glen, there were a number of these springs, or water holes, where the
women were in the habit of doing the town washing, kneeling upon the
ground and washing the clothing directly in the springs. This place was
called _Los Aguajitos_ (the water holes), by the Spanish residents,
and “washerwoman’s canyon” by the Americans. In the pastoral days of
California, entire families climbed into their ox-carts, made with solid
wooden wheels, and, provided with a liberal lunch basket, made a picnic
of “blue Monday” under the green trees of _Los Aguajitos_ canyon. See
page 339.
_Agua Mansa_ (still water, smooth-running current). One writer, for what
reason does not appear, defines this as “house water.” This place is in
Southern California, near Colton.
_Agua Puerca_ (dirty or muddy water).
_Agua Puerca y las Trancas_ (muddy water and the bars, or stiles). This
was the peculiar title of a land grant, based, no doubt, upon some
trivial circumstance now forgotten. One writer has translated it as
“water fit for pigs and Frenchmen,” a gratuitous insult to the French
people of which the Spaniards were not guilty. This writer evidently
mistook the word _puerca_ (muddy or dirty) for _puerca_ (sow), and by
some strange twist of the imagination, seems to have taken _trancas_ to
mean Frenchmen!
_Agua Tibia_ (tepid or warm water, warm spring). See page 36.
_Agua de Vida_ (water of life).
_Aguilar_ (the place of eagles).
_Las Águilas_ (the eagles). _Real de las Águilas_ means the “camp of the
eagles.”
_Ahwanee_ (an Indian place name), popularly but not authentically
translated as “a deep or grassy valley,” is the name of a place in Madera
County.
“_A-wa-ni_ was the name of a large village standing directly at the foot
of Yosemite Fall.”—(Powers’ _Tribes of California_.)
_Alameda_ (an avenue shaded by trees, or a cottonwood grove). This word
is derived from _álamo_, a poplar tree known in the West as cottonwood.
See pages 208 and 339.
_Los Alamitos_ (the little cottonwoods). See page 76.
_Álamo_ (cottonwood). See page 227.
_Los Álamos_ (the cottonwoods). See page 105.
_Los Álamos y Agua Caliente_ (the cottonwoods and hot spring), the title
of a land grant.
_Alcalde_ (mayor, justice of the peace). This place is in the southern
part of Fresno County.
_Alcatraz_ (pelican), see page 203.
_Alessandro_ (Alexander). This place is in Riverside County.
_Alhambra_, near Los Ángeles, was named for the famous Alhambra of
Spain. The Alhambra was an ancient palace and fortress of the Moorish
monarchs of Granada in Southern Spain, probably built between 1248 and
1354. The word signifies in Arabic “the red,” and was perhaps given to
this building in allusion to the color of the bricks of which the outer
walls are constructed. “The marvelous beauty of the architecture of this
structure has been greatly injured by alterations, earthquakes, etc., yet
it still remains the most perfect example of Moorish art in its final
European development.”
_El Alisal_ (alder grove).
_Aliso_ (alder), see page 76.
_Los Alisos_ (the alders).
_Almadén_ (mine, mineral). See page 178.
_Alta_ (high). See page 329.
_Alto_ (high), is near San Francisco.
_Los Altos_ (the heights), is about fifteen miles from Los Gatos.
_Altúras_ (heights). See page 259.
_Alvarado_ (a surname). See page 227.
_Alviso_ (a surname). See page 178.
_Amador_ (a surname). See page 310.
_Amargosa_ (bitter). See page 328.
_American River._ See page 299.
_Anacapa Island._ This name is Indian, but the popular story that it
means “vanishing island, disappearing island,” is probably not authentic.
“_Anacapa_ is a corruption of Vancouver’s Indian name of the island,
_Enneeapah_; the engraver spelled it _Enecapah_ on the chart, and
subsequent compilers have endeavored to give it a Spanish form.”—(Geo.
Davidson in _United States Coast and Geodetic Survey_.)
_Andrade_ (a surname). This place is near Calexico.
_Los Ángeles_ (the angels). See pages 51 and 339.
_Angel Island._ See page 204.
_Las Ánimas_ (the souls). See page 65.
_Año Nuevo_ (new year). See page 157.
_Aptos_ is said to be an Indian name, meaning “the meeting of two
streams,” in reference to Valencia and Aptos Creeks. As this was a method
of naming very much in vogue among the Indians, it is likely that this is
the true explanation of Aptos.
_Arena_ (sand). See page 259.
_Las Arenas_ (the sands).
_Punta de Arenas_ (sandy point), a cape on the coast of Mendocino County.
_Argüello_ (a surname). See page 106.
_Armada_ (fleet, squadron). The Armada was the name of the great fleet
sent against England by Philip II in 1588. Whether the name of this town,
situated in Riverside County, has this origin has not been ascertained.
_Las Aromitas y Agua Caliente_ (the little perfumes and hot spring),
title of a land grant.
_Aromas_ (the odors, perfumes), is in San Benito County.
_Arroyo_ (a creek or small stream). The designation _arroyo_ is
sometimes applied to the dry bed of a former stream. It does not, as is
sometimes thought, refer only to a bed with steep sides, but is applied
as well to shallow streams flowing through level country.
_Arroyo de la Alameda_ (creek of the cottonwood grove).
_Arroyo Buenos Aires_ (creek of the good airs). See page 282.
_Arroyo del Burro_ (jackass creek).
_Arroyo Chico_ (little creek). See page 283.
_Arroyo de los Dolores_ (creek of the sorrows). Dolores Creek in San
Francisco was so-named “because this was the Friday of Sorrows.”
_Arroyo de los Gatos_ (creek of the cats—wild-cats).
_Arroyo Grande_ (big creek). See page 127.
_Arroyo Hondo_ (deep creek). See page 179.
_Arroyo de la Laguna_ (creek of the lagoon).
_Arroyo Medio_ (middle creek).
_Arroyo de las Nueces y Bolbones_ (creek of the walnuts and Bolbones).
The meaning of Bolbones has not been ascertained, but it may have been
the name of an Indian tribe.
_Arroyo del Norte_ (creek of the north).
_Arroyo Real de las Águilas_ (creek of the camp of the eagles).
_Arroyo del Rodéo_ (creek of the cattle round-up).
_Arroyo Seco_ (dry creek). See page 157.
_Asfalto_ (asphalt), incorrectly spelled _asphalto_, is in southwestern
Kern County.
_Asunción_ (ascension). See pages 97 and 339.
_Atascadero_ (bog-mire). See page 127. The Atascadero is one of the
largest ranches in the state, comprising 22000 acres.
_Avena_ (oats), is in Inyo County.
_Avenal_ (a field sown with oats). See page 127.
_Avenales_ (wild oats).
_Avila_ (a surname), eight miles from San Luís Obispo, was probably named
for a pioneer family of Los Ángeles.
_Azusa._ See page 77. This is the name of a place in Los Ángeles County.
_El Bailarín_ (the dancer). See page 99.
_Ballena_ (whale). See page 39.
_Bandini_ (a surname). See page 77.
_Los Baños_ (the baths), is in Merced County, thirty-five miles southwest
of Merced. This place was so-called from the creek, which has large,
deep pools of clear water that were used by the early inhabitants as a
bathing place.
_Barranca_ (ravine).
_La Barranca Colorada_ (the red ravine).
_Barril_ (barrel).
_Barro_ (clay).
_Batata_ (sweet potato), is in Merced County, and is so-called because it
lies in the best sweet potato growing district in California.
_Baulines_, see page 228.
_Bella Vista_ (beautiful view).
_Bellota_ (acorn), is in San Joaquín County.
_Benicia_ (a surname). See page 223.
_Berenda_, probably a misspelling of _berrenda_ (female antelope), is in
Madera County.
_Berrendo_ (antelope). See page 40.
_Berrendos_ (antelopes). See page 40.
_Berros_ (water-cresses), is in San Luís Obispo County.
_Berryessa_ (a surname).
_Blanco_ (white). See page 157. In early days an American named Thomas
White lived near the present town of Blanco. His name was translated into
the Spanish form for white, _blanco_, by the native residents, and the
place became known by that name.
_Boca_ (mouth), in this case refers to the mouth of the Truckee River, in
Nevada County.
_La Boca de la Cañada del Pinole_ (the mouth of the valley of the cereal
meal). This was a land grant, which received its peculiar name from the
fact of the Spaniards having been compelled to live on pinole while they
awaited the return of a party with supplies from Monterey. See _Pinole_,
page 231.
_Boca de la Playa_ (mouth of the beach).
_Boca de Santa Mónica_ (mouth of Santa Mónica).
_Bodega_ (a surname). See page 259.
_Bolinas_, probably a corruption of _Baulines_, an Indian word. See page
228.
_Bolsa_ (pocket), often used to mean a “shut-in place.” See page 78.
_La Bolsa_ (the pocket), is near Newport Beach.
_Las Bolsas_ (the pockets).
_Bolsa de Chamisal_ (pocket of the wild cane, or reeds). The chamisal,
sometimes incorrectly spelled chemisal, is defined in the dictionaries
as wild cane, or reed, but in California, at least, it is applied to a
“shrub attaining a height of six or eight feet. Its thickets are almost
impassable except by bears or similar animals, as the branches are low
and very stiff and tough. In some places men are only able to penetrate
it by crawling.”—(Mr. Charles B. Turrill.)
_Bolsa Chica_ (little pocket).
_Bolsa de las Escorpinas_ (pocket of the perch.)
_Bolsa Nueva y Moro Cojo_ (new pocket and lame Moor). The word _Moro_ was
often used to mean anything black, as, for instance, a lame black horse,
for which the Moro Cojo Rancho, near Monterey, is said to have been named.
_Bolsa del Pájaro_ (pocket of the bird).
_Bolsa del Potrero_, _y_ _Moro Cojo ó la Sagrada Familia_ (pocket of the
pasture, and the lame Moor or the Holy Family). This is the combined name
of several land grants.
_Bolsa de San Felipe_ (pocket of St. Philip).
_Bonito_ (pretty). See page 228.
_La Brea_ (the asphalt). See page 54.
_El Buchón_ (the big craw). See page 127.
_Buena Vista_ (good view).
_Bueyes_ (oxen).
_Los Burros_ (the donkeys, or jackasses), is in San Luís Obispo County.
_Cabeza_ (head).
_Dos Cabezas_ (two heads).
_Cabeza de Santa Rosa_ (head of St. Rose).
_Cabezón_ (big head). See page 78.
_Cabrillo_ (a surname), the name of a cape on the coast of Mendocino
County. See page 259.
_Cádiz_, between Needles and Barstow, was probably named for the
well-known Spanish city of the same name. “In naming the stations on
the Southern Pacific Railroad from Mojave to Needles going east, an
alphabetical order was used, Barstow, Cádiz, Daggett, etc., until Needles
was reached.”—(Mr. Charles B. Turrill.)
_Cahto_, Mendocino County, Indian, probable meaning “lake.”
_Cahuenga_, near Los Ángeles, is an Indian name, that of a former village.
_Cahuilla_, is said to be a corruption of the Indian word Ka-wia. See
page 78.
_El Cajón_ (the box, or canyon). The name of _El Cajón_ was first given
to a valley lying about fifteen miles east of San Diego. The valley
comprises about 16,000 acres of level land entirely surrounded by hills
several hundred feet high, thus presenting a box-like appearance that
gave rise to its name. See pages 41 and 339.
_Cajón Pass_ is in San Bernardino County.
_Calabazas_ (pumpkins), see page 79.
_Calaveras_ (skulls). See page 311.
_Calexico_, on the border of Lower California, is a hybrid word made up
of the first part of California and the last of Mexico. Its counterpart
on the Mexican side is _Mexicali_, in which the process is reversed.
_Caliente_ (hot). See page 282.
_Caliente Creek._ See page 41. This creek was so-named because its water
is warm.
_California_, see page 13.
_Calistoga_, see page 259.
_Calneva_ and _Calvada_ are two more hybrids, made up of syllables from
California and Nevada.
_Calor_, near the Oregon line, is likely to cause confusion by its
resemblance to the Spanish word _calor_, (heat); this Calor is one of
those composite words to which Californians are so regrettably addicted,
and is made up of the first syllables of California and Oregon.
_Calpella_ was named for the chief of a village situated just south of
the present town, near Pomo, in Mendocino County. The chief’s name was
Kalpela.
_Calzona_ is another trap for the unwary, through its resemblance to the
Spanish word _calzones_ (breeches); it is one more of those border towns
bearing names made up of the syllables of two state names, in this case,
California and Arizona.
_Camanche_, a post town in Calaveras County, was so-named in honor of the
great Camanche, or Comanche tribe, whose remarkable qualities are thus
described by Father Morfi in his _Memorias de Texas_, a document written
about the year 1778: “The Comanche nation is composed of five thousand
fighting men, divided into five tribes, each with a different name. They
are very superior to all the others in number of people, extent of the
territory that they occupy, modesty of their dress, hospitality to all
who visit them, humanity towards all captives except Apaches, and their
bravery, which is remarkable even in the women. They live by hunting
and war, and this wandering disposition is the worst obstacle to their
reduction, for it induces them to steal. Nevertheless, they are very
generous with what they have, and so proud that one alone is capable of
facing a whole camp of enemies if he cannot escape without witnesses to
his flight.” Both spellings are used in the original records.
_Camaritas_ (small cabins or rooms). The application of this name has not
been ascertained. It may refer to Indian huts seen by the Spaniards, or
may have a totally different meaning.
_Camino Real_ (royal road, or the King’s highway). See page 339.
_Campo_ (a level field, a camp, the country). See page 41.
_El Campo_ (the field or camp), places in Marin and San Diego Counties.
_Campo de los Franceses_ (field or camp of the Frenchmen).
_Campo seco_ (dry field or camp), in Calaveras County.
_Camulos_, or _Kamulas_. See page 105.
_Cañada_ (valley or dale between mountains). See page 339.
_Cañada de los Alisos_ (valley of the alders).
_Cañada del Bautismo_ (valley of the baptism). See page 41.
_Cañada de los Capitancillos_ (valley of the little captains).
_Cañada de la Carpintería_ (valley of the carpenter-shop). See page 100.
_Cañada de los Coches_ (valley of the pigs). _Coche_, used in the sense
of “pig”, is a Mexicanism, said to have originated in the state of Sonora.
_Cañada del Corte de Madera_ (valley of the wood-cutting place).
_Cañada del Hambre y las Bolsas_ (valley of hunger and the pockets), a
name said to have been given to this canyon because some Spanish soldiers
nearly perished of starvation there. A _bolsa_ is a pocket, or shut-in
place.
_Cañada Larga_ (long valley).
_Cañada de los Muertos_ (valley of the dead).
_Cañada de los Nogales_ (valley of the walnut-trees).
_Cañada de los Noques_ (valley of the tan-pits).
_Cañada del Osito_ (valley of the little bear). See page 127.
_Cañada de los Osos y Pecho y Islay_, valley of the bears and breast
(perhaps referring to Pecho Mountain in San Luís Obispo County), and
wild cherry. _Islay_ is said to be a California Indian word meaning wild
cherry. Islais Creek, San Francisco, may take its name from the wild
cherry.
_Cañada de los Pinos_ (valley of the pines).
_Cañada de Raymundo_ (valley of Raymond).
_Cañada del Rincón en el Río San Lorenzo de Santa Cruz_ (valley of the
corner section on the river San Lorenzo of Santa Cruz).
_Cañada de Sal si Puedes_ (valley of “get out if you can”). See page 109.
_Cañada de San Felipe y las Ánimas_ (valley of St. Philip and the souls).
_Cañada Segunda_ (second valley).
_Cañada de los Vaqueros_ (valley of the cow-boys).
_Cañada Verde, y Arroyo de la Purísima Concepción_ (green valley and
creek of the immaculate conception).
_Capay_, in Yolo County, is Indian, but its meaning has not been
ascertained.
_Capistrano_, see page 35.
_El Capitán_ (the captain), the name of a precipice in the Yosemite
Valley.
_Capitán_ (captain), the name of a flag station in Santa Bárbara County.
It was named for a ranch owned by Captain Ortega, which was called
_Capitán_, in reference to his title.
_Capitán Grande_ (big captain). The origin of this name has not been
ascertained.
_La Carbonera_ (the charcoal pit).
_Carnadero_, a corrupt word used to mean “butchering-place.”
_Carne Humana_ (human flesh). See page 246.
_Carneros_ (sheep). _Carnero_ is especially applied to sheep used for
mutton, rather than wool.
_Carpintería_ (carpenter-shop). See pages 100 and 339.
_Carquínez._ See pages 228 and 339.
_Carriso_ (large water bunch grass or reed-grass). See page 42.
_Casa Blanca_ (white house). See page 79.
_Casa Grande_ (big house). This place was so-called by the Spanish
explorers on account of an unusually large Indian house they saw here.
They speak of finding a “large village of many houses, and among them one
extremely large.” This place is not to be confused with the famous _Casa
Grande_ in Arizona.
_El Casco_ (the skull, or outside shell of anything). See page 79. As
_casco_ also has the meaning of potsherd, or fragment of a broken vessel,
a theory has been deduced that it was so-called because of a resemblance
between the hollow in the hills where the place is located and a
potsherd. This is one of those extremely far-fetched theories which are
not likely to have any basis in fact.
_Castac_, an Indian word. The Castake was one of several tribes
occupying the country from Buena Vista and Kern Lakes to the Sierra
Nevada and Coast Range. Castake Lake in the Tejón Pass region derives
its name from this tribe. According to Professor A. L. Kroeber, _castac_
means “my eyes.”
_Castroville_, a composite word made up of Castro, a surname, and the
French _ville_ (town). The Castro family was perhaps the most numerous in
California. Its most prominent member was General José Castro, of whom
Bancroft says: “The charges against him of mal-treatment of settlers were
unfounded. His conduct was more honorable, dignified, and consistent than
that of Fremont, and he treated immigrants with uniform kindness. He was
not a very able man, but energetic, popular, true to his friends, and in
public office fairly honest. An injustice has been done him in painting
him as a cowardly, incompetent braggart. He was at one time Commandante
General of California.” The town of Castroville, named for this prominent
family, is near Monterey.
_Catalina_, see page 62.
_Cayeguas_ was named for a former Indian village near San Buenaventura.
This village was among those mentioned in the mission archives.
The meaning of the word _Cayeguas_ is “my head.”—(A. L. Kroeber.)
_Cayucos._ See page 127.
_Cazadero_ (hunting-place). See page 260.
_Centinela_ (sentinel).
_El Centro_ (the center), three miles from Imperial and so-named because
it is practically the center of the valley. This name is recent.
_Cerro_ (hill), near Sacramento.
_Cerro Chico_ (little hill).
_Cerro Gordo_ (fat, thick hill). See page 329.
_Los Cerritos_ (the little hills), in Los Ángeles County.
_Los Cerros_ (the hills).
_Cerro de las Posas_ (hill of the pools or wells). The translation “hill
of the seat” has been given to this by one writer, apparently without any
justification. _Posa_, or _poso_, was in constant use among the Spaniards
in the sense of “pool” or “well.”
_Cerro del Venado_ (hill of the deer).
_El Chamisal_ (thicket of wild cane or reed).
_Chico_ (little). See page 282.
_Chileno_ (Chilean, native of Chile). See page 260.
_Las chimeneas_ (the chimneys), old volcanic rock shaped like chimneys.
This place is in San Luís Obispo County.
_Chino_, a word which may mean a Chinese, or a person with curly hair.
The town of Chino, in San Bernardino County, took its name from the land
grant called _Santa Ana del Chino_, but why the grant was so-called has
not been ascertained.
_Chiquita_ (little).
_Chiquito Peak_ (little peak), is in Fresno County.
_Cholame_ was the name of an Indian tribe. See page 128.
_El Chorro_ (a gushing stream of water). This place is in San Luís Obispo
County.
_Chowchilla_ was the name of a Yokuts tribe of the Central Valley. See
page 283.
_Chualar._ See page 157.
_Chula Vista_ (pretty view). See page 42.
_Ciénega_ (swamp), is in Los Ángeles County.
_Las Ciénegas_ (the swamps).
_Las Cienegitas_ (the little swamps).
_Ciénega del Gabilán_ (the swamp of the hawk).
_Ciénega de los Paicines_, swamp of the Paicines (Indian tribe).
_Cima_ (summit), between San Bernardino and Las Vegas.
_Cimarrón_ (wild, unruly). The Spaniards applied this word to plants
or animals indiscriminately, sometimes using it in reference to the
wild grapes which they found growing in such profusion in California,
sometimes in reference to wild Indians. The writer who translated it as
“lost river” must have drawn upon his imagination for that definition.
_Cisco._ See page 329.
_Los Coches_ (the pigs).
_Codornices Creek_ (quail creek).
_Cojo_ (lame). See page 106.
_Ranchería del Cojo_ (village of the lame one), so-called from a lame
Indian seen there.
_Coloma_, a town in El Dorado County, so-named from the Koloma tribe, a
division of the Nishinam family. It was at this place that Sutter’s Mill,
where gold was discovered in 1848, was situated, and it is also there
that the native sons erected a monument to John W. Marshall.
_Colorado_ (red).
_Colusa_, an Indian word, meaning not ascertained. See page 265.
_Concepción._ See page 106.
_Conejo_ (rabbit), is the name of several places. See pages 79 and 339.
_Conejo Peak_ (rabbit peak), is in Ventura County.
_Contra Costa_ (opposite coast). See page 229.
_Cordero_ (literally “lamb”), but probably a surname here.
_Córdova_, near Sacramento. Córdova or Córdoba is the name of a province
of the Argentine Republic, in South America. Cattle raising is its chief
industry. The California town may have been directly named for the city
of Córdova in Mexico.
_Corona_ (crown).
_Coronado Beach_, see page 29.
_Corral_ (yard, enclosed piece of ground). See pages 157 and 339.
_Los Corralitos_ (the little yards).
_Corral de Piedra_ (yard enclosed by a stone fence). See page 158.
_Corral de Tierra_ (earth corral). See page 158.
_Cortina_, a town in Colusa County. _Cortina_, the Spanish word for
“curtain,” is a corruption of _Kotina_, the name of the chief of a former
village near the east bank of Cortina Creek.
_Coso Mountains_, in Inyo County, were named for the Coso or Cosho
Indians.
_La Costa_ (the coast). See page 42.
_Cosumne_, a word of Indian derivation, said to mean “fish, salmon.”
See page 272. If the theory that the suffix _umne_ means “place of” be
correct, then it may be that the meaning of Cosumne is “place of fish,”
probably referring to salmon fisheries.
_Cotate_, in Sonoma County, derived its name from a former Indian
village. Mr. George Page, whose family have been in possession of the
Cotate ranch since 1849, states that he has never been able to ascertain
the meaning of the word.
_Coyote_ (western wolf). See pages 42 and 179.
_Los Coyotes_ (the wolves).
_Crucero_, a word having several meanings, possibly in this case
“cross-roads.”
_Las Cruces_ (the crosses), is in Santa Bárbara County.
_Cruz_ (cross). _Santa Cruz_ (holy cross). See page 153.
_Cucamonga_, in San Bernardino County, derived its name from an Indian
village. See page 80.
_Cueros de Venado_ (hides of deer), the name of a land grant.
_Cuesta_ (hill, ridge, slope of a hill). Cuesta is the name of the old
stage road leading from Santa Margarita to San Luís Obispo. It was so
named because the road came over the crest of the Santa Lucía range. See
page 128.
_Cuyamaca._ See page 42.
_Cypress Point._ See page 145.
_Dehesa_ (pasture ground), is in San Diego County.
_Delgada Point_ (thin, or narrow point). See page 260.
_De Luz_ (literally “of light”), but in this case a surname.
_Del Mar_ (of the sea). Modern.
_Del Monte_ (of the wood or hill). The Hotel del Monte, near Monterey,
was so called from the grove of magnificent live-oaks in which it stands.
Modern.
_Del Norte_ (of the north), is the name of the county in the extreme
northwestern corner of the state.
_Del Paso_ (of the pass).
_Del Rey_ (of the king).
_Del Río_ (of the river).
_Del Rosa_ (of the rose). Unless this is a surname, the construction is
incorrect, and should be _De la Rosa_.
_Descanso_ (rest). See page 43.
_Diablo_ (devil). See page 217.
_Dolores_ (sorrows, pains). For Mission Dolores See pages 194 and 339.
_El Dorado_ (the gilded man). See page 300.
_Dos_ (two).
_Dos Cabezas_ (two heads).
_Dos Palmas_ (two palms).
_Dos Palos_ (two sticks, or trees). See page 283.
_Dos Pueblos_ (two towns). See page 106.
_Dos Valles_ (two valleys).
_Duarte_ (a surname). See page 80.
_Dulzura_ (sweetness). See page 43.
_Point Duma_, on the coast north of San Pedro, was named by Vancouver for
“the reverend friar Father Francisco Duma, priest at Buena Ventura,” as
an expression of his gratitude for the father’s courtesy in furnishing
the explorers with abundant supplies of vegetables from the mission
gardens.—(Mr. Charles B. Turrill.)
_Eliseo_ (Elisha).
_Embarcadero_ (landing-place). There were a number of _embarcaderos_ in
the state, in Sonoma, Santa Clara and other places. The street skirting
the San Francisco water front is now called the _Embarcadero_, having
been recently changed from East Street.
_Encanto_ (enchantment, charm), is in San Diego County. Encanto “was so
named on account of its especially pleasant climate, being frostless,
and always cool in the summer, with beautiful views of the ocean and bay
and the city of San Diego. It was named by Miss Alice Klauber.”—(W. A.
Shaules.)
_Encinal_ (oak woods), is in Santa Clara County.
_Encinal y Buena Esperanza_ (oak woods and good hope), the combined name
of two land grants.
_Las Encinitas_ (the little live-oaks). See page 43.
_El Encino_ (the live-oak). See page 211.
_Ensenada_ (bay), used often by the Spaniards in referring to a large,
wide-open bay.
_Entre Napa_ (between Napa), the name of a land grant referring to the
land between Napa Creek and Napa River.
_Entre Napa ó Rincón de los Carneros_, combined name of two land grants
(between Napa or corner of the sheep).
_Escalón_ (step), is the name of a place twenty miles from Stockton, on
the Santa Fé Road. According to Mr. Romane Moll, a resident of Escalón,
the word is used in the sense of “stepping-stone,” and was taken from a
city in Mexico, where an important battle was fought during the recent
revolution.
_Escondido_ (hidden). See page 43.
_El Escorpión_ (the scorpion).
_Esmeralda_ (emerald). See page 330.
_Espada_ (sword). See page 102.
_Esparto_ (a sort of tough feather grass). See page 283.
_Esperanza_ (hope). See page 283.
_Espinosa_ (a surname). This place is in Monterey County.
_Espíritu Santo_ (holy ghost).
_Esquón_ (a surname).
_Estero_ (an estuary or creek into which the tide flows at flood time).
_Los Esteros_ (the estuaries). See page 128.
_Estero Americano_ (American Estuary).
_Estrada_ (a surname). This place is in Monterey County.
_Estrella_ (a star). See page 128.
_Estudillo_ (a surname). Near San Leandro.
_Etiwanda_, in San Bernardino County, is a transplanted Indian name,
given in honor of an Indian chief of Michigan, by Mr. George Chaffey,
founder of the California colony.
_Falda_ (skirt, slope of a hill). In San Diego County.
_Famoso_ (famous), is in Kern County. The origin of this name has not
been ascertained.
_Fandango Peak_ is in Modoc County. The _fandango_ is a Spanish dance.
Its application in this case has not been ascertained.
_Farallones_ (small pointed islands in the sea). See pages 212 and 339.
_Feather River_, see page 297.
_Felipe_ (Philip).
_Feliz_ (happy, fortunate), also a surname.
_Fernández_ (a surname).
_Fernando_ (Ferdinand).
_Point Firmin_, north of San Pedro, was named by Vancouver for the father
president of the Franciscan Order.—(Mr. Charles B. Turrill.)
_Las Flores_ (the flowers). See page 80.
_Fortunas_ (fortunes). Cape Fortunas is on the coast of Humboldt County,
north of Cape Mendocino. See page 260.
_Fresno_ (ash tree). See page 277.
_Gabilán_, or _Gavilán_ (hawk). See page 159.
_Las Gallinas_ (the chickens), in Marin County. A tribe called
_Gallinomero_ occupied Dry Creek and Russian River below Healdsburg, and
there may be some connection between this name and Las Gallinas Rancho in
Marin County. Las Gallinas may be a mere corruption of Gallinomero.
_Gamboa Point_, on the coast of Monterey County. _Gamboa_ is a surname.
_García_ (a surname). See page 260.
_Garvanza_ (chick-pea). See page 80.
_Los Gatos_ (the cats). See pages 177 and 339.
_Gaviota_ (sea gull). Probably so called from the large number of these
birds which frequent the mouth of the little creek that flows into the
sea at this point. See page 107.
_Germán_ (a surname of a pioneer family).
_Golden Gate._ See page 197.
_La Goleta_ (the schooner). This place is said to have been so called
because a schooner was stranded there in early days. See page 107.
_Gonzales_ (a surname). See page 159.
_Gorda_ (fat). See page 159.
_Graciosa_ (graceful, witty).
_Granada_ is twenty-seven miles from San Francisco, on the Ocean Shore
Line, and was probably named for the province in Spain of the same name.
Granada also means pomegranate.
_Las Grullas_ (the cranes). See page 159.
_Guadalupe_ (a Christian name). See pages 107 and 340.
_Guadalupe y Llanitos de los Corréos_ (Guadalupe and the plains of the
mails), combined name of two land grants. _Corréos_ (mails), may have
been used in reference to mails brought by messenger to the Spaniards
while they were encamped upon these plains.
_Gualala._ See page 260.
_Guenoc_, an Indian word, meaning not ascertained.
_Los Guilicos_, in Sonoma County, named for a former Indian tribe living
in Napa County, near Santa Rosa.
_Guinda_ (fruit of the wild cherry). This place is in Yolo County, near
Woodland.
_La Habra_ (the opening, or pass), here refers to an opening in the
hills, and is situated a short distance southeast of Whittier, in Orange
County.
_Hermosa_ (beautiful). See page 80.
_Hermosillo_, probably named for the town of Hermosillo in Mexico.
_Hernández_ (a surname), is in San Benito County.
_Hetch Hetchy._ A deep valley in the Sierra. See page 330.
_Honcut_, a place south of Oroville, in Butte County, named from a tribe
of Maidu Indians who formerly lived near the mouth of Honkut creek.
_Honda_ (deep). Honda is in Santa Bárbara County, and there is also _La
Honda_, referring to a deep canyon, in San Matéo County. The name is
incomplete in this form, and probably in its original form was _La Cañada
Honda_.
_Hoopa._ See page 261.
_Hornitos_ (little ovens). See page 283.
_Huasna_, in San Luís Obispo County, received its name from a former
Indian village near Purísima Mission in Santa Bárbara County. The
signification of the word has not been ascertained.
_Hueneme_, the name of a former Chumash Indian village on the coast, a
few miles south of Saticoy, in Ventura County.
_Los Huecos_ (the hollows).
_Huerhuero Creek._ Huerhuero is said to be a corruption of _güergüero_,
a stream of water which makes a gurgling noise. An attempt is made to
imitate the sound by the word. Huerhuero Creek is in San Luís Obispo
County, near Paso de Robles.
_Huerta de Romualdo ó el Chorro_ (orchard of Romualdo, a Christian name,
or the gushing stream). This is the combined name of two land grants.
_Huichica_, the name of a land grant derived from an Indian village
called _Hutchi_, formerly situated near the plaza in the town of Sonoma.
_Huililic_, the name of a former Indian ranchería near Santa Bárbara.
Mentioned in the mission archives.
_Hunto_ (eye), is the Indian name of a mountain in the Yosemite.
_Hyampom_, in Trinity County, is an Indian name, meaning not ascertained.
_Iaquá_, the name of a place in Humboldt County, was a sort of familiar
salutation, something like our “hello,” with which the Indians of
Humboldt and adjacent counties greeted each other when they met. From
hearing the word so often the whites finally adopted it as the name of
this place.
_Ignacio_ (Ignatius).
_Inaja_, or _Inoje_, was the name of a former Indian village near San
Diego. Mentioned in the mission archives. The meaning of the word _Inaja_
is “my water.”
_Indio_ (Indian). See page 80.
_Inyo._ See page 327.
_Isleta_ (small island).
_Jacinto_ (hyacinth), also used as a Christian name.
_Jamacha_ was a former Indian village near San Diego.
_Jamón_ (ham). The application of this peculiar name has not been
ascertained, and there is always the possibility that it is a corrupted
word and has no such meaning.
_Jamul_, in San Diego County, is a place name of the Diegueño Indians.
_Jarame_, the name of a tribe thought to have been natives of the region
around San Antonio, Texas.
_Jesús María_ (Jesus Mary).
_Jimeno_, a surname of a pioneer family.
_La Jolla._ See pages 44 and 340.
_Jolón._ See page 159.
_La Joya_ (the jewel). This name is comparatively modern, and has
its origin in the fact that the residents, like those of every other
California town, thought their place the bright particular “jewel” of the
locality. La Joya Peak is in Los Ángeles County. See pages 80 and 340.
_Juan_ (John). _Juana_ (Jane).
_Juárez_ (a surname). The name of Benito Juárez, the Mexican patriot who
led the national armies to victory against Maximilian, is one of which
every native of that country must be proud. This man was a brilliant
example of the triumph of natural genius over tremendous obstacles. He
was of pure native blood, and had so few advantages in his youth that at
the age of twelve he was still unable to read or write, or even to speak
the Spanish language. Yet, his ambition once aroused, he succeeded in
acquiring a collegiate education, graduating with the degree of Bachiller
(bachelor in science or art), and later became President of the Mexican
Republic. Among the early settlers of California is the name of Cayetano
Juárez, who was at one time an official at Solano, and who took part in
many Indian expeditions.
_La Junta_ (union, junction, meeting of persons for consultation). See
page 340.
_Las Juntas_ (the junctions, or meetings).
_Kawia_, the name of an Indian tribe near Fresno.
_Kings County and River._ See page 278.
_Klamath._ See page 249.
_Laguna_ (lake or lagoon), in Sonoma and Orange Counties. There were many
_lagunas_ in the state. See page 80.
_Laguna del Corral_ (lake or lagoon of the yard). See page 44.
_Point Laguna_ (lake or lagoon point). See page 261.
_Laguna de las Calabasas_ (lagoon of the pumpkins). _Calabasas_ in this
case may be a corruption of the name of an Indian tribe, _Calahuasa_. See
page 79.
_Laguna de la Merced_ (lagoon or lake of mercy). Lake Merced.
_Laguna de los Palos Colorados_ (lagoon of the redwoods).
[Illustration: KAWEAH MOUNTAINS.
“Kaweah, or Kawia, was the name of an Indian tribe near Fresno.”]
_Laguna Puerca_ (muddy lagoon), in the San Francisco district. This name
does not mean “Hog Lake,” as has been stated.
_Laguna del Rey_ (lagoon of the king).
_Laguna de San Antonio_ (lagoon of St. Anthony).
_Laguna Seca_ (dry lagoon). See page 340.
_Lagunitas_ (little lagoons or lakes), one in Inyo County and one in
Marin County. See page 340.
_Lancha Plana_ (flat-boat). See page 330.
_Largo_ (long). This place is in Mendocino County. The name of this
station represents an inversion of the usual order of naming, since it is
a translation into Spanish of the name of Mr. L. F. Long, a pioneer of
Mendocino County.
_Laureles_ (laurels). See page 159.
_León_ (lion). See page 80. This name turns out not to be Spanish in
origin, but merely the name of an American who first had charge of the
post-office there.
_Lerdo_ (a surname), is in Kern County.
_La Liebre_ (the hare, or jack-rabbit).
_Linda Rosa_ (lovely rose), is forty-eight miles from San Bernardino.
_Linda Vista_ (lovely view). See page 45.
_Llagas_ (wounds, or stigmata). See page 179.
_Llanada_ (a wide, level plain). See page 159.
_Llanitos de los Corréos_ (plains of the mails). _Corréo_ was used to
mean a King’s messenger, mail or bag of letters, and it is possible that
at this point a messenger or mail carrier caught up with the exploring
party.
_Llano_ (a flat, level field). There are places bearing this name in Los
Ángeles and Sonoma Counties.
_Llano de Buena Vista_ (plain of the good view).
_Llano de Santa Rosa_ (plain of St. Rose).
_Llano Seco_ (dry plain).
_Llano de Tequisquite_ (plain of saltpetre). _Tequisquite_ is an Aztec
word.
_Llorones_ (the weepers), a name given to a place in the vicinity of San
Francisco Bay, for the reason given in Palou’s account of the expedition
to that region in 1776, as follows: “The launch went out again with the
pilot Bautista Aguiray to examine the arm of the sea that runs to the
southeast; they saw nothing more than two or three Indians who made no
other demonstration than to weep, for which reason the place was called
_La Ensenada de los Llorones_ (the bay of the weepers).”
_Lobitos_ (little seals), is on the Ocean Shore Line, near San Francisco.
_Lobos_ (wolves, also sea-wolves, or seals). See pages 160 and 226.
_Loma_ (hill).
_Point Loma_ (hill point). See page 45.
_Loma Linda_ (beautiful hill), is in San Bernardino County.
_Loma Prieta_ (dark hill). See page 160.
_Lomas de la Purificación_ (hills of the purification).
_Lomas de Santiago_ (hills of St. James).
_Loma Vista_ (hill view), near Los Ángeles. Modern and improper in
construction. It should be _Vista de la Loma_.
_Lomerías Muertas_ (dead hills), possibly should be _Lomerías de los
Muertos_ (hills of the dead).
_Lomitas_ (little hills), north of San Francisco.
_Lompoc_, an Indian name. See page 108.
_López_ (a surname). See page 128.
_Lorenzo_ (Lawrence).
_Lugo_ (a surname), that of a family of early settlers. This place is
thirty miles from San Bernardino.
_De Luz_ (a surname). See page 45.
_Madera_ (wood). See page 277.
_Madrone_, properly spelled Madroño, a native tree of California. See
page 179.
_Málaga_, the name of a province in Southern Spain celebrated for its
exports of grapes, raisins, oranges, lemons, figs and almonds. As raisins
are among the chief products of this part of Fresno County, the town of
Málaga was so named from the Spanish province.
_Manca_, or _Manka_. To prevent the unwary from falling into the
erroneous belief that this name is Spanish or Indian, the rather humorous
story of Manka is told here. The story goes that it was named for a
German who came there in ’67, built a little sixteen by twenty-four foot
shanty and sold whiskey. It was his proud boast that in the fifteen years
he ran this business he never renewed his stock. The inference may be
drawn.
_Manteca_ (lard, butter), is near Modesto. This place was so called
by the railroad company in reference to a creamery existing there. In
Spanish America butter is called _mantequilla_.
_Manzana_ (apple), is in Los Ángeles County.
_Manzanita_ (little apple), a native shrub that is one of the most
striking objects in the California woods. Fremont says of it: “A new and
singular shrub was very frequent to-day. It branched out near the ground,
forming a clump eight to ten feet high, with pale green leaves of an oval
form, and the body and branches had a naked appearance as if stripped
of the bark, which is very smooth and thin, of a chocolate color,
contrasting well with the pale green of the leaves.” Towns in Marin, San
Diego, and Tehama Counties bear the name of _Manzanita_.
Powers, in his _Tribes of California_, describes the method of making
manzanita cider practiced by the Indians, as follows: “After reducing the
berries to flour by pounding, they carefully remove all the seeds and
skins, then soak the flour in water for a considerable length of time. A
squaw then heaps it up in a little mound, with a crater in the center,
into which she pours a minute stream of water, allowing it to percolate
through. In this way she gets about a gallon an hour of a really
delicious beverage, clear, cool, clean and richer than most California
apple cider. As the Indians always drink it up before it has time to
ferment, it is never intoxicating.” Fremont also mentions this as a very
delicious drink that he had tasted when among the Indians.
_Manzanita Knob_, in Tulare County, is near the summit of the Sierras.
_Mapache Peak_ (raccoon peak).
_Mar_ (the sea).
_Del Mar_ (of the sea).
_Mare Island._ See page 206.
_Maricopa_ is the name of an Arizona tribe. The word is said to mean
“bean people,” which is probably the correct definition.—(A. L. Kroeber.)
_Marin._ See page 219.
_Mariposa_ (butterfly). See page 317.
_Martínez_ (a surname). See page 229.
_Matilija._ See pages 103 and 340.
_Médanos_, also spelled _Méganos_ (sand-banks, or dunes). This place is
in Contra Costa County.
_Media_ (middle), is in Madera County.
_Mendocino._ See page 248.
_Mendota_ (a surname), is in Fresno County.
_Merced_ (mercy). See pages 276 and 340.
_Mesa_ (table, table-land). See pages 45 and 340.
_La Mesa_ (the table or table-land), is in San Diego County.
_Mesa Grande_ (big table-land). See page 46.
_Mesa de Ojo de Agua_ (table-land of the spring).
_Mesquite_ (a native shrub of the locust variety).
_Milpitas_ (little patches of corn). This word is said to be the
diminutive of _milpa_ (a patch of maize or corn), but in that case must
have referred to corn cultivated by Mexicans, since the California
Indians raised no cultivated crops, but subsisted entirely on the natural
products of the land. _Milpitas_ is a village in Santa Clara County,
which for some unexplained reason, has come to be used as a term of
derision, the “jumping off place of creation.” It was probably the name
of a land grant.
_La Mirada_ (the view). See page 80.
_Miramar_ (sea-view), is the name of a post town in San Diego County and
of a summer resort near Santa Bárbara.
_Miramontes_ (a surname). Candelario Miramontes, a native of Mexico, was
the grantee of the Pilarcitos Rancho in ’41.
_Misión Vieja_, or _La Paz_ (old mission or the peace). Land grant.
_Misión Vieja de la Purísima_ (old mission of the Immaculate Conception).
_Mocho Peak_, in Santa Clara County. _Mocho_ means “cropped, cut off.”
_Modesto_ (modest). See page 288.
_Modoc_ (people of the south). See page 250.
_Mojave_, or _Mohave_. Mojave, also spelled Mohave, is an Indian
tribal name of disputed meaning. It has been stated that it comes from
_hamucklihabi_ (three hills), but this view is positively contradicted
by scientists. In the documents of the Spanish explorers the Mojaves are
referred to as Amajabas. The Mojave River is remarkable in that it has
no true outlet, but sinks into the alkaline soil of the desert near the
middle of San Bernardino County.
_Mokelumne._ See Moquelumne.
_Molino_ (mill, or mill-stone). See page 80.
_Los Molinos_ (the mills, or mill-stones). See page 80.
_El Río de los Molinos_ (the river of the mill-stones), now called Mill
Creek, in Tehama County. See page 80.
_Mono._ See page 324.
_Montalvo_ (a surname), in Ventura County. See page 81.
_Monte_ (hill or wood). _Monte_ was generally used in the sense of
“wood” or “forest” by the Spanish-Americans of the eighteenth century.
_El Monte_ (the hill or the wood).
_Del Monte_ (of the wood or hill). In the case of the Hotel del Monte,
near Monterey, the name refers to the grove of fine live-oaks in the
center of which the hotel stands.
_Montecito_ (little hill or wood). See page 101.
_Monterey_ (hill or wood of the king). See page 133.
_Monte Vista_ (mountain view). Modern and improper in construction. It
should be _Vista del Monte_.
_Moquelumne_, or _Mokelumne_. See page 331.
_Moreno_ (a surname). One of the leading members of this numerous family
was Antonio Moreno, a native of Lower California.
_Moro Cojo_ (lame Moor). See page 160.
_Morón_ (hillock, mound). This place is near Bakersfield.
_Morro_ (a round headland, bluff). It is upon such a rock that the
well-known Morro Castle at Havana is situated. See page 128. This place
receives its name from Morro Rock, a remarkable round rock, 600 feet
high, situated at the entrance to the bay. The name has no reference to
its grey color, as some people imagine, but refers to its shape—round
like a head.
_Mugu Point_, on the coast of Ventura County. The Mugus were a tribe of
Indians. The word _mugu_ means “beach.”
_Muñiz_ (a surname).
_Murietta_ (a surname). See page 81.
_Nacimiento_ (birth), referring in this case to the birth of Christ. See
page 128.
_La Nación_ (the nation). See Del Rey, page 371.
_Napa_, formerly pronounced Napá. See page 242.
_Naranjo_ (orange-tree), in Tulare County.
_La Natividad_ (the nativity). See page 160.
_Natoma_, is a name about which the romanticists have concocted some
pleasing theories upon very slender foundation. According to scientists
it is a tribal name, indicating direction, a favorite method of naming
among the Indians. It may mean “north people,” or “up-stream,” or
“down-stream,” or some such term of direction. By a severe wrench of the
imagination, as has been suggested, it may be considered that “up-stream”
would eventually lead to the mountains, and that in the mountains there
were people, among whom there were undoubtedly girls, and in this
“long-distance” manner Mr. Joseph Redding’s definition of Natoma as the
“girl from the mountains” might be evolved, but the imagination is likely
to suffer from such a violent strain. In the same way, the persons who
believe it to mean “clear water” may have acquired this idea from the
simple fact that the word contains an indirect reference to the stream in
pointing out the direction of its current. It is disappointing perhaps,
but nevertheless true, that Californian Indian nomenclature has little of
romance behind it. The Indians usually chose names based upon practical
ideas, most often ideas of direction, such as “north people,” “south
people,” etc.
_Navajo_, also spelled _lavajo_ (a pool where cattle go to drink).
_Navarro_ (a surname). In Mendocino County, west of Ukiah.
_Nevada_ (snowy). See page 293.
_El Nido_ (the nest). See page 46. It is thought that this place was so
named because of its location in the hills and mountains suggesting the
idea of a nest in the landscape, but there is no definite information
about it.
_Los Nietos_ (literally “the grandchildren,” but in this case a surname).
See page 81.
_Nimshew_, in Butte County. This is an Indian word, from _Nimsewi_ (big
river), a division of Maidu Indians living on upper Butte Creek, in Butte
County, near the edge of the timber.
_Nipomo_, in San Luís Obispo County, is probably Indian, but its meaning
has not been ascertained.
_Los Nogales_ (the walnut-trees).
_Del Norte_ (of the north). See page 260.
_Novato_ (new, beginning anything, but possibly in this case a surname).
The exact origin of the name of this California town has not been
ascertained. The place is in Marin County and as there was a land grant
there called _El Rancho de Novato_, the probabilities are that it is a
surname of some family of early settlers.
_Noyo_, is in Mendocino County. It was the Indian name of a creek, not
the one now bearing the name of Noyo, but of another one in the vicinity.
_Nuestra Señora del Refugio_ (our lady of refuge).
_Nuevo_ (new). In San Diego County.
_Oakland_ was originally called _Las Encinas_ (the oaks), having been
named by the commandante at Monterey as a result of the report of
Lieutenant Vallejo of the great number of those trees growing upon
the spot.—(_Memoirs of the Vallejos_, edited by James H. Wilkins, San
Francisco Bulletin, January, 1914.)
_Océano_ (ocean), near San Luís Obispo.
_Ojai_, the name of a former Indian village in Ventura County, popularly
translated as “nest” or “big tree,” neither of which can be looked upon
as authentic. According to Professor A. L. Kroeber, the meaning of the
word _Ojai_ is “moon.”
_Los Ojitos_ (little springs). See page 58.
_Ojo de Agua_ (spring of water). See pages 59 and 340.
_Ojo de Agua de Figueroa_ (spring of Figueroa), the last word being a
surname. The Figueroa family were among the earliest settlers.
_Ojo Caliente_ (hot spring).
_Ojo de Agua del Coche_ (spring of the pig).
_Olancha_, in Inyo County, just below Owens Lake, was named for the
Olanches Indians of southeastern California.
_Olema._ See page 230.
_Oliveras_ (olive-trees), in San Luís Obispo County. Olivera is also a
surname.
_Los Olivos_ (the olives). See page 108.
_Olla_ (a round earthen pot, also a whirlpool in a river or sea). Its
application here has not been ascertained.
_Olompali_, was named for a former large Moquelumnan village in Marin
County, about six miles south of Petaluma.
_Omo_, in El Dorado County, is the name of a Moquel village.
_Oro Fino_ (fine gold), in Siskiyou County. See page 261.
_Oro Grande_ (large or coarse gold), forty-nine miles north of San
Bernardino. Also in Madera County.
_Oroville_ (gold-town). See page 288.
_Oso Flaco_ (thin bear). In San Luís Obispo County.
_Los Osos_ (the bears). See page 128.
_Otay_, or _Otai_, was the name of a former Indian village near San
Diego. It may have first been applied to the Otey or Otay land grant.
_Otero_ (literally a “hill, or eminence,” but probably a surname here).
_Pachappa_, near Riverside, Indian name, meaning not ascertained.
_Pacheco_ (a surname). See page 230.
_Pacoima_, near Los Ángeles, an Indian word, meaning not ascertained.
_Paicines_, also spelled _Pajines_. See page 160.
_Pájaro_ (bird). See pages 152 and 340.
_Pala._ See page 33.
_Palmas_ (palms).
_Dos Palmas_ (two palms), in Riverside County, so called from two giant
palms near a spring.
_Palo_, literally “stick,” was used by the Spaniards in the sense of
“tree.”
_Palo Alto_ (high tree). See page 172.
_Palo Blanco_ (white stick, or tree).
_Palo Cedro_ (cedar tree), in Shasta County.
_Palo Colorado_ (redwood tree). These trees were first observed and named
by Gaspar de Portolá, the discoverer of San Francisco Bay.
_Dos Palos_ (two sticks, or trees). See page 283.
_Paloma_ (dove, pigeon).
_Palo Verde_ (green tree).
_Panamint Range._ See page 332.
_Panocha._ See page 160.
_La Panza_ (the paunch), in San Luís Obispo County, so named by some
hunters who placed the paunch of a beef to catch bear. _La Paleta_
(shoulder-blade) and _El Carnaso_ (loin) were put out in other places,
and the names still remain.
_Las Papas_ (potatoes) Hill, is in the San Francisco district. _Papa_
(potato), is provincial and American.
_Paraíso_ (paradise). See page 161.
_Paraje de Sánchez_ (place or station of Sánchez).
_Pasadena_ (crown of the valley). See page 82.
_Paskenta_, in Tehama County, is Indian and means “under the bank.”
_Paso_ (pass).
_El Paso_ (the pass), of the Truckee River.
_El Paso Peak_ (the pass peak), in Kern County.
_Del Paso_ (of the pass), near Sacramento.
_Paso de Bartolo_ (pass of Bartolo), the last a Christian name.
_Paso de Robles_ (pass of the oaks). See pages 124 and 340.
_Pastoría de las Borregas_ (pasture of the ewe-lambs).
_La Patera_ (a place where ducks congregate). In early days the fresh
water swamps near here abounded with ducks. La Patera is a flag station
in Santa Bárbara County.
_La Paz_ (the peace). Probably a peace arranged with the Indians, or it
may have been named for La Paz in Lower California.
_Pecho Rock_, near San Luís Obispo. The reason for this name has not been
discovered, but it may be a reference to the shape of the rock. _Pecho_
means “breast.”
_Pedernales_ (flints). See page 104.
_Los Peñasquitos_ (the little cliffs), in San Diego County.
_Peralta_ (a surname), that of a pioneer family.
_Peras_ (pears) Creek, in Los Ángeles County.
_Los Perros_ (the dogs), possibly Indian dogs.
_Pescadero Point_ (fishing-place point). See page 231.
_Petaluma._ See page 261.
_Picachos Mountains_, a ridge east of San Francisco Bay. _Pichacos_ are
frequent, isolated, conical peaks.
_Picacho_ (top, sharp-pointed summit), is the name of a post village in
Imperial County.
_Pico_ (a surname), ten miles from Los Ángeles. José María Pico of
Sinaloa was the founder of this family, and its most notable member was
his son, Pío Pico, at one time governor of California. According to
Bancroft, the character of Pío Pico was a mixture of good and bad, in
which the good predominated. “He was abused beyond his deserts; he was a
man of ordinary intelligence and limited education; of a generous, jovial
disposition, reckless and indolent, fond of cards and women; disposed to
be fair and honorable in transactions, but not strong enough to avoid
being made the tool of knaves. He did not run away with large sums of
money obtained by sales of missions, as has been charged.”
_Piedra_ (stone, rock), near Fresno.
_Piedras Blancas_ (white rocks). See page 128.
_Piedras Grandes_ (big rocks).
_La Piedra Pintada_ (the painted rock). See page 108.
_Pilar_ (literally “pillar of stone”). Point Pilar may have been named
for _Nuestra Señora del Pilar_, (Our Lady of the pillar), from a church
at Saragossa, Spain, where there is an image of the Virgin on a marble
pillar. Pilar is also a surname, that of a pioneer family, for whom this
point may have been named.
_Pilarcitos_ (little pillars, or little Pilar Ranch).
_Pilitas_ (basins or water-holes in rock).
_El Pinal_ (the pine grove), in San Joaquín County.
_Pino Blanco_ (white pine), in Mariposa County.
_Pino Grande_ (big pine), in El Dorado County, near Placerville.
_Pinole_ (parched corn ground into meal). Point Pinole was so named
because the expedition under Lieutenant Vallejo had nothing to eat but
pinole while they waited at that spot for the return of the _cargadores_
with provisions from Monterey.—(_Memoirs of the Vallejos_, edited by
James H. Wilkins, San Francisco Bulletin, January, 1914.)
_Piñón_ (pine kernel, also the scrub pine, a very picturesque tree
bearing a delicious nut).
_Point Pinos_ (point of pines). See page 148.
_Tres Pinos_ (three pines). See page 163.
_Pintado_ (painted, mottled).
_Pinto Range_ (painted or mottled range). See page 332.
_El Piojo_ (the louse), in Monterey County, a short distance south of
Jolón.
_Piru_, near Camulos, the name of a former Indian village.
_Pismo._ See page 128.
_Pit River._ See page 294.
_La Pita_, in San Diego County. _Pita haya_ is the fruit of the cactus
called “prickly pear.”
_Placer._ See page 304.
_Placerville._ See page 305.
_Planada_ (a plain, level ground), seventy-four miles from Stockton.
_Plano_ (a level surface), in Tulare County.
_La Playa_ (the beach), in Santa Bárbara County.
_Pleito_ (quarrel, lawsuit, bargain). See page 161.
_Plumas_ (feathers). See page 297.
_Las Plumas_ (the feathers), near Oroville.
_Pomo._ See page 261.
_Poncho_ (cloak, blanket).
_Poonkiny_ (wormwood). Poonkiny, sometimes misspelled Pookiny, is from
the Yuki Indian language.
_El Portal_ (the gate), the entrance to the Yosemite Valley.
_Portolá_ (a surname). See pages 231 and 340.
_Posa_ (well, pool, also spelled by the Spaniards _pozo_, _poso_). The
fact that _posa_ also has the meaning of “passing bell for the dead” has
caused some rather ludicrous mistakes. For instance, _La Posa de los
Ositos_ (the pool of the little bears), evidently refers to a place where
some bears were seen drinking, and certainly would be absurd translated
as “the passing bell of the little bears.” When used as names of places
the connection makes it quite clear that they were so called in reference
to pools of water present on the spot.
_Las Positas_ (the little pools).
_Las Positas y la Calera_ (the little wells, or pools, and the lime-kiln).
_Poso_ (pool, or well), in Kern County, and _Poso_ in San Luís Obispo
County.
_Los Posos_ (the pools, or wells), in Ventura County.
_La Posta_ (person who rides or travels post, post-house, military post,
etc.). In the case of La Posta, 170 miles from the Mission Tule River
Agency, it probably means post-station.
_Potrero_ (pasture, generally for horses). See pages 46, 161 and 231.
_Potrero de los Cerritos_ (pasture of the little hills).
_Potrero Chico_ (little pasture).
_Potrero Grande_ (big pasture).
_Potrero y Rincón de San Pedro de Reglado_ (pasture and corner of St.
Peter Regalato). St. Peter Regalato was a Franciscan, and was “especially
distinguished for his sublime gift of prayer.” This was the name of a
land grant.
_El Potrero de San Carlos_ (the pasture of St. Charles).
_Potrero de San Francisco_ (pasture of St. Francis). This district still
goes by the name of “the potrero” in the city of San Francisco.
_Potrero de San Luís Obispo_ (pasture of St. Louis the Bishop).
_El Potrero de Santa Clara_ (the pasture of St. Clara).
_Poway_, in San Diego County, is an Indian place name.
_Pozo_ (pool, well). See page 128.
_Prado_ (meadow), in Riverside County. See page 82. This place was so
named on account of its resemblance to a prairie.
_La Presa_ (dam, dike). See page 46. This place is so called from the
Sweetwater irrigation dam located there.
_Presidio_ (garrison, prison). See page 231.
_Prieta_ (dark), a place north of San Francisco.
_Los Prietos_ (the dark ones).
_Providencia_ (providence).
_Pueblo_ (town).
_Los Dos Pueblos_ (the two towns). See page 106.
_Puente_ (bridge), near Los Ángeles. See page 82.
_Las Puentes_ (the bridges). See page 161.
_El Puerto_ (the port), of San Diego.
_Pulgas_ (fleas). See pages 82 and 224.
_La Punta_ (the point), in San Diego County.
_Punta Almejas_ (mussel point).
_Punta Año Nuevo_ (point New Year). See page 157.
_Punta Arenas_ (sandy point). See page 340.
_Punta de la Concepción_ (point of the immaculate conception).
_Punta Delgada_ (thin or narrow point). See page 260.
_Punta Gorda_ (fat or thick point). See pages 108 and 260.
_Punta Guijarros_ (pebble or boulder point).
_Punta de la Laguna_ (point of the lagoon). See page 261.
_Punta Loma_ (hill point), near San Diego. See page 45. It should be
_Punta de la Loma_.
_Punta de Pinos_ (point of pines). Near Monterey. Page 148.
_Punta de los Reyes_ (point of the kings). See page 232.
_Punta de las Ritas_ (point of the rites). See page 108.
_Purísima Point_ (point of the most pure conception). On the Santa
Bárbara Coast.
_Purísima_ (most pure), in San Matéo County.
_Point Sal_ (a surname). See page 108.
_Point Sur_ (south point). See page 162.
_La Quemada_ (the burned place), from the verb _quemar_ (to burn). This
name refers to a custom prevalent among the Indians of burning over large
tracts of land for the purpose of killing the under-brush and encouraging
the growth of grass, which resulted in attracting game. The diaries of
the Spaniards refer frequently to this custom, and speak of finding a
great deal of country burned over in this way. One writer has offered to
his astonished readers the translation of _La Quemada_ as “the over-full,
having enough to eat.”
_Quién Sabe_ (who knows), a familiar expression among the Spaniards.
_Quintín._ See page 235.
_Quinto_ (a surname). Simón Tadéo Quinto was one of the members of this
pioneer family.
_Raimundo_ (Raymond).
_Ramírez_ (a surname), near Marysville.
_Ramona_ (a Christian name), well known as that of the heroine of Mrs.
Helen Hunt Jackson’s romance.
[Illustration: THE MISSION OF PURÍSIMA CONCEPCIÓN, FOUNDED IN 1880.]
_Ranchería_, a word meaning “settlement,” but generally used by the
Spaniards to mean an Indian village.
_Ranchería del Baile de las Indias_ (village of the dance of the Indian
women). See page 100.
_Ranchería del Corral_ (village of the yard).
_Ranchería de la Espada_ (village of the sword). See page 102.
_Ranchería del Río Estanislao_ (village of the river Stanislaus).
_Ranchita de Santa Fé_ (little ranch of holy faith).
_Rancho del Puerto_ (ranch of the pass).
_Ratón_ (mouse).
_Real de las Águilas_ (camp of the eagles).
_Redondo_ (round). See page 82.
_Refugio_ (refuge), is in Santa Bárbara County. Refugio is also a
Christian name.
_Represa_ (dam), so called on account of a dam at that point, west of the
state prison at Folsom.
_Del Rey_ (of the king), also known as _El Rancho Nacional_ because it
was used to provide meat and horses for the military. This ranch was in
Fresno County.
_Reyes_ (kings). See page 232.
_Ricardo_ (Richard), is in Kern County.
_Rincón_ is the interior angle formed by the junction of two walls or
lines, and is one of the terms used in the apportionment of land grants.
_Rincón_ (corner), is in San Bernardino County.
_El Rincón_ (the corner), is in Los Ángeles County, and comprises rich
agricultural land on either side of the Santa Ana River.
_Rinconada_ is the corner formed by two houses, streets, roads, or
between two mountains.
_Rinconada del Arroyo de San Francisquito_ (corner of the creek of little
St. Francis). Land grant.
_Rincón de los Carneros_ (corner of the sheep). Land grant.
_Rinconada de los Gatos_ (corner of the cats—wild-cats). Land grant.
_Rincón de la Brea_ (corner of the asphalt). Land grant.
_Rincón de los Bueyes_ (corner of the oxen). Land grant.
_Rincón del Diablo_ (corner of the devil). Land grant.
_Rincón de los Esteros_ (corner of the estuaries). Land grant.
_Rincón Point_ (corner point). See page 108.
_Rincón de la Puente del Monte_ (corner of the bridge of the wood, or
hill). Land grant.
_Rincón de las Salinas_ (corner of the salt marshes). Land grant.
_Rincón de las Salinas y Potrero Viejo_ (corner of the salt marshes and
the old pasture). Land grant.
_Rincón de San Francisquito_ (corner of little San Francisco). Land grant.
_Rincón del Sanjón_ (corner of the slough). Land grant.
_Río_ (river).
_El Río de los Berrendos_ (the river of the antelopes). See page 40.
_Río Grande_ (big river).
_Río Jesús María_ (River Jesus Mary). Land grant.
_El Río de los Molinos_ (the river of the mill-stones). See page 80.
_El Río del Nido_ (the river of the nest), referring to the nest of an
eagle once seen in a tree on the banks of this stream. The name is now
shortened into Río Nido, or Rionido.
_El Río de Santa Clara_ (the river of St. Clara). Land grant.
_El Río de los Santos Reyes_ (the river of the holy kings). See page 278.
_Río Seco_ (dry river).
_Río Vista_ (river view). See page 289. Improper construction. It should
be _Vista del Río_.
_El Rito_ (the rite, ceremony).
_Rivera_, literally “brook, creek,” but also a surname. The Rivera family
were among the pioneers. See page 82.
_Roblar de la Miseria_, (oak grove of poverty, wretchedness). It is
likely that in this grove the Spaniards suffered from a shortage of food
supplies, and named it in memory of their sufferings. Land grant.
_Los Robles_ (the oaks), ten miles from Los Ángeles.
_Rodéo_ (cattle round-up). See pages 232 and 340. The town of Rodéo was
first laid out to maintain a large packing-house for meat, but this was
abandoned, and it has become an oil-refining town.
_Rodéo de las Aguas_ (gathering of the waters). See page 82.
_Del Rosa_ (of the rose), in San Bernardino County. If this is not a
surname it is improper in construction, and should be _De la Rosa_.
_Los Rosales_ (the rose-bushes).
_Rosario_ (rosary), procession of persons who recite the rosary. Also a
Christian name.
_Sacate_ (grass, hay).
_Sacramento_ (sacrament). See page 271.
_Sal_, in the case of Point Sal a surname. See page 108.
_Salada_ (salted, salty, saline land). Near San Francisco.
_Salazar_ (a surname), that of a pioneer family.
_Salida_ (exit, out-gate), village in Stanislaus County, seven miles
northwest of Modesto.
_Salinas_ (salt-marshes). See pages 148 and 340.
_Sal si Puedes_ (“get out if you can”). See page 109.
_La Salud_ (health). See page 174.
_San Andreas_ (St. Andrew). See page 333.
_San Andrés_ (St. Andrew). See page 333.
_San Anselmo_ (St. Anselm). See page 232.
_San Antonio_ (St. Anthony).
_San Antonio de Padua_ (St. Anthony of Padua). See page 141.
_San Ardo_ (St. Ardo), is in Monterey County. St. Ardo, in Latin
_Smaragdus_, was a Benedictine monk who wrote a life of St. Benedict
which is considered reliable. He died in 843.
_San Augustine_ (properly Agustín), born in Numidia, was the son of Santa
Mónica. “In his youth he was so devoted to pleasure that his mother
feared the destruction of his character,” but he became converted by
the preaching of St. Ambrose, and it is thought that the _Te Deum_ was
composed in honor of the occasion of his baptism. It is told of him that
“while walking on the sea-shore, lost in meditation on his great theme,
the _Discourse on the Trinity_, he saw a little child bringing water and
endeavoring to fill a hole which he had dug in the sand. Augustine asked
him the motive of his labors. The child said he intended to empty all the
water of the sea into this cavity. ‘Impossible!’ exclaimed St. Augustine.
‘Not more impossible,’ answered the child, ‘than for thee, O Augustine,
to explain the mystery on which thou art now meditating.’ St. Augustine
is the patron of theologians and learned men.”—(_Stories of the Saints._)
_San Benito_ (St. Benedict). See page 161.
_San Bernabé_ (St. Barnabas, or Barnaby). This saint was a native of
Cyprus, and a cousin of St. Mark. “He labored with Paul at Antioch, and
tradition says he preached from the gospel of St. Matthew, written by the
Evangelist himself, which he carried always with him, and that it had
power to heal the sick when laid upon their bosoms. He was seized by the
Jews and cruelly martyred, while preaching in Judea.”—(_Stories of the
Saints._)
_San Bernardino_ (St. Bernardinus). See page 74.
_San Bernardo_ (St. Bernard). There were two saints of this name, one
born in 1190 at Fontaine, and the other in Savoy. The latter, St. Bernard
of Menthon, is famous as the founder of the St. Bernard hospitals in the
Alps, where “the monks, assisted by their dogs, search out and care for
travelers who are lost in the passes of the mountains, where the storms
are severe, and the cold intense.”
_San Bruno_ (St. Bruno). See page 232.
_San Buenaventura_ (St. Bonaventure). See page 95.
_San Carlos_ (St. Charles). See page 138.
_San Clemente_ (St. Clement). See page 83.
_San Diegito_ (little St. James).
_San Diego_ (St. James). See page 21.
_San Dimas_ “probably St. Dismas, is popularly supposed to have been the
good or converted robber on the right side of Christ on Good Friday. In
places he is celebrated by the Latins on March 25. The Greeks have him on
a much later date.”—(Fray Zephyrin Engelhardt, O. F. M). _San Dimas_ is
the name of a post-village in Los Ángeles County.
_San Domingo_ (St. Dominick). St. Dominick was a Castilian of noble
descent, and was the originator of the Dominican Order of barefoot
priests, and of the use of the rosary.
_Sanel_, the name of a former Indian village called variously Se-nel,
Sah-nel, Sai-nel and Sanel. “Sanel is derived from _cané_ (sweathouse),
and was the name of a very large village situated south of the town of
Sanel, on the eastern side of Hopland Valley.”—(Barrett, in Univ. Publ.
in Arch. and Tech.)
_San Emygdio_, “English or Latin _St. Emygdius_, Bishop and Martyr,
feast August 5. The Roman Martyrology has this on him: ‘St. Emygdius,
Bishop and Martyr, was consecrated Bishop by Pope St. Marcellus and
sent to preach the Gospel at Ascoli. He received the crown of Martyrdom
for confessing Christ, under Diocletian.’ He is invoked against
earthquakes.”—(Fray Zephyrin Engelhardt).
_San Felipe_ (St. Philip). See page 180.
_San Fernando_ (St. Ferdinand). See page 69.
_San Francisco_ (St. Francis). See page 185.
_San Francisco de las Llagas_ (St. Francis of the “stigmata”). See page
179.
_San Francisquito_ (little St. Francis). Land grant.
_San Gabriel_ (St. Gabriel). See page 66.
_San Gerónimo_ (St. Jerome). See pages 233 and 340.
_San Gorgonio_ Mountains and Pass are in the Coast Range in Southern
California. Their patron saint, Gorgonius, suffered martyrdom in 304 at
Nicomedia during the persecution of Diocletian. Gorgonius, who had held a
high position in the Emperor’s household, was subjected to most frightful
torments, and was finally strangled and his body thrown into the sea. It
was, nevertheless, secured by the Christians and was afterwards carried
to Rome.
_San Gregorio_ (St. Gregory). See page 233.
_San Ignacio_ (St. Ignatius). St. Ignatius Loyola was the founder of
the order of the Jesuits. “In his youth he was a page in the court of
Ferdinand the Catholic, and later a brave and gay soldier.” He became
a permanent cripple through being severely wounded in both legs. While
confined by these sufferings, he devoted himself to reading the life of
Christ, and was thus induced to take up religious work. After some years
of study, he induced five men to join him in forming a community under
the title of the “Company of Jesus,” whose especial duties are “first,
preaching; second, the guidance of souls in confession; third, the
teaching of the young.”
_San Isidro_, also spelled _Ysidro_ (St. Isidore). There were two saints
bearing this name. St. Isidore the ploughman could neither read nor
write, but performed many miracles. His master objected to the time
wasted by Isidore in prayer, but his objections were silenced when he
found, upon entering the field one day, the plough being drawn by two
angels, while St. Isidore knelt at his devotions. The other St. Isidore
was Bishop of Seville, and in the church in that city bearing his name,
there is a “magnificent picture which represents him dying on the steps
of the altar, having given all his property to the poor.” See page 341.
_San Jacinto_ (St. Hyacinth). See pages 83 and 340.
_San Jacinto Viejo_ (St. Hyacinth the Old).
_San Joaquín_ (St. Joachim). See pages 274 and 340.
_Sanjón_ (deep ditch or slough). Also spelled _zanjon_.
_Sanjón de los Moquelumnes_ (Moquelumne slough).
_San José_ (St. Joseph). See pages 168 and 340.
_San José de Buenos Aires_ (St. Joseph of good airs).
_San José y Sur Chiquito_ (St. Joseph and little south). These are the
names of two creeks near Monterey.
_San Juan Bautista_ (St. John the Baptist). See pages 154 and 340.
_San Juan Cajón de Santa Ana_ (St. John canyon, literally “box,” of St.
Anne). Deep canyons were often called _cajones_ (boxes).
_San Juan Capistrano._ See page 35.
_San Juan Point_ (St. John Point). See page 83.
_San Julián_ (St. Julian). This seems to have been a favorite name for
saints, since there were twelve who bore it. Only two, however, are of
special importance, St. Julian Hospitator, and St. Julian of Rimini.
The first had the fearful misfortune to kill his own father and mother
through an error, and to make reparation, he built a hospital on the
bank of a turbulent stream in which many persons had been drowned. “He
constantly ferried travelers over the river without reward, and, one
stormy night in winter, when it seemed that no boat could cross the
stream, he heard a sad cry from the opposite bank. He went over, and
found a youth, who was a leper, dying from cold and weariness. In spite
of his disease the saint carried him over, and bore him in his arms to
his own bed, and he and his wife tended him till morning, when the leper
rose up, and his face was transformed into that of an angel, and he said:
‘Julian, the Lord hath sent me to thee; for thy penitence is accepted,
and thy rest is near at hand’.... St. Julian is patron saint of ferrymen
and boatmen, of travelers and of wandering minstrels.” Little is known of
St. Julian of Rimini except that he “endured a prolonged martyrdom with
unfailing courage.”—(_Stories of the Saints._) See page 340.
_San Justo_ (St. Justus). Little authentic is known of this saint, except
that he was the fourth archbishop of Canterbury, and died there about
627.
_San Leandro_ (St. Leander). See page 233.
_San Lorenzo_ (St. Lawrence). See page 234.
_San Lucas_ (St. Luke). See page 162.
_San Luís Gonzaga_ (St. Louis Gonzaga). This saint, also known as
St. Aloysius, was the son of a noble Italian lady, the Marchesa di
Castiglione. “He entered the Society of Jesus when not yet eighteen years
old, and became eminently distinguished for his learning, piety and
good works. He died at Rome in 1591 of fever, which he contracted while
nursing the sick.”—(_Stories of the Saints._)
_San Luís Obispo_ (St. Louis the Bishop). See pages 117 and 340.
_San Luís Rey_ (St. Louis the king). See page 30.
_San Marcial_ (St. Martial) was the Bishop of Limoges, and is especially
noted for the conversions he accomplished, in particular that of the
beautiful virgin St. Valerie, who suffered martyrdom for her faith.
_San Marcos_ (St. Mark). “This evangelist was a disciple of St. Peter.
He founded the church at Alexandria, and on account of his miracles the
heathen accused him of being a magician; and at length, while celebrating
the feast of their god Serapis, they seized St. Mark and dragged him
through the streets until he died. Then immediately there fell a storm
of hail, and a tempest of lightning came with it which destroyed his
murderers.” His remains were removed in A. D. 815 to Venice, where the
splendid cathedral of St. Mark was erected over them. Many legends are
told of this saint, among them the story of his having saved the city of
Venice from destruction by demons, who raised a great storm and came in a
boat for that purpose, but were driven away by St. Mark, who went to meet
them and held up a cross.
_San Marino_, near Los Ángeles, was named for a saint who was born in
Dalmatia in the fourth century. He was a poor laborer and was employed
in the reconstruction of the bridge of Rimini. His piety attracted the
attention of the Bishop of Brescia, who ordained him as a deacon. Marino
retired to Mount Titano, and gave himself up entirely to religious
practices. His cell attracted others, and this was the origin of the city
and republic of San Marino, the smallest republic in the world.
_San Martín_ (St. Martin). See pages 181 and 340.
_San Matéo_ (St. Matthew). See pages 234 and 340.
_San Matéo Point_ (St. Matthew Point). See page 83.
_San Miguel_ (St. Michael). See page 123.
_San Miguelito_ (little St. Michael).
_San Nicolás_ (St. Nicholas). Little that is authentic can be obtained
concerning the history of this saint, but there are numerous legends
of miracles performed by him, several of them connected with raising
children from the dead, and similar stories. St. Nicholas is the chief
patron of Russia and of many sea-port towns, and is the protector against
robbers and violence. He is also the patron of children and schoolboys in
particular, and of poor maidens, sailors, travelers, and merchants.
_San Onofre_ (St. Onophrius). See page 83.
_San Pablo_ (St. Paul). See page 234.
_San Pasqual_ (St. Pascal). This saint was a Spanish peasant, born
in Aragón in 1540. He was a member of the Franciscan order, and was
remarkable for his unfailing courtesy and charity to the poor.
_San Pedro_ (St. Peter). See page 84.
_San Pedro_, _Santa Margarita_, _y las Gallinas_ (St. Peter, St.
Margaret, and the chickens), combined names of three land grants.
_San Quentín_ (St. Quentin). See pages 235 and 341.
_San Rafael_ (St. Raphael). See page 220.
_San Ramón_ (St. Raymond). See page 235.
_San Simeón_ (St. Simeon). See page 128.
_Santa Ana_ (St. Anne). See page 59.
_Santa Ana y Quién Sabe_ (St. Anne and “who knows”), combined names of
two land grants.
_Santa Anita_ (St. Annie, or little St. Anne).
_Santa Bárbara._ See page 89.
_Santa Catalina_ (St. Catherine). See page 62.
_Santa Clara_ (St. Clara). See page 167.
_Santa Clara del Norte_ (St. Clara of the north).
_Santa Cruz_ (holy cross). See page 153.
_Santa Fé_ (holy faith), near Los Ángeles. See page 341.
_Santa Cruz Island._ See page 101.
_Santa Gertrudis_ (St. Gertrude). St. Gertrude the Great was a
benedictine nun and mystic writer, born in Germany in 1256. She is
especially noted for her learning and religious writings, all of which
were written in Latin. She was charitable to the poor and had the gift of
miracles.
_Santa Inez_, also spelled _Ynez_ (St. Agnes). See pages 109 and 341.
_Santa Lucía_ (St. Lucy). See page 129.
_Santa Margarita_ (St. Margaret). See page 129.
_Santa Margarita y las Flores_ (St. Margaret and the flowers), combined
names of two land grants.
_Santa María_ (St. Mary). See page 110.
_Santa Mónica_ (St. Monica). See page 61.
_Santa Paula_ (St. Paula). See page 113.
_Santa Rita_ is the name of a village in Monterey County, near Salinas.
The patron saint of this place was born at Rocca Porena in 1386 and died
in 1456. Her feast day is May 22, and she is represented as holding
roses, or roses and figs. When but twelve years of age Santa Rita was
compelled by her parents to marry a cruel, ill-tempered man. This man was
murdered, and after his death, his widow desired to enter the convent at
Cascia, but was at first refused admission on account of her widowhood.
She was finally received, however, and so many miracles were reported to
have been performed at her intercession that she was given in Spain the
title of _La Santa de los Imposibles_ (the saint of the impossibilities).
_Santa Rosa_ (St. Rose). See page 246.
_Santa Susana_ (St. Susanna). This saint, who was remarkable for her
beauty and learning, was a relative of the Emperor Diocletian, who
desired her as a wife for his adopted son Maximus. St. Susanna, having
made a vow of chastity, refused this offer, and Diocletian, angered by
her refusal, sent an executioner to kill her in her own house.
_Santa Teresa_, was born at Avila in Castile, March 28, 1515. During her
earliest youth, through reading the lives of the saints and martyrs,
she formed a desire to take up religious work. In accordance with
this desire, at the age of twenty years, she entered the convent of
Carmelites, and chose as her life work the reforming of the order of
Mount Carmel, as well as the establishment of a number of convents for
men. It was she who made the Carmelites go barefoot, or sandalled. Santa
Teresa had distinct literary gifts, and her history of her life is a
work of absorbing interest, which is still read with genuine pleasure
by students of the literature of Spain. She attained a position of such
authority in that country that Philip III chose her for its second
patron saint, ranking her next to Santiago (St. James).
_Santa Ynez._ See Santa Inez. See pages 109 and 341.
_Santa Ysabel_, also spelled _Isabel_ (St. Isabella of France), who
founded the convent at Longchamps, was sister to the saintly King Louis.
She was educated with her brother by their mother, Blanche of Castile.
St. Isabel dedicated her convent to the “humility of the Blessed Virgin,”
and gave to it all her dowry. As long as the convent existed the festival
of this saint was celebrated with great splendor. (_Stories of the
Saints._)
_Santiago de Santa Ana_ (St. James of St. Anne). Land grant.
_San Timotéo_ (St. Timothy). St. Timothy was the beloved disciple of St.
Paul, whom he accompanied on many journeys. It is said that he was Bishop
of Ephesus, until at the age of eighty years he suffered the cruel fate
of being beaten to death by pagans.
_San Tomaso_ (St. Thomas), was a Galilean fisherman and one of the
apostles. “So great was his incredulity that he has always been
remembered for that rather than for his other characteristics,” and
it was in this way that the familiar expression “a doubting Thomas”
arose. At the time of the ascension of the Virgin, Thomas refused to
believe in the event, and the legend relates that in order to convince
him the Virgin dropped her girdle to him from the heavens. Three other
saints also bear this name, St. Thomas á Becket, the celebrated English
historical character; St. Thomas Aquinas, a grandnephew of Frederick
I and a man of great learning; and St. Thomas the Almoner, who was so
charitable that “as a child he would take off his own clothes to give
away to children in the street.” It is related of the last named that he
wore the same hat for twenty-six years, and that his whole life was “but
a grand series of beneficent deeds. When the hour of his death came he
had given away everything except the pallet on which he lay, and this was
to be given to a jailer who had assisted him in executing his benevolent
designs.” There is a remarkably beautiful picture of him by Murillo,
representing him as a child, dividing his clothing among four ragged
little ones.
_San Vicente_ (St. Vincent). Three saints bear this name. St. Vincent
of Saragosa was martyred during the persecution of the Christians by
Diocletian. Legend has it that his remains were guarded by crows or
ravens, and when in the year 1147 Alonzo I removed them to Lisbon, two
crows accompanied the vessel, one at the prow and one at the stern. In
pictures St. Vincent is always represented as accompanied by a crow
or raven. St. Vincent Ferraris was born at Valencia in 1357. He was a
celebrated preacher and missionary, and “so moved the hearts of his
hearers that he was often obliged to pause that the sobbing and weeping
might subside.” The third of this name, St. Vincent de Paul, was the
son of a Gascon farmer, and his charities were so various and so many
as to cause his name to be revered by all, irrespective of religious
differences. He established the Hospital La Madeleine for the Magdalens
of Paris, a foundling hospital, and numerous other charities. In truth,
the practical good done by this man during his life makes him well worthy
of the title of “saint.”
_San Ysidro._ See San Isidro. See page 341.
_Saticoy._ See page 84.
_Saucito_ (little alder).
_Saucos_ (alder-trees).
_Sausal_ (willow-grove).
_Sausalito_ (little willow-grove). See page 218.
_Sausal Redondo_ (round willow-grove). See Redondo Beach, page 82.
_El Segundo_ (the second), so called because at that place the Standard
Oil Company’s second refinery on the Pacific Coast is located. Modern.
_Sequoia_, the giant tree of California, was named for the Cherokee,
Sequoyah, who invented an alphabet for his tribe. Sequoyah, also known as
George Gist, or Guess, was the son of a white man and a Cherokee woman
of mixed blood, and was, after all, more white man than Indian. He had
a natural genius for mechanical invention, and, having been crippled
for life in a hunting accident, he occupied his time in devising the
alphabet, which was accepted with such enthusiasm by his people that
every Cherokee, of whatever age, had learned to read and write in a
few months. Sequoia, although not a place name, is given here for the
interest it may have for tourists and other persons unacquainted with the
origin of the name of the famous “big trees.”
_Serena_ (serene). See page 113. This name is spelled on some maps as
_Sereno_, but is called _Serena_ by the people of the neighborhood.
_Serra_ (a surname). See page 84.
_Sespe_, named for a former Chumash Indian village said by Indians to
have been on Sespe Creek, in Ventura County.
_Shasta._ See page 251.
_Sierra_ (saw, saw-toothed mountains). See page 293.
_Sierra Madre_ (mother sierra). See page 293.
_Sierra Morena_ (brown range) is the name of a spur of the Coast Range
commencing about ten miles south of San Francisco and running through
San Francisco County into Santa Clara County. This mountain range, which
contains some very charming scenery, may have been so named on account of
its color, or it may be the namesake of the _Sierra Morena_ of Spain. The
name is sometimes spelled _Moreno_, and one of the possibilities is that
it was named for the pioneer Moreno family.
_Sierra Nevada_ (snowy sierra). See page 293.
_Simi_, in Ventura County, is an Indian place name.
_Siskiyou._ See page 256.
_Sis Quoc_, a town and river in Santa Bárbara County, named from
_Souscoc_, a former Chumash village near the Santa Inez Mission.
_Sobrante_ (residue, surplus), a term applied to a piece of land left
over after measuring off land grants.
_Sobrante de San Jacinto_, residue of the grant called St. Hyacinth.
_Solano._ See page 268.
_Soledad_ (solitude). See page 151.
_Somis_, in Ventura County, is an Indian place name.
_Sonoma._ See page 241.
_Sonora._ See page 333.
_Soquel_, or _Souquel_, was probably derived from Usacalis, a Costanoan
Indian village situated in 1819 within ten miles of the Santa Cruz
Mission.
_Soscol._ See Suscol.
_Sotoyome_, a former Chumash Indian village near Santa Inez Mission, in
Santa Bárbara County.
_Stanislaus._ See page 275.
_Suerte_, a word of many meanings (luck, chance, lot of ground). In the
apportionment of land by the Spaniards a _suerte_ was a cultivable lot of
land granted to colonists near the pueblos and within the four leagues
assigned to the pueblo. Each suerte consisted of two hundred varas
of length and two hundred of breadth, a vara being about thirty-three
inches. Thus one _suerte_ is one lot (of land), and not, as one writer
has translated it, “one chance.” _Dos suertes_ is two lots.
_Suisún._ See page 269.
_Suñol_ (a surname). See pages 236 and 341.
_Sur_ (south). For Point Sur see page 162. In this vicinity the scenery
is remarkably picturesque.
_Del Sur_ (of the south), is in Los Ángeles County.
_Suscol_ was the name of a Moquelumnan tribe who lived in a village on
the east bank of Napa River. See Soscol.
_Tahoe._ See page 306.
_Tallac_, an Indian word, meaning not ascertained.
_Tamalpais._ See page 213.
_Tambo_, South American for inn, or hotel, so called because in early
days there was a stopping place in this vicinity for travelers crossing
the continent. Near Marysville.
_Tenaya Peak_, in Yosemite Valley, named for Ten-ei-ya, chief of the
Yosemite Indians.
_Tasajara_, the name of a resort near Monterey, is probably a corruption
of _tasajera_, a place where jerked meat is hung up to cure. Tassajara
in Contra Costa County, and Tasajero creek in Contra Costa and Alameda
Counties are probably different spellings of the same word.
_Tecolote_ (owl).
_Tehachapi._ See page 289.
_Tehama._ See page 265.
_El Tejón_ (the badger), is in Kern County. Tejón Pass is badger pass.
_Temécula._ See page 47. Temécula is in the southern part of Riverside
County.
_Temescal_ (sweathouse). See page 70.
_Tequisquite_ is an Aztec word, probable meaning saltpetre.
_Tía Juana._ See page 47.
_Tiburón_ (shark). See page 220.
_Tierra Seca_ (dry land).
_Tocaloma._ See page 236.
_Todos Santos_ (all saints).
_Todos Santos y San Antonio_ (all saints and St. Anthony).
_Tolenos_, in Yolo County, is probably a misspelling of Yolenos, from the
Indian _Yolo_. See page 268.
[Illustration: THE TALLAC TRAIL TO TAHOE.]
_Toluca_, near Los Ángeles, is probably derived from _Tolujaa_, or
_Tilijaes_, a tribe among the original ones at San Juan Capistrano in
1731, although there is also a place named Toluca in Mexico.
_Tomales._ See page 236.
_Topo Creek_ (gopher creek).
_Toro_ (bull). See pages 85 and 163.
_Toros_ (bulls).
_Tortuga_ (turtle, tortoise).
_Trabuco_ (blunderbuss, a sort of wide-mouthed gun), but it may not be
used in that sense in this case. See page 85. Trabuco Canyon is in Orange
County.
_Trampa del Oso_ (bear trap).
_Trampas_ (traps, snares), perhaps named in reference to traps which were
in common use among the Indians to catch game, as well as their human
enemies. In Contra Costa County.
_Tranquillón Mountain_ is in Santa Bárbara County. _Tranquillón_ is a
mixture of two kinds of grain, such as wheat and rye, called in English
“mastlin,” or “maslin.”
_Tres Ojos de Agua_ (three springs of water).
_Tres Pinos._ See page 163.
_Trigo_ (wheat), is 128 miles from Stockton.
_Trinity County._ See page 257.
_Trinidad Bay_ and town. See page 257.
_Triunfo_ (triumph), is in Los Ángeles County.
_Trópico_ (tropical), near Los Ángeles.
_Truckee._ See page 305.
_Tulare_ (place of rushes). See page 281.
_Tularcitos_ (little rushes, little Tulare ranch).
_Tulucay Rancho_, near Napa State Hospital, is derived from the Indian
word _tuluka_ (red).
_Tunitas_ is a place near San Francisco on the Ocean Shore Road. The
tunita is a beach plant sometimes called the “beach apple.” _Tuna_ is the
Spanish name for the common cactus known as “prickly pear.”
_Tuolumne._ See page 315.
_Tustín_ (a surname), a place in Orange County, near Santa Ana. Fernando
Tustín was one of the early settlers, and came to California in 1845.
_Ukiah._ See page 262.
_Usal_, in Mendocino County. This is an Indian word, derived from
_yosal_, or _yusal_, the name of a tribe of Pomos, living on the coast
from Usal northward.
_Las Uvas_ (the grapes). See page 163.
_Vacaville._ See page 289.
_Valencia Peak_, near San Luís Obispo. Valencia is a surname.
_Valle_ (valley).
_Vallecito_ (little valley) is the name of places in Calaveras and San
Diego Counties. See page 334.
_Los Vallecitos de San Marcos_ (the little valleys of St. Mark).
_Vallejo_ (a surname). See pages 236 and 341.
_Valle Mar_ (sea valley), on the Ocean Shore, near San Francisco.
Improper construction. It should be _Valle del Mar_ (valley of the sea).
_Valle de San Felipe_ (valley of St. Philip).
_Dos Valles_ (two valleys).
_Valle de San José_ (valley of St. Joseph).
_Valle Verde_ (green valley). See page 85.
_Valle Vista_ (valley view). See page 85. Improper construction. It
should be _Vista del Valle_ (view of the valley).
_Vega_, an open plain, or tract of level land. Vega is also a surname.
_Las Vegas_ (the meadows). Fremont refers to the _vegas_ of the Southern
Central Valley in these terms: “We encamped in the midst of another very
large basin, at a camping ground called _Las Vegas_, a term which the
Spaniards use to signify fertile or marshy plains, in contradistinction
to _llanos_, which they apply to dry and sterile plains.”
_Vega del Río del Pájaro_ (plain of the river of the bird).
_Venado_ (deer), is in Colusa County.
_Ventura_ (fortune). See page 113.
_Verano_ (summer), is west of Napa.
_Verde_ (green), twelve miles from San Luís Obispo.
_Verdugo_ (a surname in this case). See page 85.
_Los Vergeles_ (flower gardens, beautiful orchards).
_Vicente Point_ (Point Vincent). See page 85.
_Viento_ (wind), is in San Bernardino County.
_Las Vírgenes_ (the virgins). See page 341.
_Vista_ (view), in San Diego County.
_Bella Vista_ (beautiful view).
_Buena Vista_ (good view).
_Chula Vista_ (charming view). See page 42.
_Vista Grande_ (large view), is in San Matéo County.
_Monte Vista_ (mountain view). Improper construction. It should be _Vista
del Monte_ (view of the mountain).
_Río Vista_ (river view). See page 289. Improper construction. It should
be _Vista del Río_ (view of the river).
_Vizcaíno Cape_, named for the celebrated Spanish explorer Sebastián
Vizcaíno, who touched at various points on the California coast in the
year 1602.
_Volcán_ (volcano).
_Wahtoque_ is an Indian word meaning “pine nut,” the name of a place near
Fresno.
_Wawona_, an Indian word of disputed meaning. See page 334.
_Weitchpec_, near Hoopa valley, Humboldt County. “The Weitspekan family
consisted of the Yurok tribe alone, inhabiting the lower Klamath River
and adjacent coast. The name is adapted from Weitspekw, the name of
a spring in the village. At the site of the present post-office of
Weitchpec was one of the most populous Yurok villages, and one of only
two or three at which both the Deerskin dance and the Jumping dance were
held.”—(A. L. Kroeber in _Handbook of American Indians_.)
_Las Yeguas_ (the mares), referring to a pasture where mares were kept.
_Yerba Buena_ (good herb). See page 205.
_Yokohl_, in Tulare County. This was the name of a Yokuts tribe formerly
living on the Kaweah River, Tulare County.
_Yolo._ See page 268.
_Yorba_ (a surname). This was the name of one of Captain Fages’ original
Catalán volunteers. Yorba is near Los Ángeles.
_Yosemite_ (grizzly bear). See page 321.
_Yreka._ See page 258.
_Yuba._ See page 266.
_Yucaipe_, in San Bernardino County, is an Indian place name.
_Zamora_, probably named for the province of the same name in the ancient
kingdom of León, in Spain. There is an old proverb about this place which
says: “No se ganó Zamora en una hora” (Zamora was not taken in an hour),
the same idea as expressed in “Rome was not built in a day.”
_Zapatero Creek_ (shoemaker creek).
ADDENDA
_Las Calabazas_ means “the squashes” or “the gourds,” particularly with
reference to the wild gourds that grow in that locality.—(Mr. Charles F.
Lummis.)
_El Chorro_ (the gushing stream), is the name of a creek near San Luís
Obispo, and was so named from a waterfall on its course.
_Garvanza_ is a corrupt word, possibly corrupted from _garbanzo_
(chick-pea). The town name is a modern one, not given by Spaniards but
by tenderfeet, and there is no known reason for its application.—(Mr.
Charles F. Lummis.)
_León_ turns out not to be of Spanish origin.
In a recent publication on a California subject the definition of _Palo
Alto_ is given as “high hill,” and of _Palo Verde_ as “green hill,” both
of which are, of course, incorrect. Anyone who will take the trouble
to consult an ordinary Spanish dictionary will find that _palo_ means
“stick.” As stated elsewhere in this book, the Spaniards used this word
in the sense of “tree,” and _Palo Alto_ consequently means “high tree,”
as is fully set forth under the heading of this name in these pages. The
meaning of _Palo Verde_ is, of course, “green tree.”
_Pecho_ (breast) Rock is so named from the shape of the rock.
_Prado_ (meadow) is a modern name applied without much regard for its
fitness.—(Mr. Charles F. Lummis.)
_Rivera_ should be spelled with a “b” instead of a “v.” It means “banks
of a stream,” and the name is given for this reason.—(Mr. Charles F.
Lummis.)
_Serena_ (serene) is incomplete in this form, as Spaniards do not use an
adjective standing alone as a place name. It may have been originally _La
Ensenada Serena_ (the serene bay) in reference to the charming little
cove situated there.
_Triunfo_ (triumph) is a modern real estate name, and has no historical
significance that can be discovered.—(Mr. Charles F. Lummis.)
[Illustration]