Terra Cotta, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Terra Cotta
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 Terra Cotta
Location in California
Terra Cotta
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Riverside |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
Terra Cotta was once a busy mining town in Riverside County. It was founded in 1887. The town was located in the Warm Springs Valley, which is northwest of Lake Elsinore. Later, Terra Cotta became part of the city of Lake Elsinore.
Contents
The Story of Terra Cotta
How Terra Cotta Started
In the late 1880s, a man named John D. Huff discovered coal and clay in the area. These were important natural resources. Because of these finds, a company called the Southern California Coal and Clay Company was created. Its goal was to mine these valuable materials.
The town of Terra Cotta was planned out and officially opened. It even got its own post office on October 26, 1887. However, the post office didn't stay open for long. In May 1893, it closed and moved to nearby Lake Elsinore.
Making Pipes and Products
A factory was built in Terra Cotta to make sewer and water pipes. They used the coal found nearby to heat and harden the ceramic pipes in large ovens called kilns. There were four kilns at the factory.
At first, the finished pipes had to be carried by wagons. They traveled six miles through Lake Elsinore to a train station called La Laguna. This station was located at the entrance of Railroad Canyon. But things got easier in 1896. A special train track was built through Lake Elsinore and Terra Cotta. This track reached new clay deposits in Alberhill. The coal mined in Terra Cotta was also used as fuel for a crushing mill at the Good Hope Mine. Some coal was even sent to other parts of California.
The Town's Decline
By 1901, Terra Cotta was almost empty. But in 1906, the town got a new chance. The California Fireproof Construction Company built another factory there. This new plant also made ceramic pipes.
However, this revival didn't last forever. The plant closed in 1912. By 1925, the factory was completely shut down. Most of the buildings in the town were also closed. The clay mine in Terra Cotta continued to operate. The Pacific Clay Products Company ran it until 1940. After that, they moved all their operations to Alberhill.
What Remains Today
Today, not much is left of Terra Cotta. You can still see the old dirt streets that were once part of the town. These streets are laid out in a grid pattern among the sagebrush. You can reach this historic spot from Lakeshore Drive by taking Terra Cotta Road. You can also get there from the I-15 freeway by taking Nichols Road.
