Ben Hur, California
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ben Hur | |
|---|---|
  Ben Hur Location in California  Ben Hur Ben Hur (the United States) | |
| Coordinates: 37°21′06″N 119°57′28″W / 37.35167°N 119.95778°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Mariposa County |
| Settled | 1859 |
| Elevation | 1,752 ft (534 m) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1658033[1] |
Ben Hur is an unincorporated community in Mariposa County, California, located 9 miles (14 km) south of Mariposa at an elevation of 1,752 feet (534 m).[1][2] The community originated as a cattle ranch established by Morgan W. Quick in 1859 and remained in the Quick family for six generations until 2019.[3] The name derives from the hero of Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur.[4] A post office operated at Ben Hur from 1890 to 1902 and again from 1904 to 1951.[2]
Quick Ranch
Morgan W. Quick arrived in Mariposa County in the fall of 1849 and staked a placer gold mining claim near the mouth of Oak Spring Creek, several miles above Mariposa.[5] The claim reportedly yielded approximately $10,000 annually for nine years.[5] In 1854 Quick married Deborah Stuart, and in 1859 he purchased 160 acres (65 ha) from Dr. L. Harris for $250, establishing the nucleus of the ranch that would bear the Quick name for over 150 years.[5]
Quick introduced several innovations to the region, including the first Morgan horses in Mariposa County, the first barbed wire fencing in the area, and a Pennsylvania-made hay press acquired in 1856.[5] The family registered a cattle brand in 1864, among the oldest in California.[5] In 1862, Chinese laborers constructed approximately five miles of stone walls on the property.[5]
Post office and community
A post office was established at Ben Hur on June 6, 1890, and discontinued on August 31, 1902.[6] It was reestablished on November 29, 1904.[6] In 1912, the post office moved to the Quick homestead, and Mrs. Guy Quick became postmistress, retaining the position until the office closed permanently on October 31, 1951.[6][5] The post office served as the midpoint on the Raymond–Mariposa stage road, where mail was carried by a two-horse buggy making the 52 miles (84 km) round trip daily.[5]
Morgan W. Quick died in 1903.[5] His son Morgan Quick Jr. continued ranch operations until his death in 1922.[5] Guy E. Quick joined the ranch in 1904 and oversaw a transition from Hereford and Durham cattle to polled Herefords in 1927.[5]
Later history
The Quick family operated the Ben Hur Ranch continuously for six generations.[3] In 2019, Dr. James Larrick and Dr. Jun Chen acquired the property, ending the Quick family's tenure.[5]
