Ben Hur is an unincorporated community in Mariposa County, California.[1] It is located 9 miles (14 km) south of Mariposa,[2] at an elevation of 1752 feet (534 m).[1]

Ben Hur
Ben Hur is located in California
Ben Hur
Ben Hur
Location in California
Ben Hur is located in the United States
Ben Hur
Ben Hur
Ben Hur (the United States)
Coordinates: 37°21′06″N 119°57′28″W / 37.35167°N 119.95778°W / 37.35167; -119.95778
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountyMariposa County
Elevation1,752 ft (534 m)

The community was established as a cattle ranch by Morgan Quick in 1859 and was originally called the Rancheria Place; the ranch would be owned and operated by the Quick family for six generations.[3]

A post office operated at Ben Hur from 1890 to 1902, and after moving from 1904 to 1951.[2] The name comes from the hero of the novel Ben-Hur.[4]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Ben Hur, California
  2. ^ a b Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, Calif.: Word Dancer Press. p. 745. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
  3. ^ Shields, Allan (May 2, 1980). "Ben Hur ranch is home for six generations of Quick family". Merced Sun-Star. Merced, CA. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  4. ^ Gallant, Frank K. (December 27, 2012). A Place Called Peculiar: Stories About Unusual American Place-Names. Dover Publications. p. 88. ISBN 978-0-486-31081-7.