Who lived in Yosemite National Park before humans?
By the late 18th century, it appears that most of Yosemite was populated by Southern Miwok people, with Central Miwok people utilizing the northern quarter of the park. The lives of Indian people in the Sierra Nevada have changed greatly since the 1790s, when the first influences of non-Indians were felt.
Why do Native Americans live in Yosemite?
Nature Rules! The Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation people were one of the original tribes of Yosemite National Park and surrounding areas of what is now the state of California. Archeological evidence shows Native Americans living in Yosemite Valley for 5,500 years, sustained by the natural resources provided by this unique environment.
Who was the first superintendent of Yosemite National Park?
The administration of Yosemite National Park was transferred to the newly formed National Park Service in 1916, when W. B. Lewis was appointed as the park's superintendent.
Who was the first person to visit Yosemite Valley?
Extermination of native culture became a policy of the United States Government. The first confirmed sighting of Yosemite Valley by a non-indigenous person occurred on October 18, 1849, by William P. Abrams and a companion. Abrams accurately described some landmarks, but it is uncertain whether he or his companion actually entered the valley.
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Who was the first pioneer in Yosemite Valley?
The First Pioneer Settler of Yosemite Valley. James Chenowith Lamon (pronounced “lemon”), a native of Virginia, came to California during the Gold Rush in 1851. Lured by stories of a great valley he was one of the first few hundred tourists to visit Yosemite in the late 1850s.
When did Lamon buy the property rights to Yosemite?
After deciding to make the Valley his home, Lamon bought the possessory rights of several men in 1859 . Yosemite and much of the Sierra Nevada had not been officially surveyed to be offered at auction by the General Land Office.
What was the granite carved from in Yosemite?
The recently cleaned monument was carved from a piece of granite taken from Yosemite Valley. James C. Lamon made a life for himself in Yosemite at a special time. By providing food for visitors and horses, he contributed a vital part of the budding tourist industry here.
Where was the first log cabin built?
Lamon got busy on his new land and built a small log cabin, the first one in the Yosemite Valley, located in the east end near the present day stables. Several other pioneers still maintained claims in the Valley, but this marked the first real homestead by settlement.
Who was Lamon's friend?
It seems Lamon’s friends were nervous too. James Mason Hutchings, an early settler and friend of Lamon, writes about it in his 1888 book, In the Heart of the Sierras: “…an Indian had been seen in the settlements with a fine gold watch, that, it was surmised, belonged to Mr. Lamon.
Did the American Indians live in Yosemite Valley?
Lamon demonstrated what the American Indians in the area had known for centuries, living through the winter in Yosemite Valley was possible. This is a fact that Hutchings and other settlers took note of and began making their plans to live year round in the Valley too.
Who was the first European American to visit Yosemite Valley?
Joseph Walker, circa 1860. He may have been the first European American to see Yosemite Valley.
How long have Native Americans lived in Yosemite Valley?
Human habitation in the Sierra Nevada region of California reaches back 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. Historically attested Native American populations, such as the Sierra Miwok, Mono and Paiute, belong to the Uto-Aztecan and Utian phyla. In the mid-19th century, a band of Native Americans called the Ahwahnechee lived in Yosemite Valley. The California Gold Rush greatly increased the number of non-indigenous people in the region. Tensions between Native Americans and white settlers escalated into the Mariposa War. As part of this conflict, settler James Savage led the Mariposa Battalion into Yosemite Valley in 1851, in pursuit of Ahwaneechees led by Chief Tenaya. The California state military forces burned the tribe's villages, destroyed their food stores, killed the chief's sons, and forced the tribe out of Yosemite. Accounts from the Mariposa Battalion, especially from Dr. Lafayette Bunnell, popularized Yosemite Valley as a scenic wonder.
What happened to the Yosemite tribe?
The California state military forces burned the tribe's villages, destroyed their food stores, killed the chief's sons, and forced the tribe out of Yosemite. Accounts from the Mariposa Battalion, especially from Dr. Lafayette Bunnell, popularized Yosemite Valley as a scenic wonder.
How many cubic feet did the Yosemite floods have?
Large floods covered Yosemite Valley in 1937, 1950, 1955, and 1997. These floods had a flow rate of 22,000 to 25,000 cubic feet (620 to 700 m 3) per second, as measured at the Pohono Bridge gauging station in Yosemite Valley.
What was the condition of Yosemite Valley?
Conditions in Yosemite Valley were made more hospitable to non-indigenous people, and access to the park was improved in the late 19th century. Indigenous people continued to be forced out periodically, while white settlers were paid a total of $60,000 to move out of the valley.
Where did the Paiutes live?
Paiutes were the primary inhabitants of the Yosemite area and the foothills to the east during the Mariposa and historic phases. The Central Sierra Miwoks lived along the drainage area of the Tuolumne and Stanislaus Rivers, while the Paiutes inhabited the upper drainage of the Merced and Chowchilla Rivers.
How long have humans lived in Yosemite?
Humans may have lived in the Yosemite area as long as 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. Habitation of the Yosemite Valley proper can be traced to about 3,000 years ago, when vegetation and game in the region was similar to that present today; the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada had acorns, deer, and salmon, while the eastern Sierra had pinyon nuts and obsidian. Native American groups traveled between these two regions to trade and raid.
Where is the Yosemite Museum?
Yosemite National Park’s signature archive, the Yosemite Museum is located on the north side of Yosemite Valley in the shadow of North America’s tallest waterfall, Yosemite Falls. It offers interpretive displays on the cultural history of Yosemite’s native Miwok and Paiute people from 1850 to the present.
What are the Miwuk events in Yosemite?
Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation events include bear dances, spiritual walks and cultural camps in Yosemite Mariposa, along with powwows and fundraisers. Most are open to the public and wonderful ways to learn more and show respect for the Miwuk culture as they bring people together. Check the official Yosemite National Park calendar for future events.
Where did the Miwuk live during the California gold rush?
While their plight has been difficult, many Southern Sierra Miwuk still reside in Yosemite Mariposa County, ...
Who inhabited Yosemite Valley?from yosemite.ca.us
Centuries before the advent of the white man , Yosemite Valley is believed to have been inhabited by Indians. With the ravages of wars and black sickness the Ahwahneeches, a powerful tribe—and one of the last to occupy the “deep, grassy valley” —became practically annihilated The few disheartened survivors left to affiliate with other neighboring tribes.
What tribes lived in Yosemite?from yosemite.ca.us
The Indians of Yosemite belong to a group or family known as the Miwok who, before the white man came, owned the tract from the Cosumnes River on the north to the Fresno on the south, and from the crest of the Sierra Nevada to the edge of the San Joaquin Valley. The name Miwok is not strictly a tribal appellation; it is simply the word in the language of these Indians which means "people." In default of any specific designation for them, this term Miwok has been applied in distinction from other groups of aborigines. Of such groups, there may be mentioned as neighbors: the Maidu to the north in the Sierra; the Yokuts to the south in the foothills and to the southwest in the San Joaquin Valley; and the Mono to the south in the high Sierra, and to the east in Owens Valley and about Mono Lake. Excepting the Mono (who are an offshoot from the Paiutes and other Shoshoneans of Nevada and the Great Basin country) the other groups of Indians adjacent to the Miwok are very similar to them in physical type and customs, and even show a probable, although distant, relationship to them in speech. In short, the Miwok are typical and representative California Indians, and in this capacity form part of the large body of tribes known as "Diggers." This is, however, a misleading name; partly because it carries a tinge of contempt, and still more because it lumps together a variety of nationalities that sometimes differed pretty thoroughly in their speech or were even unaware of one another’s existence. For this reason the more accurate terms Miwok, Maidu, and Yokuts are preferable.
What happened to the Yosemite expedition?from yosemite.ca.us
On arriving in the Yosemite Valley this expedition surprised and captured five Indians wearing or carrying clothing belonging to the murdered men. They were summarily shot. The remainder of the Yosemites with their old chief Teneiya made their escape, and fled over the mountains into the Mono country. The soldiers pursued but were unable to catch any of them. The party lost a few horses, killed by the Indians. They explored the region about Mono Lake, discovered some gold deposits, and then returned to the fort on the San Joaquin by a route that led south of the Yosemite Valley. This expedition was made in June and July 1852.
What did Captain Boling do to the Yosemite?from yosemite.ca.us
Captain Boling continued his pursuit of the remainder of the Yosemites into the snow-clad high country, and with his soldiers surprised them as they were encamped on the shores of Tenaya Lake. The Indians, realizing that resistance was futile, surrendered. Records state that so anxious was Captain Boling to advance upon the Indians when their camp was discovered that he did not allow his soldiers sufficient time to don their uniforms. They were given the command to march four miles over and through ten feet of snow stripped to their red flannel underwear.
What are the names of the Miwok tribes?from en.wikipedia.org
The United States Bureau of Indian Affairs officially recognizes eleven tribes of Miwok descent in California. They are as follows: 1 Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians 2 California Valley Miwok Tribe, formerly known as the Sheep Ranch Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians 3 Chicken Ranch Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians 4 Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, formerly known as the Federated Coast Miwok 5 Ione Band of Miwok Indians, of Ione, California 6 Jackson Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians 7 Middletown Rancheria (members of this tribe are of Pomo, Lake Miwok, and Wintun descent) 8 Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Shingle Springs Rancheria (Verona Tract) 9 Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians of the Tuolumne Rancheria 10 United Auburn Indian Community of Auburn Rancheria 11 Wilton Rancheria Indian Tribe
What happened in 1851?from en.wikipedia.org
In 1851, during the Mariposa War, California State Militia troops of the Mariposa Battalion burned Ahwahnechee villages and took their food stores. The state militia with Savage as their major and the Indian Commissioners from Washington were called out to either convince or force the natives to sign treaties.
How many Yosemite were captured?from yosemite.ca.us
At the outset, five Yosemites were captured, three of whom were Chief Tenaya’s sons. Of these captives, Captain Boling released one of Tenaya’s sons and his son-in-law, under promise that they would bring in the old chief so that treaty might be made; the other three were held as hostages.
How long have humans been on Yosemite?
Humans have existed on Yosemite’s landscape for thousands of years and have helped shape how we experience Yosemite today.
What is the story of Yosemite National Park?
It tells a story of different cultures (sometimes working together, sometimes in violent clashes) creating the place we call Yosemite National Park and defining how we experience it. Yosemite’s rich human history tells a story of conflict, dreams, diversity, hardships, adventures, and preservation of one of the first national parks.
Who was the first female park ranger?
In 1918, Yosemite's Clare Marie Hodges became the first female park ranger in the National Park Service. At first glance, Yosemite’s natural wonders are easy to observe. Sights around the park are iconic in the human experience of national parks.
Why is Yosemite called Yosemite?
The name Yosemite is simply a corruption of the term which the southern Miwoks applied to any species of bear and particularly to the grizzly, 2 and was given to the valley, as we shall see, because the white people who first came in contact with its native inhabitants called them Yosemites.
Why did Yosemite get the name Teneiya?
He was ruling over the tribe when the white men came to the valley. When asked about the name Yosemite he is reported to have said that when he was a young chief this name had been selected for the tribe—because they occupied the mountains and valleys which were the favorite resort of the grizzly bear, and because his people were expert in killing them. That his tribe had adopted the name because those who had bestowed it were afraid of "the grizzlies" and feared his band. 1
What is the name of the valley in Yosemite?
Ethnologically the natives of the Yosemite Valley belonged to the Mariposa dialect group of the southern Sierra Miwok Indians, and the ethnologists assure us that the Indian name for the valley was, and still is, Awani (Ahwahnee), which was the name of the principal village in the valley, and by extension, the name of the people also. The ending tci (or chee), signifying location or origin, is sometimes added to Awani (or Ahwahnee) when speaking of the people. The name Yosemite is simply a corruption of the term which the southern Miwoks applied to any species of bear and particularly to the grizzly, 2 and was given to the valley, as we shall see, because the white people who first came in contact with its native inhabitants called them Yosemites.
What tribe lived in the Fair Valley of Ahwahnee?
From time immemorial there had dwelt in the fair valley of Ahwahnee the powerful tribe of the Ahwahneechees. To this place they believed the Great Spirit had led them from their original home in the far-distant west. In their new, high-walled home the Ahwahneechees were secure from attack, and their warlike prowess made them feared and respected by all the other tribes of the mountains. But at length an evil time came upon them. Wars and a fearful pestilence decimated the tribe. The valley was held to be accursed, and the feeble remnant of its inhabitants fled to their neighbors or to the wild tribes across the mountains. For many years the valley was deserted.
How wide is the Rancherias of Yosemite?
The rancherias of the Yosemitees is described as being in a valley of surpassing beauty, about 10 miles in length and 1 mile broad. Upon either side are high perpendicular rocks, and at each end through which the Middle Fork runs, deep canyons, the only accessible entrance to the valley. The forest trees, such as pine, fir, redwood, and cedar, are of immense height and size.
Which tribes had agreed to come in to talk with the commissioners?
Among the tribes which had agreed to come in to talk with the commissioners was one which the latter called the "Yosemetos" 2 and which Adam Johnston, the Indian agent, refers to as the "Yocemete." 3 This tribe had failed to appear, and reports brought in by friendly Indians indicated that they had no intention of coming in. One of these friendly Indians is reported to have said:
Is Yosemite Valley a mystery?
The beginnings of human life in the Yosemite Valley are shrouded in impenetrable mystery. As we seek to trace back the history of the people who were occupying the region when white men first entered its fastnesses we come almost immediately into the realm of myth and legend, from which it is impossible to extract any element of attested fact. But from the Indian legends, filtered through the imagination of the white folk, we can draw out a fairly consistent story, which, in the absence of authentic history, may serve as an introduction.
How long have Indians lived in Yosemite?
Indian people have lived in Yosemite for nearly 4,000 years. Miwok legends tell of the creation of people here, and of events that took place long before the coming of non-Indians. By the late 18th century, it appears that most of Yosemite was populated by Southern Miwok people, with Central Miwok people utilizing the northern quarter of the park.
What changed in Yosemite when non-Indians arrived?
When non-Indians began settling in the Yosemite area, life changed drastically for the native residents. Euro-American clothing styles and foods were adopted. Men worked in a variety of jobs, including guides, wrangles and wood cutters for local non-Indians, and women provided childcare, housekeeping services, and wove baskets to sell to non-Indian residents and visitors.
Who lived here?
Although we know very little about the earliest residents, people have been living in the Yosemite area for as long as 8,000 years. Archeological evidence suggests that the earliest people ground seeds on small flat stones and hunted using spears and atlatls.
What is the name of the valley in Yosemite?
Yosemite Valley came to be called Ahwahnee, meaning gaping mouth-like place. The people called themselves Ahwahneechee.
When did the Indian Village in Yosemite disappear?
After 1900, the number of Indian people living in Yosemite began to shrink. The older Indian Village was disbanded in the early 1930s and a group of cabins was established as a new Indian Village (with the National Park Service as landlord). With housing more difficult to obtain, fewer Indian people came to Yosemite for employment. The National Park Service gradually dismantled the new village, and the last homes there were razed in 1969.
What happened in 1849 in California?
The California Gold Rush of 1849 brought thousands of non-Indian miners to the Sierra Nevada. Many miners were ruthless in their search for gold, and thousands of Miwok people were killed or died of starvation. Yosemite Valley was first entered by non-Indians in 1851 by the Mariposa Battalion, a state-sponsored militia. The Battalion made two attempts to remove the Indian people to the Fresno River Reservation, but those attempts, along with a U.S. Army punitive expedition in 1852, were ultimately unsuccessful in removing the Indian people from the Yosemite region.
When was Yosemite Falls?
Yosemite Falls in Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California, circa 1865. (Carleton E. Watkins/Getty Images) "I was pretty small," Whitmore says.
Who was the first person to climb Half Dome?
Warren had wanted to be the first to climb the face of Half Dome, the sliced rock made famous by Ansel Adams’ photography. But in July of 1957, Royal Robbins' team got there first. Warren is said to have met them at the top to congratulate them, but …. "Two days later, he says, ‘I’m going after El Cap,’ " Long says.
How long did it take Warren Harding to climb El Capitan?
Warren Harding and his crew reached the top of El Capitan 60 years ago this month. It took them 45 days over 18 months. Today, it takes just a few days to climb that same route. At night, you can see their tiny beams of light from the Yosemite Valley, beckoning new climbers to take on the adventure.
How many feet a day does El Capitan climb?
Because of the extreme difficulty of the climbing we anticipated slow progress — perhaps no more than 100 to 200 feet a day. Long says El Capitan was considered the greatest prize in rock climbing. It’s steep, it’s long and large cracks in the granite block the path.
Why did the park rangers ban climbing?
Because of the crowds, park rangers banned climbing between Memorial Day and Labor Day. So the team had to pack it in for the year. In spring of 1958, Harding tried again with a new team. One of the members was Richard Calderwood.
Was Royal Robbins a free climber?
He says Royal Robbins was a free climber — he wanted to make his way up the rock with as little equipment as possible. "Harding didn’t care about free climbing," Long says. "He didn’t care about putting bolts in the wall. He didn’t really care about anything but getting up things.
Overview
Human habitation in the Sierra Nevada region of California reaches back 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. Historically attested Native American populations, such as the Sierra Miwok, Mono and Paiute, belong to the Uto-Aztecan and Utian phyla. In the mid-19th century, a band of Native Americans called the Ahwahnechee lived in Yosemite Valley. The California Gold Rush greatly increased the number of no…
Early history
Humans may have lived in the Yosemite area as long as 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. Habitation of the Yosemite Valley proper can be traced to about 3,000 years ago, when vegetation and game in the region was similar to that present today; the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada had acorns, deer, and salmon, while the eastern Sierra had pinyon nuts and obsidian. Native American groups travel…
State grant
Visitation and interest in Yosemite continued to grow through the American Civil War. Unitarian minister Thomas Starr King visited the valley in 1860 and saw some of the negative effects that settlement and commercial activity were having on the area. Six travel letters by Starr King were published in the Boston Evening Transcript in 1860 and 1861; Starr King became the first person with a …
National park
Immediately following his arrival in California in March 1868, naturalist John Muir set out for the Yosemite area, where he found work tending to the sheep owned by a local rancher, Pat Delaney. Muir's employment provided him with the opportunity to study the area's plants, rocks, and animals; the articles and scientific papers he wrote describing his observations helped to popularize th…
Human impact
Plans for reducing human impact on the park were released by the Park Service in 1980. The General Management Plan specified a reduction of 17 percent in overnight accommodations, a 68 percent reduction in staff housing and removal of golf courses and tennis courts by 1990, yet there were still 1,300 buildings in Yosemite Valley and 17 acres (6.9 ha) of the valley floor were covered by parki…
Notes
1. ^ NPS 1989, p. 102.
2. ^ Wuerthner 1994, pp. 12–13.
3. ^ "Native American life in Yosemite Valley. A trip into early Yosemite American Indian life". The Hive. Archived from the original on December 16, 2008. Retrieved June 6, 2009.
External links
• Yosemite: the Park and its Resources (1987) by Linda W. Greene
• "Historic Yosemite Indian Chiefs – with photos". Archived from the original on 2012-12-04. Retrieved 2019-04-06.
• Guardians of the Yosemite (1961) by John W. Bingaman