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| Landmark #333 | Mariposa County | Visited: February 18, 2013 | Plaque? NO. 🙁 |
| What is it? | The town of Hornitos! |
| What makes it historical? | THE GUIDE SAYS: Hornitos, “little ovens,” derived its name from the presence of many old Mexican stone graves or tombs built in the shape of little square bake ovens and set on top of the ground. The town seemed to have been settled by an undesirable element driven out of the adjoining town of Quartzburg, but as the placers at Quartzburg gave out, many of its other citizens came to Hornitos. It became the first and the only incorporated town in Mariposa County.
OTHER TIDBITS: Did you know that Domingo Ghirardelli of Ghirardelli Chocolates launched his chocolate empire here in Hornitos?! When this Italian confectioner failed at mining, he opened a general store in 1852 to sell his goodies to more successful miners! He would go on to create the famous Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory in San Francisco, which is still open and producing tasty cioccolate! The Masonic Lodge here, one of the smallest in the US, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places! |
| How can I Help the Helpers? | HERE’S HOW:
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| Where is this place? | LISTED DIRECTIONS: 11 mi W of Bear Valley on County Road J16 Hornitos, CA 95325 ANNOTATIONS: From Los Angeles: ~293mi (472km) — 4.9hrs |
| When should I go? | Whenever the mood strikes you! |
