California Historical Landmarks in Mariposa County
California Historical Landmark 333
Hornitos
Bear Valley Road
Hornitos
Founded 1850
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Started in 1850 by outcast Mexicans from nearby Quartzburg and given the name Hornitos, meaning "little ovens", from the dome like rock and mud bake-ovens being used here by some Germans.
The whites soon gained predominance, the population grew to many thousands, and it became one of the richest and toughest of early mining camps.
Here Juaquin Murietta noted bandit chief had a hide-out and many friends. Wells Fargo and Co. established an office as early as 1852 to handle the millions produced by nearby mines. D. Ghirardelli of chocolate fame started his fortune by merchandising here.
For over fifty years were enacted the annual religious customs of Old Mexico.
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Welcome to one of the most famous ghost towns of the 1800's. Hornitos is Spanish for "little ovens". It got its name from the above ground graves that were shaped like little cooking ovens used in Mexico. During this time, population was about 15,000 and had the first Wells Fargo office in the county. $40,000 in gold was shipped to the mint daily.
Hornitos was host to Joaquin Murietta, one of Calif. most colorful bandits. Hornitos is located in the S.W. part of Mariposa County. The county was the largest in California during the Gold Rush period (1849).
Some Missing California Plaques
When we visited the following sites, we were unable to locate a California commemorative plaque.
At some sites, it appeared that a California plaque had never been erected. At other sites, there was a base, but the plaque itself was missing. Some sites without California plaques had other historic markers, but they did not note that the site is a California Historical Landmark.
Adams and Company Building, Sacramento
Anza Expedition Camp, Burlingame
Battle of Land's Ranch, Modoc County
Bear Valley, Mariposa County
Bend City, Inyo County
Birthplace of Freemasonry in California , San Francisco
Booth Home Site, Sacramento
Brannan Cottage, Calistoga
Brannan Store, Calistoga
Brown Home, Red Bluff
Bloody Point, Modoc County
Bonner Grade, Modoc County
Brannan House, Sacramento
California Star Newspaper Site, San Francisco
Camino of Rancho San Antonio, Oakland
Carmel Mission, Carmel
Casa de Cota, San Diego
Casa de Machado y Silvas, San Diego
Casa del Oro, Monterey
Casa Materna, Pajaro
Castro Home, El Cerrito
Chevra Kaddisha Cemetery, Sacramento
China Slough Site, Sacramento
City of Paris Department Store Site, San Francisco
Colton Hall, Monterey
Condemned Bar, Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
Corral Hollow, Tracy
Crabtree (Lotta) Home, Grass Valley
Crocker Gallery, Sacramento
Croll Building, Oakland
Donner Monument, Truckee
Eagle Theatre, Sacramento
Ebbetts Pass, Alpine County
Ebner's Hotel, Sacramento
Evans and Bailey Fight, Modoc County
First Theater in California, Monterey
Fort Janesville, Lassen County
Frémont's Camp, Modoc County
Frog Woman Rock, Mendocino County
Giant Powder Company Site, San Francisco
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco and Marin Counties
Grange Hall Site, El Dorado County
Guillem's Graveyard, Lava Beds National Monument
Gutiérrez Adobe, Monterey
House of Four Winds, Monterey
Hornitos, Mariposa County
Hudson Cabin Site, Calistoga
Indian Arrow Tree, Korbel
Jackson Gate, Amador County
Joaquín Moraga Adobe, Orinda
Junípero Serra's Cross, Ventura County
Kelsey House Site, Calistoga
Lady Adams Building, Sacramento
Larkin House, Monterey
Lassen Grave, Lassen County
Laurel Hill Cemetery Site, San Francisco
Long Wharf Site, San Francisco
Marklee's Cabin Site, Markleeville
Mission San Buenaventura, Ventura County
Montezuma, Tuolumne County
Old Emigrant Trail, Modoc National Forest
Parrott Block Site, San Francisco
Plymouth Trading Post, Plymouth
Portolá Camp at Pilarcitos Creek, Half Moon Bay
Richmond Shipyards District, Richmond
Sacramento Bee Building, Sacramento
San Joaquin City Site, Tracy
Studebaker's Shop, Placerville
Telegraph Hill, San Francisco
Western Hotel, Sacramento
Mayfield Canyon Battleground, Owens Valley
Methodist Episcopal Church, Placerville
Mills Bank Building, Sacramento
Mission San Buenaventura Reservoir, Ventura County
Montez (Lola) Home, Grass Valley
Montgomery Hill, San Jose
Napa Valley Railroad Depot, Calistoga
Negro Hill, Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
Noble Pass Route, Lassen Volcanic National Park
Old Custom House, Monterey
Old Pacific House, Monterey
Old Lobero Theatre, Santa Barbara
Olema Lime Kilns, Marin County
Orleans Hotel Site, Sacramento
Overton Building, Sacramento
Peralta Hacienda, Oakland
Plumas House, Quincy
Pony Express Remount Station, Woodfords
Portolá Camp at Crystal Springs, San mateo County
Portolá Camp at Gazos Creek, Bean Hollow State Beach
Portolá Camp at Martini Creek, Montara
Portolá Camp at Pulgas Water Temple, San Mateo County
Portolá Camp at Purisima Creek, Half Moon Bay
Portolá Camp at San Gregorio State Beach, San Gregorio
Portolá Camp at Tunitas Beach, San Mateo County
Robert Louis Stevenson House, Monterey
Roop's Fort, Susanville
Royal Presidio Chapel, Monterey
Sacramento Union Site, Sacramento
Sailing Launch Comet, Lathrop
Saint James Episcopal Church, Sonora
Salmon Falls, Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
Santa Margarita Asistencia, Santa Margarita
Smartsville, Yuba County
Sobranes Adobe, Monterey
Stage Coach and Railroad, Sacramento
State Indian Museum, Sacramento
Sutter Creek, Amador County
Swift's Stone Corral, Colusa County
Sycamore Tree, Ventura County
Transcontinental Railroad, Lathrop
Union Oil Company Building, Ventura County
Vásquez House, Monterey
Willms Ranch, Knights Ferry
Whiskeytown, Shasta County
Woodbridge, San Joaquin County
Wood's Ferry and Bridge Site, Woodbridge