Hopeton, California

Hopeton
Hopeton
Location in California
Hopeton
Hopeton (the United States)
Coordinates: 37°29′30″N 120°31′52″W / 37.49167°N 120.53111°W / 37.49167; -120.53111
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountyMerced County
Elevation
184 ft (56 m)

Hopeton (formerly Forlorn Hope and, later, Hopetown) is an unincorporated community in Merced County, California. It is located 10.5 miles (17 km) north-northeast of Atwater, at an elevation of 184 feet (56 m).

Hopeton is located in the Merced River bottom west of Snelling. A church was present at the townsite as early as 1852, and by 1881 the town had a population of over 1000. The Hopeton School District survived until 1973.

The first name of the place was Forlorn Hope, after a battle term. The Forlorn post office operated from 1854 to 1859, and from 1860 to 1861. The Hopeton post office operated from 1866 to 1894 and from 1911 to 1914.