Cooper Cabin, CA 2025 (HardCorps)
Join us for a HardCorps trip of a lifetime as we hike and camp in the Sierra backcountry to restore the Cooper Cabin!
PROJECT PARTNER: Stanislaus National Forest
SESSION DATES: August 24-29 and September 2-10 (8-day backcountry hitch!)
CAPACITY PER SESSION: 6 Volunteers (No Kitchen Helper)
PROJECT SUPERVISOR: (Assignment in progress)
CREW LEADER: (Assignment in progress)
Project Site Description & History
Within the rocky hills and the towering conifers of the Stanislaus National Forest, in an area known as the Emigrant Wilderness, lies Cooper Cabin. One of two extant properties in Cooper Meadow, this cabin represents a history of Chinese immigrant laborers, California politicians, and a 100-year tie with an Italian-American ranching family.
Cooper Cabin, built in 1875, was built by California miner, newspaper owner, and eventual rancher William F. Cooper. Cooper maintained an expansive ranch area, including Cooper Cabin, where he spent many of his days following a very peppered early life; although some attribute his belligerency to a traumatic brain injury, Cooper murdered his own wife and injured a housekeeper who attempted to intervene. He fully settled into the ranch after spending one year at the mental hospital in Stockton.
The cabin has touched many lives, as evidenced by the many names and initials carved into the cabin’s walls. The earliest known signatures come from 1881, only six years after the cabin was built. In 1907, five Chinese visitors to the cabin carved their names into the walls, eternalizing a small part of the history of Chinese immigrant laborers in the area. Chinese laborers contributed to the creation of the Columbia and Stanislaus miner’s ditch, segments of the Westside Lumber Companies railroad grade, and the Big Gap Flume. However, several of the Chinese immigrants in the area were also cowboys, despite facing racism and intimidation from many of the white Americans.
Cooper Cabin was listed on the National Register for Historic Places in 2009, along with the other historic property nearby. Since 1912, the grazing permit has been held by the Sanguinetti family, who also work to maintain and discover more about the property’s history. Cooper Cabin’s soaring pine roof and granite foundation have stood strong for almost 150 years, but it needs careful work to keep it standing for future generations. HistoriCorps invites you to be a part of this area’s rich and enduring history. You can read more about the history of Cooper Cabin at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s website.
Location and Logistics
SESSION DATES: August 24-29 and September 2-10 (8-day backcountry hitch)
Please plan to arrive at the campsite no earlier than 5pm and no later than 7pm on the first day of your session.
LOCATION: Located approximately 95 miles north of Yosemite Valley…as the crow flies!
MAP to COOPER CABIN HISTORICAL LANDMARK
ACCESS: 
Tent campers only will have access to our campsite. Our project is located inside Emigrant Wilderness. Showers and electricity are not available and dogs are not allowed at this project.
*Volunteers will be required to complete at moderate 4+ mile hike from the Coyote Meadow trailhead and will also need to hike in all personal camping gear, clothing, and items.*
WEATHER: Anticipate highs in the upper 70s and lows in the lower 50s. Weather conditions may be rainy, cloudy, or sunny. Volunteers are responsible for checking weather conditions before their session begins, and packing appropriately.
ABOUT VOLUNTEERING: HistoriCorps projects are free for volunteers! HistoriCorps will provide all meals, tools, training, equipment, and a campsite. Volunteers are responsible for their own transportation to the campsite, sleeping equipment, work gloves, clothes and boots, and other personal gear.
Scope of Work
SCOPE OF WORK DIFFICULTY: 
HistoriCorps is committed to educating and training volunteers in preservation skills, with an overarching mission of inspiring a preservation ethic in all those involved. Learning and working alongside expert HistoriCorps field staff and other volunteers while applying the traditional skills necessary to restore the historic Cooper Cabin, you will assist to:
- Repair the deteriorated and displaced wall logs
- Replace deteriorated and missing siding on the shed
- If time allows: Replace the deteriorated front porch slab, replace deteriorated logs on the remaining walls, reglaze windows as needed, and other tasks as determined in consultation with USFS staff
Please note: Tasks vary by day and by week, depending on a variety of factors including: weather, project priorities, previous groups’ work, and more. Though it is likely you will get to learn and practice most or all of the above tasks, it is not guaranteed. The higher percentage of the scope a particular task is, the more likely you will get to practice it.
Sign Up!
We’re thrilled this project has inspired you to volunteer!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!
Visit our Job Calendar to see how many spaces are available!
*All registrations submitted to projects at capacity will be automatically added to our waitlist.*
CANCELLATIONS effect our ability to complete projects. Please register only if you are certain about your ability to participate.
You will know your registration was successful when you receive a confirmation email. Contact volunteer@historicorps.org for assistance.
HistoriCorps does not charge for its volunteering projects. HistoriCorps relies on donations to continue engaging volunteers to save significant historical sites across America for generations to come. Your donation of any amount will make an incredible difference! Increase your impact – make a generous gift today.
Volunteer Logistics, Policies, and Advice
We’re so glad you’re interested in joining this project! If you’re new to our community, review the Volunteer FAQ first! Please note the following logistics and policies:
- Volunteering with HistoriCorps is free! We will provide all meals, tools, training, equipment, and a campsite or shared indoor lodging. Dinner is not provided on the first night.
- Volunteers are responsible for bringing their own gear, work gloves, sturdy work clothes and boots, and appropriate sleeping equipment. Check the average temperatures before you start packing – the nights and mornings may be colder than you anticipate! Then, read this advice about how to stay warm when tent camping in colder places.
- Campsite accessibility varies by project. Some projects can accommodate tents only; others can accommodate small RVs. Please review the project site description above for more information, and if you’re still not sure, email volunteer@historicorps.org for help.
- If this project does not offer showers, you might want to consider bringing a solar shower or research other methods to clean up after the work day.
- Volunteer crew sizes generally range from 4-8 volunteers, with two HistoriCorps staff that lead and train volunteers in the work.
- Safety is one of HistoriCorps’ top priorities, and volunteers can contribute to a safe working environment by ensuring their physical fitness is adequate for the work. See above for this project’s scope of work and difficulty level. Please, call us if you are not quite sure if a project is a good fit for your skills or fitness level. We may be able to suggest a project more suitable and enjoyable for you.
- Hard hats, eye protection, ear protection, gloves are standard personal protection equipment (PPE) required on all projects. Hard hats must be worn at all times on the project site, unless working in a designated safe space. Field staff will train volunteers on correct use of PPE.
- Dogs are generally allowed to accompany their humans in project campsites (actually, we love having dogs join us around the campfire!). Dogs are not permitted on the job site for everyone's safety. HOWEVER: HistoriCorps also follows the rules and regulations of our project partner. If the project partner does not permit dogs onsite then HistoriCorps is no exception. Please ask HistoriCorps or the project partner directly if you have any questions about whether Fido is welcome.