This photo of a Mexican-style plaza appears on page 220 of Florin's book. It was built in 1851. The left end was a saloon. The right end, which was not identified in Florin's book, was a saddle shop according to a fellow (Henning Olesen of Denmark, who worked in central California in the late 1950s) who saw this website and contacted me.

Here is another photo of these structures taken in the late 1950s by Henning Olesen of Denmark

This photo of a street in Hornitos just catches, along the left side, the plaza building shown in the photo above. Photo taken April 11, 1993.

This photo of several Hornitos buildings, including the General Merchandise store, appears on page 60 of Carter's book (1971).

This photo of the General Merchandise store was sent in by Henning Olesen of Denmark. He worked in this area of California in the late 1950s, which is when this photo was taken.

On August 16, 2009, I received an email from someone with more to add about Hornitos:

I just happened onto your webpage by accident as I was searching for history of California saddle makers. "Saddle maker" was mentioned on your Hornitos page as having been possibly at the far end of the Mexican style plaza, so your webpage came up in my search.

Because I live in Mariposa County, the Hornitos page caught my eye, but I wondered why there was no mention or picture of what once was the Ghirardelli Store. I have always found that to be an amazing fact that Ghirardelli had a building in of all places, "Hornitos". So I then searched for Ghirardelli in connection with Hornitos. I do not think there is anyone today who is not familiar with either Ghirardelli chocolates or Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco, California and might find it interesting that maybe there was more to Hornitos than meets the eye.

Below are links I hope you enjoy as much as I did . You started me down a rabbit trail with Western Ghost Towns, specifically Hornitos. You read one thing and questions pop up and then research the next and then the next.

After reading your Hornitos page, I started looking for the Ghirardelli connection in Hornitos found Domenico Ghirardelli, his life and how he started, failed, moved on and started again after difficulties with his business and still he prevailed. I am sure he had not idea at how big the name Ghirardelli would become because of his efforts. Pretty interesting.

This link is about D. Ghirardelli http://www.ghirardelli.com/about/history.aspx

More Hornitos Facts

Hornitos ~ [Spanish: Little Ovens] It was thus named for the oven-shaped

Mexican graves found there. This town was formed by Mexican outcasts from Quartzburg, which is all but gone and forgotten now, while Hornitos is one of the best preserved ghost towns in Gold Country. Joaquin Murieta supposedly stayed here. The remains of the 1855 Ghirardelli building are here, once owned by the Ghirardelli's of chocolate fame in San Francisco.

http://comspark.com/chronicles/mariposa.shtml

Being a resident of Mariposa County for many years I have heard the stories of Juaquin Murrieta, rumors, even my husbands father an old timer who has now passed on, says that Juaquin Murrieta and gang stayed in their old barn (possibly when husbands grandfather was alive). It made for an interesting family story, but I never looked further.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joaquin_Murrieta

I was amazed with the extent of outlaw his reputation to find that he was only 24 years old when he was supposedly killed by the newly formed California State Rangers. Gruesome as it sounds, the jar was displayed in Mariposa County, Stockton, and San Francisco, and later traveled throughout California; spectators could pay $1 see the remains ( however numerous sightings of Murrieta were reported after his death supposedly took place). The preserved head was destroyed in the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake.

So by searching the web for a saddle maker, I stumbled across your site which mentioned Hornitos. And went from Hornitos to Ghiradelli and from Ghiradelli to the short but infamous life of Juaquin Muerietta.

That is quite a stretch.

But as an end, (info you probably already know) below I have listed two modern day annual events that take place in Hornitos.

The Enchilada Dinner draws people from all over the county and you can count on standing in line as there will be a crowd, rain or shine.

The second is the annual Hornitos Flea Market.

After the two events, Hornitos is given back to the ghost's and the few residents who still call it home.

But to most, modern day Hornitos is forgotten until the next year.

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PRESENT DAY HORNITOS

Looks like the "Wild West" has been tamed

Hornitos Patrons Club Annual Enchilada

Dinner

. Golden Stag Hall, Hornitos, CA.

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Events Calendar

Event

Title: 23rd annual Hornitos Flea Market
When: 10/04/2009 7:00 h - 4:00 h
Where: Hornitos Park - Hornitos
Category: Consumer Shows

Description

Treasures, fleas galore, and a whole lot more.

Explore historic Hornitos and discover some items you thought you'd never find.

Venue

Venue: Hornitos Park
City: Hornitos
State: CA