My wise old grandmother introduced me to the joys of gardening, so anytime I see a plant nursery or anything related to plants, including pottery, I tend to stop and take a look.
When I found Pottery Canyon Natural Park in La Jolla, a little sign was zooming by me at about 50 miles per hour…………Wait. Maybe I was zooming by it………!
Therein is the problem. The poorly marked entrance to Pottery Canyon Natural Park is on a curve on one of La Jolla’s busiest roadways. If you don’t plan your method of attack appropriately…. an accident in the making. Not only that, but Pottery Canyon Natural Park is not on any map anywhere. Here’s where it is, though:
The little stub of a street on the right side of Torrey Pines Road is Pottery Park Driveway. Although there is a traffic signal there, I have never been through there on Torrey Pines Road where the signal was anything other than green with cars going up the hill at 50 mph or more. That presents a problem if you’re coming out of Pottery Park Driveway because the light is always red for the Driveway and traffic on the other side going south backs up from all the traffic signals at the messy Torrey Pines Road/La Jolla Parkway intersection. As you’re leaving the Park, I recommend turning right and going north to La Jolla Village Drive to get back to Interstate 5. Otherwise, plan on a long wait at the traffic signal in order to go south.
Pottery Park Driveway leads to a small parking lot big enough for four motorcycles or two Mini Coopers or one 2002 Toyota Camry V6, black.
With that said, what did I find at Pottery Canyon Natural Park? Well, it’s a eucalyptus grove with a hiking trail that is wide, mulched, and short, maybe a half mile, round trip. Easily hiked. Heck, even my husband, Jim, went hiking with me and he’s not the outdoorsy type like me.
That’s it.
There is history behind this little park, though. According to research, there is a sign about the history. I couldn’t find the sign, which is kind of odd since the park is so small. Nonetheless, according to the La Jolla Historical Society, here’s what the sign apparently says:
Cornelio Rodriguez, an accomplished potter, came to La Jolla in 1928 from Tomatlan in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. He was looking for a suitable site where he and his brothers, Abraham and Ubaldo, could start a pottery works. Here, at the bend of what was then called La Jolla Canyon Road and which was the main route to Los Angeles, he found potter’s gold, the perfect clay deposit, otherwise known as “barro.”
He purchased the property, and he and his brothers established the La Jolla Canyon Clay Products Company and built it and their houses here. Their families and their company flourished. They produced handmade roof tiles, unglazed floor tiles, and adobe brick for more than 20 years. Tiles used in the restoration of Mission San Diego de Alcala [picture ►], the construction of the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club and La Jolla’s Mary Star of the Sea church came from here, as did the roof tiles of numerous houses of the Mission Revival architectural period.
In the 1950s, the brothers were no longer able to use the large oil-fired kiln of earlier days. Many in the large family moved, but Abraham and Cornelio lived out their days here. Cornelio and his wife, Matiana, continued making pots and other clay products on a more limited scale. Using hand-dug clay shaped on a potter’s wheel and fired in a circular wood-burning kiln of ancient Roman design, they supplied the community with unique pottery and delighted generations of school children with deomnstrations of their skill.
All that remains of the original tile works is the old wood-burning kiln, which continued in use until the 1980s.
Sadly, I did not find the old wood-burning kiln either. The missing sign and kiln makes me wonder how long ago that was written by the La Jolla Historical Society.
Need a unique gift?
Marriage? Anniversary? Birthday? Special event?
Choose Photographic Art by Russel Ray Photos
This post approved by
Zoey the Cool (Book) Cat
What a(nother) cool post! I had completely forgotten about this place. I remember seeing a sign pointing to it from Torrey Pines Rd once, but I was descending with traffic on my bike and couldn’t safely stop to check it out. Then once I got to the bottom of the road, of course, I had already sworn off riding that stretch of TP Rd again. 😛 (Been using LJ Shores exclusively ever since O:) ).
LikeLiked by 1 person
If ever rode your bike on TPR, even once, you are much more courageous than I!……..LOL
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahaha, I’m afraid that was more ‘didn’t know better’ rather than courage, Russ! 😀 Now that I know better I don’t go that way anymore. 😉
LikeLike
Great little bit of history! Thanks. I never would have known this place existed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a find. (although the traffic is a risk – good exit plan.) Small hidden places are sometime less crowded. This one sounds like the trail is kept. Fascinating history. The right kind of clay is a real treasure – not many around can make those roof tiles properly anymore. Sorry you didn’t find the kiln – it may have walked off…or been carried by a historical society person to another spot for safety? This family’s work was very prominent in the community – would be a shame for people to forget. Go poke/email a reporter for tv or something and get them involved?…maybe they can get the sign back up, too.
Very cool. Very cool.
LikeLiked by 1 person
After I went here, I made a trip over to the La Jolla Historical Society to tell them about the missing sign. They knew, but as with most charitable organizations, there’s a long list of things to do and very little money with which to do them.
While I was at LJHS, I also picked up all their latest freebie brochures and bought one book, even though the book was expensive at $35.00.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It sounds like such a cool place to live. So much beauty and history. Oh, loved that tree pix – a natural ladder or a real tree hug
LikeLiked by 1 person
The tree definitely caught my attention since I have a degree in forest management.
LikeLike
That one should grab anyone’s attention. Funny how things will grow. (time lapse photography over it’s life span would have been cool to see?)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Time lapse…………ooooooooh, that would be kind of neat with that tree. It reminded me of the talking/walking trees in one of those Harry Potter movies, or maybe it was Lord of the Rings……
LikeLike
Oh, you are right about those trees in the movies….or maybe fiction isn’t fiction.
Cool find
LikeLike
Great photos! 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You find the neatest places!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A cool place to go in the early 70s before La Jolla got too snooty.
LikeLiked by 1 person
La Jolla, snooty? Surely you jest……….LOL
LikeLiked by 1 person
My list of places to visit in CA keeps growing thanks to your interesting posts and great pics. Tks! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, when you make it to San Diego, just let me know. I have been told that I’m a pretty good docent!
LikeLike
It’s amazing how much history is right under our feet. I hope we continue to contribute to the community like this family did with a skill that is hard to find especially in your back yard. Happy trails and discoveries.
LikeLiked by 1 person