First settled in the early summer of 1849 by Sonoran miners, Agua Fria was one of the earliest settlements on Colonel John C. Frémont's Las Mariposas grant.
1850s view, from a
California Pictorial Lettersheet
In 1849, James Savage built his first trading post nearby. It became the county seat of Mariposa County after California became a United States of America territory.
The town of Agua Fri was located one-quarter mile north of Carson Creek, a tributary of Agua Fria Creek. In October 1851, a post office was established. The town served as the Mariposa county seat from Feb. 18, 1850 to Nov. 10, 1851.
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| California's original 27 counties |
Mariposa was of one of the original twenty-seven counties in California. It was also the largest of California’s first counties. In 1850, this county, which has since been broken up into several other counties, comprised one-sixth of the state.
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| Agua Fria |
At its peak, as hundreds of miners scoured the area in search of gold, the town boasted of a dozen stores plus all the usual “recreations” typically found in the early mining towns, including monte and faro banks, a billiard room, bowling alley, assay offices, express mail service, and a hotel. According to an eyewitness, miners were "camped in every direction for five miles from the common center...in tents and huts of every description."
Named for two springs of cold water located at a bend of the creek, the placer deposits of the area were rich. Like most placer camps in the region, they were soon depleted and miners drifted off to other camps. Gradually, Agua Fria's importance dwindled. In spite of a 6-stamp quartz mill having been installed in upper Agua Fria, by 1853, most miners had moved on.
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| Mariposa County map |
In 1852, the California State Legislature mandated that all county seats be determined by the registered voters of each county. As the result of a county-wide vote, the county seat was moved to the town of Mariposa, four miles to the northwest of Agua Fria. Not long after, the town slowly vanished.
Agua Fria 1874
Between the 1850s and 1860s, fires destroyed most of Agua Fria’s wooden buildings. The most devastating fire occurred on June 22, 1866. Originating in a building occupied by Chinese residents, that conflagration burned nearly all of Lower Agua Fria, destroying an estimated seventy-five structures. Businesses like Gossner & Co. Brewery and merchants Egenhoff and Ketkin suffered major losses. Only one house remained standing.
For the most part, the town was never rebuilt. It became a ghost town, although this 1874 photograph shows a few hardy buildings still standing.
Today, nothing remains of the town of Agua Fria.
The Historical Marker, installed by the Native Daughters of the Golden West, reads:
One fourth mile north of Carson Creek, tributary of Agua Fria, was located Agua Fria, first county seat of Mariposa County in 1850-1851 one of original 27 counties in California. Until 1852, while mining was main industry of region, Mariposa County comprised ⅙ of the state and included all of what is now Merced, Madera, Fresno, Tulare, Kings, and Kern Counties. Town of Mariposa became seat of government in 1852 & the courthouse was completed in 1854.
Since Yosemite National Park is partly in Mariposa County, the region plays a role in my three National Park Brides books.
AntheliaYosemite Bride and Ardith Yosemite Bride have been published and are available.
Emily Yosemite Bride is currently on pre-order. To find the book descriptions and purchase options, please click onto the hyperlinked titles.
Sources:
https://landmarkquest.com/omeka/items/show/939
https://prairierosepublications.blogspot.com/2017/04/mariposa-courthouse-by-zina-abbott.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agua_Fria,_California
https://westernmininghistory.com/towns/california/agua-fria/
https://www.exploratography.com/blog-49/agua-fria-california-hwy49
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=51554
