Dobie Charlie” Nels, formerly of Bodie, originally occupied the cave on the east end. He had a motorcycle with a side car. “Whitey” Staley was a barber who cut local children’s hair. Colorful “Single Blanket Jackass Prospector” Shorty Harris may have occasionally lived there too, and others.

Some of the rooms communicated with each other. Others had sleeping platforms dug into the walls. You will find a row of cave homes on both sides of the dirt road across from each other. The entrances are boarded up with locked doors. Do not try and make entry. Local police and town folk keep a close watch on this area, so please exercise integrity.

“Papa Jim” Standing, last known resident of Dublin Gulch in the 1970s. He took up residence in the Ashford cave after they passed on. Photo courtesy of Shoshone Museum.

In Loafing Along Death Valley Trails by William Carruthers(1951) the humanitarian efforts of both Stella and Charlie Brown did not go unnoticed. Stella opened their cottage near the Brown’s small store to anyone needing a meal, marital advice or a sympathetic ear to unload ones troubles. Charlie strolled to the dugouts in Dublin Gulch every morning to check on everyone, especially the elderly like “Old Jim.” It wasn’t unheard of Charlie driving a resident 100 miles to the nearest hospital, bring someone a meal when he was sick, or offer other creature comfort.

An interior of one of the former cave residences captured with our cellphone camera. They are not open to the public and we have never actually been inside any.

James F. Dallas was a miner who lived in Dublin Gulch for nearly 20 years, until his death in 1947. Other residents included Johnny Sheridan, Joseph W. Allison and James Frederick Belfield, who was famous for how slow he could drive his Ford. Some residents moved around when a room was vacated. But not all doorways led to residences. A dynamite magazine behind heavy wooden doors was at the south end of the cave homes.

One of the many doors of Dublin Gulch in Shoshone, California, 2015. The caves were dug out of volcanic ash from 600,000 years ago by early 20th century miners, prospectors and others.

Shorty O’ Bannon was another resident of Dublin Gulch. In 1953, Shorty won his fifteen minutes of fame when he drove drunk and crashed his car as he returned to a crime scene from Shoshone to report an inebriated woman had shot her husband during an argument. He was arrested by Shoshone Constable Harry Rosenberg but the shooting victim survived, thanks to O’Bannon summoning help.

This entire area is so rich in history. We recommend you read the book, Remembering the Early Shoshone and Tecopa Area (Southeastern Death Valley Region) by Ken Lengner and George Ross (2009)*. It is chock full of local historic tidbits, including a map of Dublin Gulch defining who lived where. Another book we recommend is Shoshone Cemetery by Judy Palmer (2014). It details the lifetimes of people, obituaries and location of people buried there. For more info about Dublin Gulch and the Baker region in the Eastern Mojave Desert, read Pilgrims in the Desert by Le Hayes (2005). Another notable book worth reading is Death Valley to Yosemite: Frontier Mining Camps & Ghost Towns–The Men, The Women, Their Mines and Stories by L. Burr Belden (2000)*. Check with the local museum to see if they’re in stock.

Remember, take only photos and leave only footprints at this precious site. We obtained our photos by aiming our cellphone camera lens through a small space in some doors and using the flash. Do not remove anything from the premises, including old cans. Locals are very protective of this area and deservedly so. You will find fossilized footprints behind Dublin Gulch where Ice Age animals used to drink from a watering hole. Between Dublin Gulch and the highway, you will find the rustic Shoshone Cemetery.

When you peer into the room thru a small crack in the door all you will see is pitch darkness. What a surprise when our flash brought so many details to life.

Ralph Daniel Modine b. July 26, 1920 d. May 26, 1924, age 3 years, 9 months, 24 days, was the first burial in Shoshone Cemetery, California. Ralph was the oldest child of Vonola and Alex Modine. Vonola was the youngest child of Celesta and Ralph “Dad” Fairbanks, the founders of Shoshone, California. Young Ralph had been secretly playing with matches in his family’s cellar at China Ranch. Overcome with grief after the tragedy, Vonola burned down the house. Her only keepsake was a sewing machine. Vonola never returned to China Ranch until well into her eighties.

The gravesite of 3 year old Ralph Modine was the first burial in Shoshone Cemetery.

Nicely decorated Shoshone Cemetery pays tribute to the pioneer families that toiled and thrived in this rugged region they called home. In 2015, there were 58 total graves, 39 marked (41 persons) and 19 unmarked graves, which include 11 in unmarked graves and 8 unidentified. Some former Dublin Gulch residents rest here. Do not disturb the graves. These folks had nothing of value but themselves and their determination. In 1935, George and Charles F. Brown even buried their dog in the cemetery.

Susan Sorrells owns the village of Shoshone and 1,000 acres of land around it, including Dublin Gulch. Her grandfather was California State Senator Charles Brown, who helped establish Shoshone. Please go into town and enjoy the Shoshone Museum staffed by volunteers. It was constructed in 1906 in the copper mining town of Greenwater and moved to Shoshone by Ralph Fairbanks in 1920. You can find a Mammoth skeleton and other interesting displays here. They are glad to answer any questions you may have about Dublin Gulch and make helpful suggestions about other interesting places in the area to explore, such as the Charles Brown General Store, Tecopa Hot Springs, China Ranch , Amargosa Opera House and Death Valley. Thirsty? The Crowbar Cafe and Saloon next door to the museum features tasty food, cold drinks and adult libations.

The Crowbar Cafe and Saloon.

In 2015, we had the pleasure of eating chili at the Crowbar with George Ross, a Paiute Elder of 90 plus years young who was born in Shoshone and lived there his whole life, right next to Death Valley. Truly an amazing and humble man, he was also a veteran of World War II, a published author and all around good guy. George had personally known every historically important person in this area since Shoshone was founded by R.J. “Dad” Fairbanks in 1910. George passed away in 2018 but we and so many others will never forget him.

The well-tended Silver Lake Cemetery north of the adobe ruins between Baker and Shoshone, California, was used for many years well into modern times. Most of the markers from the old pioneer graves have disappeared but the mounds are still there. The more recent burials are marked. Baker was founded as a station on the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad in 1908, and was named after Richard C. Baker, business partner of Francis Marion Smith in building the railroad. Baker later became president of the T&TRR.

Silver Lake Cemetery

We enjoyed exploring an abandoned airfield north of Baker on Highway 127. You may be surprised to discover among the foundations and slabs, a rectangular swimming pool. This is the ruins for the site of a World War II Civil Air Patrol training base and airfield. This was also the site for navigation light beacons used by the early airmail pilots on their run from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to Salt Lake City and beyond. It was even an emergency military landing strip. When the base closed after the war, some of the buildings were moved to Baker.

Photo of an empty pool in the middle of nowhere, 2015.

Our younger generations will never know the satisfaction of slamming down the receiver during an argument. This rare sighting happened in Shoshone, California in 2013, although there was no one on the other end because we were out of change.

Who would guess you could see something this amazing across from Death Valley High School, home of the Scorpions. According to their website, Shoshone RV Park offers 26 full hookup sites and additional tent or dry RV sites next to this lovely pond. Shoshone Pool, originally built in 1921 by Paiute Elder Tom Weed out of timbers and railroad ties at the site of a natural 105F hot spring, is across the street from the campground. The present cement pool was dug deeper and constructed in 1944-45 and is available to guests of the park and the nearby 16-unit Shoshone Inn. Call ahead for availability. We think you will find your visit to Shoshone delightful.

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