[sopas ej]

My partner and I did a road trip over this Labor Day weekend and ended up in Sonora, California---not to be confused with Sonoma, the California wine country town north of the Bay Area.

Sonora is the county seat of Tuolumne County, up in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Our first time here…A cute little town! It was founded by Mexican miners (hence the name Sonora) during the California Gold Rush and incorporated as a city on May 1, 1851, according to the city's website. It is the only incorporated municipality in all of Tuolumne County.







Beer and barbecue seem to be a big thing in the Sierras and in the Owens Valley too. Makes me wonder about the history of the settlers to this part of California, and if there are many descendants of the original Gold Rush settlers.






























A storefront courthouse, the superior court. In the background is the tower of the Tuolomne County Courthouse.




A steep street.


Sonora City Hall. It looks like it used to be a firehouse. Going by the style, my guess is it was built in the 1920s or 1930s.






















The Tuolumne County Courthouse.














A detox and tea lounge, because it's California after all.














Sun is setting…


Back to the car for a long drive home. The car is around the corner.