Vincent’s Cabin, CA 2023
Vincent’s Cabin survives as an unlikely tourist attraction of Angeles National Forest and a great opportunity for volunteers looking to hike and visit the neighboring Big Horn Mine!
PROJECT PARTNER: Angeles National Forest
SESSION DATES: September 24-29
PROJECT SUPERVISOR: Justin Brauner!
CREW LEADER: Nicholas Lentsch!
Project Site Description & History
Located at roughly 7,000 feet of elevation on Mount Baden-Powell is the Big Horn Mine, which was named after the big horn sheep a man named Charles Tom Vincent was hunting at the time he discovered it in 1891. Vincent and a fellow prospector laid claim to the mine, and the cabin Vincent inhabited – the site of this HistoriCorps project – was his residence. The mine and cabin are located on Gabrielina-Tongva Nation land.
Hype around developing the mine was significant; investors advertised their anticipated profits to be in the neighborhood of $8M (roughly $267M in today’s dollars). These claims were eventually proven to be overblown, with profits only weighing at $1M ($32M today). Over time, several companies purchased and sold the mine. The latest owner purchased the Big Horn in 1981, but by 1985, the mine was determined to be unproductive. You can read a full history of the mine and see photos here.
Today, the mine and Vincent’s Cabin are part of the Angeles National Forest. Volunteers will hike 1 mile in to access this site daily, so physical fitness is a must! We invite you to join us as we return for another session at Vincent’s Cabin!
Location and Logistics
SESSION DATES: September 24-29
Please plan to arrive at the campsite no earlier than 5pm and no later than 7pm on the first day of your session.
LOCATION: Vincents Cabin is at an elevation close to 7,000 feet and volunteers should expect to commute from our campsite to the Vincent Gulch Divide Trailhead and hike 1 mile to and from the project site each day.
MAP to VINCENT’S CABIN
- ACCESS:
Tent camping and car camping only! RVs will not have access to our campground and dogs are allowed but must be leashed. There is no official water source onsite but water will be brought in by our partner. Please arrive with extra water if desired.
WEATHER: Anticipate highs in the 80s and lows in the 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, volunteers and applying the traditional skills necessary to restore Vincent’s Cabin:
- Restack stone chimney (wet masonry)
- Clear brush around building and on trail
- Replace porch post and shutters on nearby historic ranger residence
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 if a project session is full.
*All registrations submitted to projects at capacity will be automatically added to our waitlist.*
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.