When John Muir and Teddy Roosevelt hung out in this town, they decided to skip on plannes events to check out Mariposa Grove, Sentinel Grove, and Glacier Point—a trip that inspired the creation of Yosemite National Park. Before being known as Coulterville, many Mexican miners referred to the area as “Banderita” (small flag) after George Coulter’s trading post where his Stars and Stripes flew above or the many red flags the Mexican miners hung, depending on your source. Back in it’s heyday—the Gold Rush Era—it was home to 5,000 people of nine different nationalities. The Sun Sun Wo grocery building that used to be the center of a Chinatown is a testament to that era. The recent census counts 210 people as residents of this State Historic Landmark. Downtown is super cute and worth the visit if you take the scenic route to Yosemite. I can attest it is *safe* to visit. 😁 Coulterville is located on Hwy 49, at the junction of Hwy 132. 📸 @nykijah . . . #smalltown #ghosttown #historicallandmark #westcoastbestcoast #mariposacounty #goldrush #49ers #offthebeatenpath #backroads #backroadsofamerica (at Coulterville, California)