Adding to the historical importance of this region are a handful of famous individuals and legends connected to New Idria:
John Wayne and Bob Hope—These two Hollywood stars were financial investors in the Archer Mine, which was a nearby quicksilver mine located in the same geological formation as the New Idria mine.
Former President Herbert Hoover, who had a degree in mining engineering from Stanford University, inspected the New Idria Mine in June 1936 for his brother. Based on that inspection, Theodore Hoover, California State Senator Sanborn Young, and Henry Gould became owners in the mine.
Joaquín Murrieta, California's most famous bandito in 1850 kept his hideout / headquarters nearby on Arroyo Cantua. Joaquín was hunted down by the California Rangers and was reportedly killed by Captain Love in July 1853. Joaquín never had his day in court and many people do not believe he was the criminal he was accused of being. Many historians suggest that someone else was killed in his stead. Regardless, Joaquín has become folk hero to many Californians and a memorial celebration is held each July at the Cantua.
Mariana la Loca claimed she was the widow of Joaquín Murrieta and later created an end-of-the-world religious commune of about 500 people at the nearby Joaquín Rocks. Her great-grandson lives nearby in Hernandez Valley.
Tiburcio Vásquez was another famous outlaws who terrorized California in the 1870s and 1880s. Tiburcio used the Idria and Cantua area as a hideout. His parents were from two pioneering Spanish families. His mother, Maria Guadalupe Cantua was the daughter of Guadalupe Cantua. Tiburcio's father, Jose Hermenegildo Vásquez, was a grandson of Juan Atanasio Vásquez. Juan Atanasio Vásquez was among the Anza pioneers and his descendants settled in the Monterey and Idria area. Another grandson, Larenzo Vásquez lived at Sweet Water Spring at the head of the Larenzo Vásquez Canyon. Larenzo was the uncle of Tiburcio Vásquez, but some think they may have been brothers.