Volcano, Calif. – This circa 1850s settlement in the Northern California mountains was originally known for its odd name and rich gold mines, but a strange 1860s wartime experience brought it a different notoriety. Named for the bowl-shaped valley surrounding it, Volcano immediately attracted fortune seekers and soon the town had 17 hotels, a library, a theater, post office and courts of quick justice. During the Civil War, the citizens were divided between Union and Confederate sympathizers. As Volcano’s gold help pay for the Union cause, those favoring the rebellion conspired to steal it to divert south of the Mason-Dixon...