Agua Fria, California, Mariposa County was once a bustling mining town during the California Gold Rush. It now stands as a proof to the fleeting nature of boomtowns, captivating those who visit with its rich history and ghostly remains. Below is detailed information about the town.
County: Mariposa County
Zip Code: Not available
Latitude / Longitude: 37.5333° N, 120.0333° W
Elevation: Approximately 2,001 ft (610 m)
Time Zone: Pacific Time Zone (PT)
Established: 1849
Disestablished: Not formally disestablished, but declined after the 1860s
Comments: Agua Fria was founded during the California Gold Rush and quickly became a significant mining hub. By 1850, it was bustling with miners seeking fortune. The town served as the original county seat of Mariposa County before it was moved to Mariposa in 1854. Agua Fria’s significance dwindled as gold production decreased and miners moved on to more prosperous locations.
Agua Fria (formerly, Agua Frio, Agua Frie, and Aqua Fria) is an unincorporated community in Mariposa County, California Ghost Townlifornia. It is located 5.25 miles (8.4 km) northeast of Catheys Valley, at an elevation of 2001 ft (610 m). Agua Fria is the former county seat of Mariposa County located approximately three miles west of Mariposa, California Ghost Townlifornia.
Remains: The remains of Agua Fria are minimal, with only a few stone foundations and remnants of mining equipment visible. Nature has reclaimed much of the area, and visitors can find scattered artifacts from its mining past if they look closely.
Agua Fria was originally a California Gold Rush mining camp divided into Lower Agua Fria and Upper Agua Fria. Agua Fria means “cold water” in Spanish, and the name was derived from two springs of cold water about a quarter-mile below Lower Agua Fria (the main part of town). It may have been here that John C. Fremont’s men discovered gold in 1849 on his Rancho Las Mariposas.
In 1850, it was a booming trade center and the final destination for many new arrivals in California. From February 18, 1850, to November 10, 1851, it was Mariposa County’s first seat of justice. A post office was established on October 7, 1851.
Current Status: Agua Fria is considered a ghost town. It is located on private property, but the land is occasionally accessible to history enthusiasts and researchers with permission.
Remarks: The story of Agua Fria reflects the transient nature of early mining towns, where prosperity quickly came and went. Its brief prominence during the Gold Rush era remains a poignant reminder of the challenges and impermanence that characterized many such communities. Today, Agua Fria attracts those interested in California’s dynamic history and the legacy of its mining culture.
In 1853, a 6-stamp quartz mill was established in Upper Agua Fria. The camp boasted a hotel, express office, assayers, billiard room, bowling alley, monte and faro banks, about a dozen stores, numerous tents, and log cabins by the fall of 1850. The population started to decline by the mid-19th century, and the city suffered destructive fires and was never rebuilt. A post office operated at Agua Fria from 1851 to 1862.
