Born in Connecticut, Alonzo E. Horton purchased land in this heavily forested area in 1848 and built a dam across Black Otter Creek to power a sawmill. Water collecting behind Horton's dam formed Black Otter Lake. Hortonville, named after its founder, quickly developed as wooden aqueducts extended from the lake to power the saw, flour and gristmills, and hotels, general stores, and taverns created the present Main Street. This small community was incorporated as the Village of Hortonville in 1894. In the early 1850s, Horton headed west, became a prospector and tradesman in the San Francisco, California area, and in 1867 took a steamer down the coast and bought land, using his promotional skills to found New San Diego, where he continued to be a colorful character into old age.