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Historic Mariposa
Thursday, January 24th, 2008Travelers to Mariposa during the California gold rush would have heard the town long before they saw it. The constant thrumming of, “Pock-et-ah, pock-et-ah, pock-et-ah, pock-et-ah,” could be heard from the town’s many stamp mills miles before entering Mariposa. It was the sound of the stamp mills, their steel pistons being lifted and dropped over and over to crush gold ore. Today, Mariposa is a much quieter place.
The stamp mills have long since stopped operating though, on occasion, docents at the Mariposa History Museum will fire up a stamp mill to the delight of visitors. Mariposa’s gold rush history is found among the museum’s many entertaining displays and dioramas and inside the California State Mining and Mineral Museum at the County Fairgrounds on SR 49, south of town.
Mariposa has the look and feel of a gold mining town. Its historic downtown has changed little over the years. Covered western sidewalks still shade its main street (SR 49/140). Mariposa’s historic shops, restaurants and saloons lack the touristy character of other destinations because they continue to serve locals, as well as visitors. The county courthouse, erected in 1854, has been trying those accused of crimes ever since the Gold Rush, and holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously used courthouse west of the Rockies.