Mariposa got its name when early Spanish explorers noticed an abundance of beautiful butterflies in the area. Thus, they called the territory "Mariposa," the Spanish term for butterfly.

Originally the county of Mariposa comprised about one-fifth the state of California, stretching from the Tehachapi Mountains northward to Tuolumne County and from the Pacific coast range eastward to the Nevada state line. By 1893, the "Mother of Counties" was reduced to its present size after eleven other counties and parts of counties were subdivided from it.

The discovery of gold in 1848 resulted in one of the biggest gold rushes in the world, and the county reaped its share of the riches and excitement of the era. Today, those wild times have given way to a more serene scene with antique shops, quaint restaurants, historic hotels, bed and breakfast inns, and wineries dotting the landscape.

Home to Yosemite National Park’s Valley, Mariposa County has four of the five major highways to the park which pass through it. Nearly four million people visit Yosemite annually which makes tourism Mariposa’s primary industry. The county offers a rural and relaxed lifestyle for its 16,000-plus population. While marketing efforts are being made to develop a more diverse economy, the strategic plan calls for emphasis on retaining and enhancing this excellent quality of life for its residents and guests.