phancy (![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} phancy) wrote,@ 2007-11-07 20:56:00 |
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Hornitos, CA
During my travels to historic landmarks, I usually devise a master plan of plaques to hunt down, armed with a AAA map of California, printouts of landmarks by county and a far stack of Google Maps covered with pushpins. The goal is to make a loop from Fresno to points distant and back, minimizing driving time and maximizing plaque site visitation. In practice, this seldom happens.
Often historic sites aren't that interesting, or don't even have a site. I've visited several unremarkable parking lots where something remarkable happened 150 years ago. As a consequence of this, I wind up with extra time on my hands. Combine this with the obvious fact that there are plenty of far more interesting non-plaque-related places to visit and a road trip to visit six sites turns into a drive-by of two sites and the rest of the day spent in a museum or park.
Back in the summer I had planned on touring Tulare county, visiting sites in Ivanhoe, Lindsay, Porterville and Tulare before heading back home. I only made it to Ivanhoe, where I saw a tree and some cows. On the way to Lindsay I was distracted by charming Exeter, featuring a downtown full of murals. I still haven't toured the rest of Tulare county.
Last weekend the plan was to hit up Hornitos, Bear Valley and Coulterville. Actually, this was a plan several weeks before, but we never made it past Mariposa. The main street is a nice walk and the courthouse (built in 1854 and still in use) offers free tours and lets you sit in the judge's chair.
I had expected Hornitos to be a typical teeny-weeny town with nothing to see, but it turned out to be a teeny-weeny ghost town. Well, technically there are still people living there, but the population is only 75. It's more of a zombie town. Domenico Ghiradelli's (you know, the chocolate guy) first store is there (in ruins), and there are several old brick buildings and a couple abandoned houses to explore. Apparently in wild west times Hornitos was quite the happening place. Nowadays it's like visiting a big, outdoor library. There was plenty to see and learn, but it was so ridiculously quiet I was afraid to make any noise.
Ultimately we never made it to Coulterville. Technically we visited Bear Valley, but it's really an intersection so it wasn't a long visit. If it counts for anything, the dog peed on the side of the road.
During my travels to historic landmarks, I usually devise a master plan of plaques to hunt down, armed with a AAA map of California, printouts of landmarks by county and a far stack of Google Maps covered with pushpins. The goal is to make a loop from Fresno to points distant and back, minimizing driving time and maximizing plaque site visitation. In practice, this seldom happens.
Often historic sites aren't that interesting, or don't even have a site. I've visited several unremarkable parking lots where something remarkable happened 150 years ago. As a consequence of this, I wind up with extra time on my hands. Combine this with the obvious fact that there are plenty of far more interesting non-plaque-related places to visit and a road trip to visit six sites turns into a drive-by of two sites and the rest of the day spent in a museum or park.
Back in the summer I had planned on touring Tulare county, visiting sites in Ivanhoe, Lindsay, Porterville and Tulare before heading back home. I only made it to Ivanhoe, where I saw a tree and some cows. On the way to Lindsay I was distracted by charming Exeter, featuring a downtown full of murals. I still haven't toured the rest of Tulare county.
Last weekend the plan was to hit up Hornitos, Bear Valley and Coulterville. Actually, this was a plan several weeks before, but we never made it past Mariposa. The main street is a nice walk and the courthouse (built in 1854 and still in use) offers free tours and lets you sit in the judge's chair.
I had expected Hornitos to be a typical teeny-weeny town with nothing to see, but it turned out to be a teeny-weeny ghost town. Well, technically there are still people living there, but the population is only 75. It's more of a zombie town. Domenico Ghiradelli's (you know, the chocolate guy) first store is there (in ruins), and there are several old brick buildings and a couple abandoned houses to explore. Apparently in wild west times Hornitos was quite the happening place. Nowadays it's like visiting a big, outdoor library. There was plenty to see and learn, but it was so ridiculously quiet I was afraid to make any noise.
Ultimately we never made it to Coulterville. Technically we visited Bear Valley, but it's really an intersection so it wasn't a long visit. If it counts for anything, the dog peed on the side of the road.
