San Carlos, Inyo County, California facts for kids
San Carlos was a small town that used to exist in Inyo County, California. It was started in 1863. You could find it on the east side of the Owens River, about 4 miles (6.4 km) east of a town called Independence. It was also very close to where another town, Kearsarge, California, would later be built.
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What Was San Carlos?
San Carlos was a settlement, which means it was a place where people came to live and build homes. It was founded in 1863, a time when many new towns were popping up in California. The town was located in a beautiful area near the Owens River, which was important for water and resources.
Life in San Carlos: Challenges and Conflicts
As more settlers and their cattle moved into the area around San Carlos, they began to use land and resources that Indigenous peoples already lived on and relied upon. This created a lot of tension. The Indigenous people took actions to protect their land and resources from this new pressure.
A Race to Be the County Seat
San Carlos also had a friendly competition with a nearby town called Bend City. Both towns wanted to become the "county seat" for Coso County. A county seat is like the main office town for a county, where important government buildings and offices are located. It's a big deal because it brings more people and business to the town.
What's Left of San Carlos Today?
Even though San Carlos is no longer a busy town, you can still find clues about its past. Some of the old stone buildings are now just ruins, showing where people once lived and worked. You can also find old tools that were used for smelting, which is a process of melting metal to get pure ore. These remains help us imagine what life was like in San Carlos long ago.
