Joe Hinojos

photographer, writer

Joe Hinojos is a photographer and writer with a tremendous body of work, including a portion of Sierra Madre's history.  Joe took many Sierra Madre photos in the late 40s and early 50s.  Joe's photos have been published nationwide, including a battlefield picture used during World War II for American Legion recruiting posters.  More than 40,000 of those posters were distributed nationwide.  Joe has photographed celebrities, regular folk, wars, and events, both national and local.  I was lucky enough to spend a few hours with Joe in October, 2002, and discuss some of Sierra Madre's history, as well as some of his experiences throughout his career.  Joe and I are working on a screensaver of his work, which will be available soon.  He will also be sending me a short biographical summary, which I will post here, and we will be adding to the library of photos that you see below.  We'll keep you posted on that.  The photo at left is of Bill Newberry, Joe in the middle, and Bud Switzer, Sierra Madre friends from the 40s.  The photo at right is of Joe with News Net publisher Bill Coburn, and was taken by Bud Switzer.  We hope you enjoy these photos below, taken by "One-Shot" Joe Hinojos.

Joe Hinojos moved to Sierra Madre in 1920, and attended Sierra Madre Elementary School, except for four months when he attended St. Rita's School where he and Bob Mitchell, later of the world famous Bob Mitchell Boys Choir, appeared in a Christmas extravaganza.  He lived at only two locations in Sierra Madre, including a boyhood home on Grove Street.  Joe is a photographer and writer, and served a stint in World War II, starting in the infantry and working up to an important spot in an Army camp newspaper.  One of his action shots was used nationwide as a recruiting poster by the American Legion, and Joe was the photographer that Gen. "Vinegar" Joe Stilwell (while Stilwell was in command of the 7th Division of Fort Ord) personally placed on the staff of the Fort Ord Panorama on the advice of a junior officer who was well aware of Joe's photographic abilities.   The General was highly pleased when he received the photos that Sgt. Hinojos had taken of the General's daughter Winifred's wedding that he had missed, for he was at this time somewhere on the Burma Road.  Hinojos received a letter in longhand of thanks from the General  which you can find below.  Joe came back to Sierra Madre after the war, and lived here until 1972 when he and the family moved to Leona Valley, CA.  He currently resides in Saugus.  Joe was the "unofficial" town photographer throughout the late 40s, 50s, 60s, and the early part of the 1970s.

Joe will be riding with his old friend Bob Mitchell in the Pioneer Days entry in the 4th of July parade, after which he will be stationed in Memorial Park by the Pioneer Days booth, where he will reminisce about Sierra Madre as far back as 1920.  You can read more about that here.

Joe appeared with old friend Bob Mitchell at the Kiwanis luncheon, click here for photos and video from that luncheon.  At the luncheon, Joe gave me some more photos, which I will be adding to this page shortly.

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