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Indian Gulch Extension and the Indian Gulch ghost town site

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Indian Gulch Extension is an approximately 6-mile-long rural highway corridor in the Sierra Nevada foothills of western Mariposa County.  Indian Gulch Extension begins at Indian Gulch Road near the namesake ghost town of Indian Gulch.  From the ghost town site Indian Gulch Extension extends southwesterly to the Merced County line where it becomes Waltz Road.  

The former Gold Rush era community of Indian Gulch which was settled near Santa Cruz Mountain in 1849 and had standing structures until the early 1970s.  What is now Indian Gulch Extension was approved for construction by the Mariposa County Commissioners in 1862.  The purpose of the corridor was to provide Indian Gulch with a direct connection westward with the greater Stockton-Los Angeles Road.  The Stockton-Los Angeles Road would go onto define much of the Mariposa County and Merced County line. 




Part 1; the history of Indian Gulch and Indian Gulch Extension

Indian Gulch Road is named after the former Gold Rush community of Indian Gulch.  The town site of Indian Gulch was located along the hills north of Bear Creek a couple miles east of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road.  Said community was founded in 1849 near Santa Cruz Mountain and was initially named after said peak. The community was renamed to Indian Gulch in 1855 when it received Post Office Service.
Indian Gulch is thought to have had a population of several hundred during the height of the Gold Rush era. The Post Office maintained service in the community until 1912. Holy Cross Catholic Church in Indian Gulch was moved to Mariposa in 1973 and later burned in the 1980s. Not much remains of the Indian Gulch today aside from Santa Cruz Cemetery.

The Holy Cross Catholic Church can be seen as it was before being moved to Mariposa during the early 1970s (Mariposa Pictures & History Page).




Holy Cross Catholic Church can be seen in an earlier photo behind the gate of Santa Cruz Cemetery (Mariposa Pictures & History Page).


The below photo is from the Solari Store along what is now Indian Gulch Extension during an unknown year (California History Facebook group photo).


This photo is of the Julian Ladon home as it was in 1973 (California History Facebook group photo). Ladon was a cattle rustler and was ultimately hanged by cattlemen.


The Ladon home along with what is now Indian Gulch Extension can be seen below in an earlier photo (Mariposa Pictures & History Page).


Indian Gulch can be seen south of Hornitos on the 1882 Bancroft's map of California.  The community is shown east of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road (shown as Forty Mile Road).


What is now Indian Gulch Extension first appears in Mariposa County records on February 3, 1862.  A petition was made to connect Indian Gulch with a westward road the larger Stockton-Los Angeles Road corridor (referred to as stage road).  The Mariposa County commissioners would ultimately approve construction of road west of Indian Gulch.  The Stockton-Los Angeles Road was the primary north/south highway through the Sierra Nevada foothills from 1853 until the 1870s.  The Stockton-Los Angeles Road would decline when the Southern Pacific Railroad constructed a major line in San Joaquin Valley.  



Indian Gulch can be seen south of Hornitos on the 1882 Bancroft's map of California.  The community is shown east of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road (shown as Forty Mile Road).  The Stockton-Los Angeles Road was the primary north/south highway through the Sierra Nevada foothills from 1853 until the 1870s.  The Stockton-Los Angeles Road would decline when the Southern Pacific Railroad constructed a major line in San Joaquin Valley.  When Merced County was created in April 1855 much of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road was used to demark the boundary with Mariposa County. 


The first documented record of what is now Indian Gulch Road south of Indian Gulch community appears in Mariposa County records as a public highway on May 3, 1887 (courtesy the Mariposa Pictures & History Facebook page).  The record references to petition to change the alignment towards Catheys Valley which insinuates it to be an older road corridor.  It is likely the road originated before 1856 when Mariposa County didn't keep as detailed of records. 

Indian Gulch Extension is displayed west of Indian Gulch Road to the Merced County line in Township 6 South, Range 16 East on the 1935 California Division of Highways map of Mariposa County.  The community of Indian Gulch is shown to be no longer present.


Part 2; a drive on Indian Gulch Extension

Westbound Indian Gulch Extension begins at Indian Gulch Road.  

The asphalt surface on Indian Gulch Extension is short lived and gives way to dirt.  Traffic is advised the dirt surface is not maintained by Mariposa County between November and May.  

Indian Gulch Extension passes through the Indian Gulch town site and by Santa Cruz Cemetery.  A historical plaque and the site of Holy Cross Catholic Church can be found within the cemetery grounds.  Traffic can continue westward to Waltz Road at the Merced County line but must pass through and close several cattle gates.  Waltz Road emerges at Bear Creek Road a short distance from Cunninghame Road.  

















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