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Jatay 1923

BajaTed - 1-24-2023 at 09:01 AM

Right nearby present day Bajamar.

David K - 1-24-2023 at 12:52 PM

Thank you for sharing this. Jatay apears on the map in the 1956 edition of the Lower California Guidebook. In following editions, it is mentioned as a ranch.

Looking at other old maps ( www.vivabaja.com/maps ):

On the 1905 map, it is spelled Guatay.
On the 1918 map, it is spelled Jatay.
On a 1930 map, it is spelled Guatay.
On a 1949 map, it is speklled Jatay.

It appears as Rancho Jatay on the 1967 Auto Club map. This was the first Auto Club map to include Jatay, as the new toll highway had just opened, which passes by it. The older, free road is well inland from Jatay, so it was never shown before on their maps.

BajaTed - 1-24-2023 at 01:20 PM

The first photo shows the piled up Cactus heads that have been trimmed for the next process step in making Baja moonshine.
The wheel press, pipe and collection basin is shown in the next photo.

Who is Javier Cota Mendoza?

David K - 1-24-2023 at 02:30 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaTed

The first photo shows the piled up Cactus heads that have been trimmed for the next process step in making Baja moonshine.
The wheel press, pipe and collection basin is shown in the next photo.

Who is Javier Cota Mendoza?

The owner of the Facebook group that photo was lifted from: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2218311771753397 "California Sin Fronteras"

Here is the text that went with those photos, translated:

DISTILLERY IN JATAY BAJA CALIFORNIA
"Images of Our History"
Investigation: Javier Cota Mendoza

In the first photograph dated 1923. appears a Ranchito with a Mezcal Distillery in front, where you can see a well, and several Agave hearts to the left, in front over the rock wall of the Distillery, there are five large leather snouts, surely full of Mezcal in the process of fermentation.
In the background of the scene appear several people in various activities.

It must be remembered that at this time was the Dry Law established by the XVIII Amendment during the Prohibition era in the United States. and alcohol smuggling was in full swing.

The second image two years later dated 1925, the scenario is almost the same except for the distillery which had apparently already been abandoned and the well where the Agaves burned had already been covered and above appeared a huge wheel that was not reaches to define, there is a child with another small wheel in front and apparently there is a guide that connects the two wheels, perhaps it was some mechanism to do some work.

Jatay is located northwest of Ensenada to the East of Highway towards Tijuana.

[Edited on 1-24-2023 by David K]

BajaBlanca - 1-25-2023 at 01:19 AM

How interesting!

mtgoat666 - 1-25-2023 at 06:38 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

The second image two years later dated 1925,… and above appeared a huge wheel that was not reaches to define, there is a child with another small wheel in front and apparently there is a guide that connects the two wheels, perhaps it was some mechanism to do some work.

DK:
The vertical wheel in a circular pit is a mill. Typical primitive old-timey mill used to crush/press an agricultural product, in this case agave.

This type mill in a mine was called an arrastra.

[Edited on 1-25-2023 by mtgoat666]

David K - 1-25-2023 at 09:31 AM

Thanks Goat, but for total tranparency, the words you have selected in the partial quote are not mine... If you fully quoted my reply, this part would help readers know who typed those words:

Quote:

Here is the text that went with those photos, translated:

DISTILLERY IN JATAY BAJA CALIFORNIA
"Images of Our History"
Investigation: Javier Cota Mendoza

History is good! :light: