Mariposa County : Home of Yose - Index

Mariposa County : Home of Yose - Mariposa County - Home of Yosemite :: Visitor Guide and Business Directory - Index

Mariposa County encompasses 931,200 acres; 452,384 acres of this land are publicly owned and occupied.
Communities continued from page 13
MARIPOSA
The town of Mariposa is the
county seat of Mariposa County. In
1851 when a flood and fire destroyed
the log cabin courthouse in Agua
Fria, the citizens decided to move
the county function to the new town
of Mariposa. Mariposa is an unusual
town for the Mother Lode as it was
properly laid out on a grid instead of
just following the creek. By 1854,
Mariposa County had a properly
handmade Courthouse, oldest of
continuous use west of the Rockies,
and a newspaper, the Mariposa
Gazette that has published weekly
since that first issue January 24,
l854. Mining and ranching were the
main industries in the county.
Because of the lack of water, placer
mining (that is along creeks and
rivers) lead to quartz or hard rock
underground mines. These mines
required a good deal of investment
and thus the miners worked for one
company or another rather than simply
panning for gold. After the decline
of hard rock mining about the time of
WWI, Mariposa relied on ranching
and lumber until State Highway 140
14
was constructed from Merced to the
gates of Yosemite, thus making
Mariposa a key stop along the All
Year Highway to Yosemite. Hwy 140
is the shortest and lowest-level route
directly into Yosemite Valley and its
construction made Yosemite National
Park accessible year around. Today
Mariposa retains the charm of a mining
camp with many Gold Rush era
buildings, the California State Mining
and Mineral Museum, the Mariposa
Museum and History Center, as well
as the 1854 Court House and 1858
stone County Jail. Sprinkled throughout
the town are more than 50 historic
sites and buildings giving the
visitor an understanding of the passage
of time in the Mother Lode.
Summer tours of the Courthouse
begin Memorial Day Weekend.
Princeton Mine at Mt. Bullion
Mariposa is the commercial and
government center of Mariposa
County. A full range of goods and
services are available including the
John C. Fremont Hospital and Clinic,
Mariposa Indian Health and Dental
Clinic, Mariposa County High
School, Mariposa County Park with a
swimming pool, tennis courts,
amphitheater, playground and picnic
area; the Mariposa County
1858 stone County Jail
Fairgrounds and the administrative
sites for Mariposa County
Government. A number of lodging
facilities, restaurants, shops, shopping
centers, goods and services
are available. Nestled in the valley of
the Mariposa Creek (River on early
maps), Mariposa is the home of
friendly people always willing to stop
and visit; make your stay an experience
you will remember.
MIDPINES
Located just 6.5 miles north of
Mariposa on Hwy 140. This is the
ideal base for outdoor recreation
laced with hiking trails, several
favorite swimming holes, and river
rafting in the Merced River, fishing
and wildlife. Primarily a residential
area, served by a post office, small
store, a KOA, motel, a major resort,
The Yosemite Bug, fire department,
community hall and park.
? Northside communities
begin on page 18; see page 28
for Yosemite Area communities.
Yosemite / Mariposa Tourism Bureau ? www.homeofyosemite.com