RLF 
 
 MORENO'S 
 
 Dictionary of 
 
 SPANISH -NAMED CALIFORNIA 
 CITIES AND TOWNS 
 
GIFT OF 
 

 
 If It's Spanish, It's in This Book! 
 
 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii 
 
 |MO R ENO'S 
 
 I Dictionary of 
 
 (SPANISH -NAMED CALIFORNIA 
 I CITIES AND TOWNS 
 
 Containing: 
 
 The definition and correct pronunciation of every 
 Spanish -named City, Town, Village and Hamlet 
 in California; the heretofore practically un- 
 known origin of the name of California and the 
 much-less known derivation and definition of 
 the name of every County in the State. 
 
 Compiled from the latest U. S. Postal and Parcel 
 Zone Guides; California Blue Book; Velazquez 
 Dictionary; Southern Pacific & Union Pacific 
 Maps and Authentic Sources. 
 
 AN ACCURATE, READY REFERENCE 
 For All Schools, Newspaper Offices, Etc. 
 
 Compiled and Edited By 
 
 H. M. MORENO - San Luis Obispo, Cal 
 
 (Copyrighted 1916.) 
 

Foreword 
 
 At no time in the history of California has 
 the need for a Dictionary of this nature been 
 so imperative. Never before, since the admis- 
 sion of California into the Sisterhood of States, 
 has there been so much genuine historic inter- 
 est manifested in the quaint names, their sig- 
 nificance and derivation, and which, up to 
 this time, have long been the subject of much 
 discussion and conjecture. 
 
 In twenty years of experience as a news- 
 paperman in various lands and in different 
 climes, the author has been beset by thousands 
 of inquiries from home and from a distance, 
 as to the proper pronunciation, definition and 
 derivation of California Spanish names. So 
 numerous have been the inquiries, and so great 
 the renewed interest manifested, more especially 
 among visitors, that the time and labor ex- 
 pended in this compilation would seem justifi- 
 able. 
 
 Since the Panama-Pacific International Ex- 
 position has been held in Sau Francisco, 
 
 357723 
 
4 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 now that the Panama-California Exposition is 
 in progress in San Diego, there appears to have 
 been a very marked revival of interest in the 
 early names of California. 
 
 Millions of visitors to the Exposition, extend- 
 ing their travel to the southern section of the 
 State, wherein these old Spanish names are 
 more numerous than elsewhere, have left a trail 
 of inquiries in their travels, and a country- 
 wide wreath of smiles at their efforts to pro- 
 nounce correctly the many curious names. 
 
 Frequently, among the visitors, reference was 
 made to the "San Joe-ah-quinn" valley. On 
 a " rubber-neck " wagon in the south, a brilliant 
 Eastern visitor was heard to make a reference 
 to "San Jay-sintoe." Undoubtedly the city of 
 Los Angeles suffered the most, many referring 
 to it as "Los Angle-lees/' "Los Angee-lees," 
 "Los An-gay-lays," etc. 
 
 Interesting above all, is the subtle manner 
 adopted by the old Mission Padres in naming 
 the towns and cities after Saints, biblical char- 
 acters, and events leading up to and from the 
 birth, life and crucifixion of the Humble Naz- 
 arene, with the object in view of keeping these 
 events ever fresh in the minds of the Neophytes 
 (Indian converts.) 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 5 
 
 An attempt has been made to spell the Span- 
 ish names out in English in such a manner that 
 the reader will be enabled to approach the 
 Spanish pronounciation as nearly accurate as 
 possible. To facilitate this important feature 
 a Spanish alphabet has been incorporated in 
 this work. 
 
 All definitions, derivations and names which 
 may be seen in this Dictionary are the same 
 and hold good in whatever State in the Union 
 they have been used as names of cities, etc. 
 This has special reference to all such names 
 in Mexico, Lower California, Texas, Arizona, 
 New Mexico, all the South American Republics, 
 and wherever else the Spaniards have been in- 
 strumental in naming cities, towns, or places. 
 
 Everything much time, money and labor 
 devoted to this compiliation, has been sacrificed 
 to Accuracy. Authorities for this work are 
 the most authentic to be hoped for: Velazquez, 
 the acknowledged Noah Webster of the Span- 
 ish language; Gen. Mariano G. Yallejo and 
 Prentiss Maslin in the California Blue Book; 
 United States Postal and Parcel Post Guides; 
 Southern Pacific and Union Pacific Maps ; Rail- 
 road Blue Book, and Irvine's History of Cali- 
 fornia. 
 
6 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 All translations are from the Spanish strict- 
 ly. No effort has been made to define or class- 
 ify coined Spanish- American words, combina- 
 tions, or Indian and Spanish mixtures. 
 
 Such words as "Pasadena," "Capitola," 
 "Altadena," and many with the Spanish eu- 
 phony, are not Spanish, but coined to suit the 
 fancy of the founders of such communities. 
 
 Great care should be taken in the coinage 
 of Spanish- American combinations, lest the 
 "counterfeiters" be led into the paths of the 
 ridiculous, as in the case of those who are 
 responsible for the christening of a community 
 in one of the southern counties. Undoubtedly, 
 the intent of the sponsors for the new-born 
 community meant to lay particular stress upon 
 the quality of ozone in that section, as the 
 place has been named "Ozena." As this name 
 means in Spanish "fetid ulcers of the nostrils," 
 the author took it upon himself to omit the 
 word and spare the dignity of the commun- 
 ity and its residents. 
 
 In conclusion, do not be too precipitate with 
 criticism. You may know some Spanish name 
 (supposedly) that does not appear in this book. 
 
 Be sure that the name is Spanish, and that 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 7 
 
 it is the name of a city, town, village or ham- 
 let. 
 
 If any names have been omitted, it is be- 
 cause they are too remote to be reached even 
 by the rural free deliveries of the State, and 
 are, therefore "not on the map." 
 
 IMPORTANT! 
 
 By way of postscript, remember the Span- 
 ish "a" is always "ah," and is always pro- 
 nounced like the "a" in the English word 
 "father." 
 
 "E" is always pronounced "eh," like the 
 English "e" in "fed." 
 
 "H" is always silent in the Spanish lan- 
 guage. 
 
 "0" is always pronounced "oh," like the 
 "o" in the English word "protect." 
 
 Observe these simple suggestions, and the cor- 
 rect pronunciation of Spanish names is great- 
 ly simplified. 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
 San Luis Obispo, Cal., 1916. 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 9 
 
 SPANISH ALPHABET. 
 
 The Spanish alphabet contains twenty-seven letters, 
 exclusive of K and W, which are used only in foreign 
 words. It contains, however, three characters, ch. II, 
 and n, which are regularly regarded as separate let- 
 ters. Ch (tchay) has been considered a separate let- 
 ter since 1803. LI and n are called "ligatured con- 
 sonants," both having a consonant y sound after the 
 letter represented. The alphabet is as follows: 
 A, a (ah). 
 
 Always pronounced like a in the English words 
 "art" and "father." B, b (bay). 
 
 Pronounced as in English, although in some parts 
 of Spain it is confused with V. 
 
 C, c (thay). 
 
 When followed by a, o, u or any consonant, sounds 
 like fc; before e and i, it sounds like th in "think." 
 
 Ch, ch (tchay). 
 Pronounced like ch in "child." 
 
 D, d (day). 
 
 Pronounced as in English. At the end of words it 
 sounds somewhat like th in "though." 
 
 E, e (ay). 
 
 Pronounced like the sound of a in the word "male." 
 
 F, f (ay-fay). 
 Pronounced as in English. 
 
 G, g (hay). 
 
 Has two distinct sounds; before a, o, u, or con- 
 sonant, it sounds like g in the English words "girl" 
 and "good"; before e and i, it sounds like h in the 
 English words "high," "hay." 
 
 H. h, (ah-tchay). 
 
 Is silent in the Spanish language, pronounced as if 
 no such h were there. 
 
 I, i (e). 
 Sounds like e in the English word "evil." 
 
 J, j (hoe-tan). 
 
 Is pronounced like h in the English words "horse," 
 "hall," "hill." L, 1 (ai-lay). 
 
 Pronounced as in English. 
 
10 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 LI, 11 (ail-yay). 
 
 Similar sound to the English word "William." At 
 the beginning of a word the first I is vocalized; the 
 second given with a consonant y sound following. 
 
 M, m (ai-may). 
 Pronounced as in English. 
 
 N, n (ai-nay). 
 Pronounced as in English. 
 
 N, n (ain-yay). 
 
 Always pronounced like ni in the English words 
 "pinion/' "minion." O, o (o). 
 
 Pronounced like the English o in the word "or- 
 gan," and when accented, like the o in "old." 
 
 P, p (pay). 
 Pronounced as in English. 
 
 Q, q (coo). 
 
 Pronounced as the English k before ue and ttf, in 
 all other instances it has been replaced by c. 
 
 R, r (er-ay). 
 
 When single is pronounced as in English; at the 
 beginning of a word and when double, it has a 
 strong rolling sound. Nearest possible sound: rr 
 er'-ray. Final r has the full rolling sound, almost 
 like double r in English. 
 
 S, s (ai-say). 
 
 Pronounced like the English s in the words "say," 
 "simple," "seven." T, t (tay). 
 Pronounced as in English 
 
 U, u (oo). 
 
 Pronounced as the English u in the word "pull"; 
 it is silent in the syllables que, gui, except when it 
 has a diaeresis over it, thus u. In the syllables que, 
 qui, is always silent. 
 
 V, v (vay). 
 Pronounced as in English. 
 
 X, x (ay-kiss). 
 Has the sound of x in the English word "flax." 
 
 Y, y (e-gree-ai-gah). 
 Has the sound of e in the English word "evil." 
 
 Z, z (thay-tah). 
 Pronounced like th in the English word "thin." 
 
Definitions of the Spanish Names 
 
 of Cities, Towns, Villages and 
 
 Hamlets of California 
 
 A. 
 
 Acampo (Ah-cahm'-poe). Portion of common 
 given to graziers or herds for pasture. 
 
 Adelaida (Ah-deh-lye'-dah). Spanish for Ade- 
 laide; feminine proper name. 
 
 Agua Caliente (Ah'-goo-ah Cahl-e-en'-tay) . Hot 
 Springs; hot water. 
 
 Alameda (Ah-lah-meh'-dah). A grove of poplar 
 trees; a public walk. 
 
 Alamo (Ah'-lah-mo). Poplar tree. 
 
 Albion (Ahl-be-on')- Ancient Spanish name 
 given to England. For a long time California 
 was known as "Nueva Albion," meaning in Span- 
 ish "New England." 
 
 Alcatraz (Ahl-cah-trath'). Pelican; a sea fish 
 caught in India. 
 
 Alcalde (Ahl-cahl'-day). Justice of the Peace; 
 a police judge. 
 
 Alhambra (Ahl-ahm'-bra). Name of a city in old 
 Spain. 
 
 Alisal (Ahl-lee-sahl'). Clump of Alder or Elder- 
 berry trees. 
 
 Alma (Ahl'-mah). Soul; spirit; feminine proper 
 name; human being. 
 
 Alta (Ahl'-tah). High ground; elevated; emi- 
 ence. 
 
 Alta Ix>ma (Ahl'-tah Loe'-mah). Rising ground; 
 hillock; high mountain. 
 
12 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 Alturas (Ahl-toor'-ahs). Heights; loftiness; sum- 
 mits. 
 
 Alvarado (Ahl-vah-rah'-doe). In honor of Juan 
 Bautista Alvarado, one of the last governors of 
 California under Mexican rule. 
 
 Alviso (Ahl-vee'-soe). In honor of Assemblyman 
 Alviso of Alameda, member of a pioneer family 
 among the earliest settlers in California. 
 
 Amador (Ah-mah-dor'). In honor of Sargeant 
 Pedro Amador, pioneer settler and soldier; 
 amador also means a lover; a sweetheart. (See 
 origin of counties.) 
 
 Andrade (Ahn-drah'-day). So named in honor of 
 the Andrade family, which settled in California 
 in the early days. 
 
 Aptos (Ahp'-tohs). The apt; the fit; the com- 
 petent. 
 
 Arabela (Ah-rah-bell'-ah). jArafoella; feminine 
 proper name. 
 
 Arena ( Ah-reh'-nah ) . Sandy locality ; sand. 
 
 Armada (Ahr-mah'-dah). The navy; naval fleet; 
 armada. 
 
 Aromas (Ah-roh'-mahs). Aromatic quality; per- 
 fume; fragrancy. 
 
 Arroyo Grande (Ah-roy'-o Grahn'-day). Big 
 creek; wide stream. 
 
 Atascadero (Ah-tahs-cah-deh'-roe). A deep miry 
 place, in which horses, carriages, etc., stick 
 fast; obstruction. 
 
 Asuncion (Ah-soon-thee-own'). In honor of the 
 "Feast of the Assumption," a name given by 
 the Padres to commemorate the miraculous as- 
 cent to heaven of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 
 
 A. vila ( Ah'-vee-lah ) . In honor of the founder of 
 the town, Don Juan V. Avila. 
 
 B. 
 
 Balboa (Bahl-boe'-ah). In honor of the discover- 
 er of the Pacific Ocean. 
 
 Bellota (Bell-e-o'-tah). Acorn; place where acorns 
 abound. 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 13 
 
 Bernardo (Behr-nahr'-doe). Bernard; masculine 
 
 proper name. 
 Berremla (Behr-rehn'-dah). Field of yellow 
 
 wheat; reindeer doe. 
 Berros (Beh'-rohs). Water cresses. 
 Blanco (Blahn'-coh). White; hoary; honored; 
 
 whitish field. 
 
 Boca (Boh'-cah). Entrance; mouth; hole. 
 Bodega (Boh-deh'-gah). Wine vault; abundant 
 
 vintage. 
 Bolinas (Boh-lee'-nahs). Bowlines of a ship; a 
 
 noise of a scuffle. 
 
 Bonita (Boh-nee'-tah). Pretty; graceful. 
 Brea (Bray '-ah). Pitch; tar; asphaltum. 
 
 C. 
 
 Cajon (Kah-hone'). Square box; shaped like a 
 box. 
 
 Calabasas (Kah-lah-bah'-sahs). Pumpkins; pump- 
 kin patch! 
 
 Calieiite (Kah-lee-n'-tay). Hot; warm; sunny 
 climate. 
 
 Camarillo (Kah-mah-reer-e-o). In honor of Juan 
 Camarillo, founder. 
 
 Camino (Kah-meen'-oh). Highway; road. 
 
 Campo (Kahm'-poe). Camp; woods; forest. 
 
 Campo Seco (Kahm'-poe Seh'-coe). Dry camp; 
 dry woods; dry forest. 
 
 Cantara (Kahn'-tah-rah). Large, narrow-mouthed 
 pitcher; of that shape. 
 
 Carbon (Kahr-bohn'). Carbon; coal; where coal 
 abounds. 
 
 Carlota (Kahr-loh'-tah). In honor of Queen Char- 
 lotte. 
 
 Carmel (Kahr-mehl'). In honor of "Nuestra Se- 
 nora del Carmen." (The Virgin Mary, Our Lady 
 of Mt. Carmel.) 
 
 Carpinterla ( Kahr-peen-teh-ree'-ah ) . Carpenter 
 shop; carpentry. 
 
14 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 Casa Desierto (Kah'-sah Deh-see-ehr'-toe) . House 
 
 in the desert. 
 Casa Verdugo (Kah'-sah Vehr-doo'-go) . House 
 
 among young verdure; house of the Verdugo 
 
 family. 
 
 Cazadero (Kah-tha-deh'-roe). Hunting grounds. 
 Chico (Chee'-coe). In honor of Mariano Chico, 
 
 one of the last of California's governors under 
 
 Mexican rule; the word also signifies anything 
 
 small or little. 
 Chiles (Chee'-less). Peppers, either red or green; 
 
 chile plantation. 
 Chino (Chee'-noe). Curly hair; Chinaman; 
 
 crispy. 
 Chula Vista. (Choo'-lah Vees'-tah). Quaint or 
 
 pretty view; chic. 
 Cisco (Thees'-coe). Coal dust; broken coal; coal 
 
 screenings. 
 Cima (Thee'-mah). Uppermost point; summit; 
 
 on top. 
 
 Colma (Kohl'-mah). A fill-in; filled; heaped. 
 Concepcion (Kohn-thep-thee-on'). In honor of 
 
 the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin 
 
 Mary; feminine proper name. 
 Conejo (Kohn-eh'-hoe). Rabbit; where rabbits 
 
 abound. 
 Constancia (Kohn-stahn'-thee-ah) . Constancy; 
 
 immutability; Constance, feminine proper name. 
 Corona (Koh-roh'-nah). Crown; priest's tonsure; 
 
 seven-decade rosary of Roman Catholic Church. 
 Coronado (Koh-roh-nah'-doe). Crowned; shaped 
 
 like a crown. 
 Corral de Tierra (Koh-rahl' deh Tee-eh'-rah). Sod 
 
 or soil fence. 
 Corral de Piedra (Koh-rahl' deh Pee-eh'-drah). 
 
 Stone or rock fence. 
 
 Corralitos (Koh-rah-lee f -toes). Small yards or cor- 
 rals. 
 Corte Madera (Cor'-tay Mah-deh'-rah). Timber 
 
 court; lumber camp. 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 15 
 
 Coyote (Koh-yoe'-tay). Common coyote; a jackal. 
 
 Crucero (Krew-thay'-roe). Crossing; Cross Bear- 
 er who carries the cross before the archbishops 
 in procession. 
 
 D. 
 
 Dehesa (Day-eh'-sah). Arable lands converted 
 
 to pastures. 
 Del Mar (Dehl Mahr). Of the ocean; from the 
 
 ocean; pertaining thereto. 
 Del Monte (Dell Mohn'-tay). Of the forest; from 
 
 the forest. 
 
 Del Bey (Dell Ray). Of or from the King. 
 Del Sur (Dell Soor). Of or from the South. 
 De Imz (Deh Looth). Of the light; clarity; 
 
 lustre. 
 De Sabla (Deh Sah'-blah). In honor of the pioneer 
 
 De Sabla family. 
 Descanso (Deh-skahn'-soh). Rest; repose; quiet; 
 
 a placid bay or port. 
 Dos Palos (Dohs Pah'-lohs). Two trees; two 
 
 sticks; two stumps. 
 Dos Pueblos (Dohs Poo-eh'-bloes) . Two towns; 
 
 two cities. 
 
 Dos Bios (Dohs Ree'-ohs). Two rivers. 
 Duarte (Doo-ahr'-tay). In honor of the Pioneer 
 
 Duarte family. 
 Dulzura (Dool-thoc/-rah). Sweetness; pleasing 
 
 manners. 
 
 E. 
 
 El Cajon (El Kah-hone'). Shaped like a box; 
 square box. 
 
 El Centro (El Sen'-troh). The center; central 
 part. 
 
 El Dorado (El Doh-rah'-doh). See origin of coun- 
 ties. 
 
 Elmira (El-mee'-rah). Feminine proper name. 
 
 El Monte (El Mohn'-teh) . The forest; the woods; 
 the wilds. 
 
16 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 El Portal (El Pohr-tahl'). The portage; entry; 
 door. 
 
 El Segundo (El Seh-goon'-doe) . The second (II) . 
 
 El Toro (El Toh'-roe). The bull; Taurus. 
 
 El Venado (El Veh-nah'-doe). The deer; the 
 buck. 
 
 El Verano (El Veh-rah'-noe) . The Summer. 
 
 Encanto (En-kahn'-toe). Enchantment; charm; 
 fascination. 
 
 Encinitos (En-thee-nee'-toes). Small ever-green 
 oaks. 
 
 Escalon (Es-kah-lone')- Step; scale; step of a 
 stairway. 
 
 Escondido (Es-kohn-dee'-doe). Concealed; hid- 
 den nook. 
 
 Esmeralda (Es-meh-rahl'-dah). Emerald; femi- 
 nine proper name. 
 
 Esparto (Es-pahr'-toe). Spanish broom-grass. 
 
 Estrella ( Es-treh'-lee-ah ) . Star. 
 
 Estudillo (Es-too-deel'-e-o). In honor of the Es- 
 tudillo family, pioneer settlers in Southern Cal- 
 ifornia. 
 
 P. 
 
 Famoso (Fah-moh'-soh). Famous; celebrated. 
 
 Farallon ( Fah-rah-lee-ohn' ) . Small, pointed 
 Islands in the sea. 
 
 Florin (Floh-reen'). A silver coin. (Undoubted- 
 ly a misnomer, evidently intended to refer to 
 flowers.) 
 
 Fontana (Fohn-tah'-nah). In honor of the pioneer 
 Fontana family; also means fountain; springs. 
 
 Fortima (For-too'-nah). Fortune; riches; fem- 
 inine proper name. 
 
 Fresno (Fres'-noe). Ash-tree. (See origin of 
 counties) . 
 
 Pmto (Froo'-toe). Productiveness; fruitfulness. 
 
 G. 
 
 Gaviota (Gah-vee-o'-tah). A sea gull; where 
 gulls abound. 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 17 
 
 Gavilan (Gah-vee-lahn'). Sparrow or chicken 
 
 hawk. 
 
 Goleta (Goh-leh'-tah). A schooner; a ship. 
 Gonzales (Gohn-thal'-less). In honor of the pio- 
 
 neer Gonzales family. 
 
 Gorda (Gohr'-dah). Fat; corpulent; (feminine). 
 Guadalupe (Wad-ah-loo'-pay). In honor of "Nu- 
 
 esta Senora de Guadalupe," "Holy Mary, our 
 
 Lady of Guadalupe," (Mexico). 
 Graciosa (Grah-thee-o'-sah). Graceful; (femi- 
 
 nine). 
 Guinda ( Geen'-dah ) . Cherry ; ( Cherryland ) . 
 
 H. 
 
 Hermosa (Err-moe'-sah). Beautiful; handsome. 
 Hernandez (Err-nahn'-deth). In honor of the 
 
 early Spanish explorer. 
 Hilo (Ee'-loe) . Thread. 
 
 L 
 
 Ignacio (Ee-nah'-thee-o) . Ignatius; masculine 
 
 proper name. 
 Indio (Een'-dee-o). Indian; bluish coloring. 
 
 La Canada (Lah Kahn-nee-yah'-dah). Small can- 
 
 yon or gulch. 
 
 Lagunitas (Lah-goo-nee'-tahs). Small lakes. 
 La Honda (Lah Ohn'-dah). A dam; depths of 
 
 water. 
 
 La Mesa (Lah Meh'-sah). The table; table-lands. 
 La Mirada (Lah Mee-rah'-dah). The view; 
 
 glance; gaze; viewpoint. 
 La Panza (Lah Pahn'-thah). The belly; paunch- 
 
 like protuberance. 
 Las Lomas (Lahs Loh'-mahs). The hills; small 
 
 mountains. 
 Las Plumas (Lahs Plume'-ahs). The feathers; 
 
 plumes; (see origin of counties). 
 La ton (Lah-tohn'). Brass; latten. 
 
IS DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 Llanada (Lee-ah-nan'-dan). Tract of level 
 ground; a plain. 
 
 Llano (Lee-ah'-noe). A plain; level ground. 
 
 Llano del Bio (Lee-ah'-noe dell Ree'-o). Tract 
 of level ground in a river-bed where a stream 
 has left or changed its course. 
 
 Lolita (Lo-lee'-tah). Contraction of the fem- 
 inine and masculine proper name of Dolores, 
 signifying dolor, grief, pain and commemorat- 
 ing the anguish of the Blessed Virgin Mary at 
 the Crucifixion. 
 
 Loma Linda (Loh'-mah Leen'-dah). Pretty hill. 
 
 Loma Portal (Loh'-mah Pohr-tahl'). Portage 
 hill; hill near a portal. 
 
 Loma Prieta (Loh'-mah Pree-eh'-tah). Black hill 
 or mountain. 
 
 Lomita (Loh-mee'-tah). Little hill or knoll. 
 
 Los Alamitos (Lohs Ah-lah-mee'-toes). Small 
 poplar grove. 
 
 Los Alamos (Lohs Ah'-lah-moes) . Grove of grown 
 poplars. 
 
 Los Altos (Lohs Ahl'-toes). The heights; sum- 
 mits. 
 
 Los Angeles (Lohs An'-hell-less). The Angels. 
 In honor of "Nuestra Senora, La Reina de Los 
 Angeles," (Our Lady, Queen of Angels.) Los 
 Angeles is a contraction of the original name 
 given this city, which was "El Pueblo del Rio 
 de Nuestra Senora, La Reina de Los Angeles de 
 Porciuncula." (See origin of counties.) 
 
 Los Banos (Lohs Bah'-nee-ohs) . The Baths; 
 bathing place; springs. 
 
 Los Gatos (Lohs Gah'-toes). The Cats; where 
 cats abound. 
 
 Los Molinos (Lohs Moh-lee'-noes). The Mills. 
 
 Los Nietos (Lohs Nee-eh'-toes). The Grandchil- 
 dren; masculine. 
 
 Los Olivos (Lohs Oh-lee'-vohs) . The Olive Trees; 
 olive grove. 
 
 Lucia (Loo-thee'-ah). Lucy; feminine proper 
 name. 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 19 
 
 M. 
 
 Madera (Mah-deh'-rah). Timber; wood. (See 
 origin of counties.) 
 
 Malaga (Mah'-lah-gah). Name of a city in Spain; 
 a wine. 
 
 Manzana (Mahn-tha'-nah). Apple; where apples 
 abound. 
 
 Manteca (Mahn-teh'-cah). Lard; fat. 
 
 Manton (Mahn-tohn'). A large mantle; a shawl 
 similar to the mantilla. 
 
 Manzanar (Mahn-tha-nar'). Apple orchard. 
 
 Mariposa (Mah-ree-poh'-sah). Butterfly. (See 
 origin of counties). 
 
 Martinez (Mahr-tee'-neth). In honor of pioneer 
 Martinez family. 
 
 Melones (Meh-loh'-ness). Melons of any kind. 
 
 Mendocino- (Mehn-dbe-thee'-noe). In honor of 
 Viceroy Mendosa. (See origin of counties.) 
 
 Merced (Mehr-thed'). In honor of Nuestra Senora 
 de La Merced, (Our Lady of Mercy). (See 
 origin of counties.) 
 
 Mesa Grande (Meh'-sah Grahn'-day). Big Table; 
 extensive table lands. 
 
 Milpitas (Meel-pee'-tahs). Small truck gardens. 
 Dim. of milpas. 
 
 Mlna (Mee'-nah). Mine; mineral deposit. 
 
 Mineral ( Mee-neh-rahl' ) . Mineral. 
 
 Mira Flores (Mee'-rah Floe'-ress). Flower-view; 
 overlooking flowers. 
 
 Miramar (Mee'-rah-mahr). Ocean-view; over- 
 looking the sea. 
 
 Mira Monte (Mee'-rah Mohn'-teh). Forest-view; 
 overlooking the wilds. 
 
 Modesto (Moh-dehs'-toe). Modesty; chastity. This 
 name was originally given to the Padres in the 
 feminine, Modesta, to commemorate the Mod- 
 esty, Chastity and Purity of the Virgin Mary, 
 but usage has caused the masculine to be used 
 almost exclusively. However, it is a masculine 
 as well as a feminine Spanish proper name, and 
 
20 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 though the definition is the same in either gen- 
 der, the feminine is more accurate. 
 Montalvo (Mohn-tahl'-voe). In honor of Garcia 
 
 Ordonez de Montalvo. (See origin of the name 
 
 of California.) 
 Monte Bello (Mohn'-teh Bel'-lee-o). Beautiful 
 
 forest or woods. 
 Monterey (Mohn-teh-ray'). Kingly Forest; King 
 
 of the Forest. 
 Montecito (Mohn-teh-thee'-toe). Small forest; 
 
 wildwood. 
 Moreno (Moh-reh'-noe). Brown; brunette or 
 
 swarthy male; name of a pioneer family which 
 
 settled in Monterey. 
 Morena (Moh-reh'-nah). A brunette; feminine 
 
 of Moreno. 
 Morro (Moh'-roe). Any high-rounding eminence; 
 
 shaped like a Castle. 
 Murrieta (Moo-ree-eh'-tah). Name of notorious 
 
 Mexican bandit (Joaquin Murrieta), who with 
 
 a gang of outlaws, terrorized California in the 
 
 early fifties. 
 
 N. 
 
 Nacimiento (Nah-thee-mee-n'-toe) . Nativity; 
 Source; commemorating the Birth of the 
 Saviour. 
 
 Naranjo (Nah-rahn'-hoe). An orange tree. 
 
 Navarro (Nah-vah'-roe). In honor of pioneer 
 family of that name. 
 
 Novato (Noh-vah'-toe). New; innovation; be- 
 ginning. 
 
 Nuevo (Noo-eh'-voe). New; commencement; 
 just started. 
 
 O. 
 
 Ora (Oh'-rah). Now; at present. 
 
 Oriental ( Oh-r ee-n-tahl' ) . Oriental ; pertaining 
 
 to the Orient. 
 Oro Loma (Oh'-roe Loe'-mah). Gold Hill. 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 21 
 
 Oro Grande (Oh'-roe Grahn'-day). Coarse gold; 
 big gold; nuggets. 
 
 P. 
 
 Pacheco (Pah-chay'-coe). In honor of the pio- 
 neer Pacheco family of which the head, Romu- 
 aldo Pacheco, was one of California's first gov- 
 ernors under American rule. 
 
 Pala ( Pah'-lah ) . Shovel ; fire-shovel. 
 
 Palo Alto (Pah'-loe Ahl'-toe). Tall tree; tall 
 stump; tall stick. 
 
 Palo Cedro (Pah'-loe Thay'-droe). Cedar stump; 
 cedar stick; cedar tree. 
 
 Palo Verde (Pah'-loe Vehr'-day). Green stump; 
 green stick. 
 
 Pantano (Pahn-tah'-noe). Lake or reservoir for 
 irrigation purposes; marsh. 
 
 Paso Robles (Pah'-soe Roh'-bless). Pass of the 
 Oaks. 
 
 Patata (Pah-tah'-tah). Potato; where potatoes 
 abound. 
 
 Pescadero ( Pehs-cah-day'-roe ) . Fishing grounds ; 
 schools of fish. 
 
 Picacho (Peek-ah'-choe). Small mountain peak. 
 
 Pico (Pee'-coe). In honor of the pioneer Pico 
 family, head of which, Don Pio Pico, was Cali- 
 fornia's last governor under Mexican rule. 
 
 Piedra (Pee-eh'-drah). Rock; stone. 
 
 Pinole (Pee-noe'-lay). A beverage made by Mex- 
 icans consisting of ground, baked or toasted 
 corn, sugar, and water or milk. 
 
 Planada (Plah-nah'-dah). Level ground; a plain. 
 
 Pleito (Play'-toe). Litigation; fight; argument; 
 wordy war. 
 
 Plumas (Plume'-ahs). Feathers. (See origin of 
 counties.) 
 
 Portola (Pohr-toe'-lah). In honor of Don Gas- 
 par de Portola, California's first Spanish gov- 
 ernor. 
 
22 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 Potrero (Poe-tray'-roe). Place where bronco 
 
 horses are broken. 
 Pozo (Poe'-tho). A well of any kind, water or 
 
 oil, etc. 
 Prado (Prah'-doe). Green meadows, fields, 
 
 lawns. 
 Presidio (Pray-see'-dee-o). Military Post. (See 
 
 origin of Monterey county.) 
 Puente (Poo-n'-tay). Bridge of any kind. 
 Paraiso ( Pah-rah-ee'-soe ) . Paradise. 
 Pulga ( Pool'-gah ) . Plea. 
 Punta Gorda (Poon'-tah Gohr'-dah). Fat Point; 
 
 big point. 
 
 B. 
 
 Ramona (Rah-moh'-nah). Feminine of Ray- 
 mond (Ramon). 
 
 Redondo (Reh-dohn'-doe). Round; rounding or 
 circular in shape. 
 
 Represa (Reh-preh'-sah). A dam. 
 
 Riego (Ree-eh'-goe). Irrigation. 
 
 Rio Bravo (Ree'-o Brah'-voe). Swollen river; 
 swift of current; wild stream. 
 
 Rio Lindo (Ree'-o Leen'-doe). Pretty river. 
 
 Rio Vista (Ree'-o Vees'-tah). River-view; over- 
 looking a river. * 
 
 Rivera (Ree-veh'-rah). Spanish family name; 
 river; stream. 
 
 Rodeo (Roh-day'-o). Round-up of cattle, horses, 
 etc. 
 
 S. 
 
 Sacate (Sah-cah'-tay). Hay; grass. 
 
 Sacramento ( Sah-crah-mehn'-toe ) . Sacrament ; 
 commemorative of the Lord's Supper. 
 
 Salida (Sah-lee'-dah). Starting point; departure; 
 outlet; projection. 
 
 Salinas (Sah-leen'-ahs). Salt mines; salty lo- 
 cality. 
 
 San Andres (Sahn Ahn-drehs'). St. Andrew. 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 23 
 
 San Anselmo (Sahn Ann-sell'-moe). St. Anselm. 
 
 San Renito (Sahn Beh-nee'-toe). Dim. of St. 
 Benedict. 
 
 San Bernardino (Sahn Behr-nahr-dee'-noe). St. 
 Bernard; St. Bernardinus. 
 
 San Bruno (Sahn Broo'-noe). St. Bruno. 
 
 San Carlos (Sahn Cahr'-loes). St. Charles. 
 
 San Clemente (Sahn Clay-men '-tay). St. Cle- 
 ment. 
 
 San Diego (Sahn Dee-eh'-goe) . St. James. 
 
 San Dimas (Sahn Deem'-ahs). St. Dimas. 
 
 San Fernando (Sahn Fehr-nahn'-doe) . St. Fer- 
 dinand. 
 
 San Francisco (Sahn Frahn-thees'-coe). St. Fran- 
 cis. 
 
 San Gabriel (Sahn Gah-bree-eP). St. Gabriel. 
 
 San Geronimo (Sahn Heh-roe'-nee-moe) . St. Je- 
 rome; St. Hierome. 
 
 San Gregorio (Sahn Greh-goo'-ree-o). St. Greg- 
 ory. 
 
 San Isidro (Sahn Ee-see'-droh). St. Isadora 
 
 San Jacinto (Sahn Hah-theen'-toe). St. Hya- 
 cinth. 
 
 San Joaquin (Sahn Who-ah-keen')- St. Joachim. 
 
 San Jose (Sahn Ho-zay'). St. Joseph. 
 
 San Juan (Sahn Whan). St. John. 
 
 San Juan Bautista (Sahn Whan Bah-oo-tees'-tah). 
 St. John the Baptist. 
 
 San Juan Capistrano (Sahn Whan Cah-pees-trah'- 
 noe). St. John of Capistrano, Italy, his birth- 
 place. 
 
 San Leandro (Sahn Lee-ahn'-droe) . St. Leander. 
 
 San Lorenzo (Sahn Loh-rehn'-tho). St. Laurence. 
 
 San Lucas (Sahn Loo'-cahs). St. Luke. 
 
 San Luis Obispo (Sahn Loo'-ees Oh-bees'-poe). 
 St. Luis, the Bishop. 
 
 San Luis Key (Sahn Loo'-ees Ray). St. Luis the 
 King. 
 
 San Marcos (Sahn Mahr'-coes). St. Mark. 
 
 San Martin (Sahn Mahr-teen'). St. Martin. 
 
24 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 San Mateo (Sahn Mah-tay'-o). St. Matthew. 
 
 San Miguel (Sahn Mee-gell'). St. Michael. 
 
 San Miguel Arcangel (Sahn Mee-gell' Ahr-cahn'- 
 hell). St. Michael the Archangel. 
 
 San Pablo (Sahn Pah'-bloe). St. Paul. 
 
 San Pedro (Sahn Pay'-droe). St. Peter. 
 
 San Quintin (Sahn Keen-teen'). St. Quintin. 
 
 San Rafael (Sahn Rah-fah-ell'). St. Raphael. 
 
 San Ramon (Sahn Rah-mone'). St. Raymond. 
 
 San Simon (Sahn See-mone'). St. Simon. (This 
 is now erroneously called and spelled "San 
 Simeon.") 
 
 Santa Ana (Sahn'-tah A'-na). St. Ann. 
 
 Santa Anita (Sahn'-tah Ah-nee'-tah). St. Anita. 
 
 Santa Barbara (Sahn'-tah Bahr'-bahr-ah). St. 
 Barbara. 
 
 Santa Clara (Sahn'-tah Clah'-rah). St. Clara. 
 (See origin of counties.) 
 
 Santa Cruz (Sahn'-tah Crooth). Holy Cross. 
 
 Santa Fe (Sahn'-tah Fay). Holy Faith. 
 
 Santa Ines (Sahn'-tah E-ness'). St. Agnes. 
 
 Santa Isabel (Sahn'-tah E-sah-bell'). St. Eliza- 
 beth. 
 
 Santa Lucia (Sahn'-tah Loo-thee'-ah). St. Lucy. 
 
 Santa Margarita ( Sahn'-tah Mahr-gah-ree'-tah ) . 
 St. Margaret. 
 
 Santa Maria (Sahn'-tah Mah-ree'-ah). St. Mary; 
 Holy Mary. 
 
 Santa Monica ( Sahn'-tah Moh'-nee-kah ) . St. 
 Monica. 
 
 Santa Paula (Sahn'-tah Pah'-oo-lah). St. Pau- 
 line. 
 
 Santa Rosa (Sahn'-tah Roe'-sah). St. Rose. 
 
 Santa Susana ( Sahn'-tah Soo-sah'-nah ) . St. 
 Susan. 
 
 Santos ( Sahn'-tohs) . Saints. 
 
 Sanzalito (Sah-oo-thal-ee'-toe). Clump of wil- 
 lows; Dim. of sauzal. (This is now erroneously 
 called and spelled "Saucelito.") 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 25 
 
 Serena (Seh-reh'-nah). Serene. Feminine proper 
 name. 
 
 Serra (Se'-rah). In honor of the Rev. Father 
 Junipero Serra, first Franciscan Monk to land in 
 California, and who founded all the Missions in 
 this State, Arizona, and Mexico. Father Serra's 
 remains are buried in the sacristy of the Mis- 
 sion Carmel, Monterey, which was at the time 
 of the death of Father Serra, the seat of gov- 
 ernment of all the Missions. 
 
 Sierra Madre (See-eh'-rah Mah'-dreh) . See origin 
 Sierra county. 
 
 Soledad ( Soh-leh-dad' ) . Solitude. Feminine 
 proper name. 
 
 Sonora (Soh-noh'-rah). Name of State in Mex- 
 ico; a musical instrument. 
 
 T. 
 
 Tasajera ( Tah-sah-hay'-rah ) . Place where j erkey 
 is made. Strings of meat, beef or venison, hung 
 out to dry in the sun. 
 
 Tia Juana (Tee'-ah Wha'-nah). Aunt Jenny; 
 Aunt Jane. 
 
 Tierra Bella (Tee-en '-rah Bell'-lee-ah). Beauti- 
 ful land or country. 
 
 Tierra Buena (Tee-eh'-rah Boo-eh'-nah). Good 
 land; good country. 
 
 Tiburon (Tee-boo-rone'). Shark. 
 
 Tres Pinos (Tress Pee'-noes). Three pine trees; 
 three pines. 
 
 Topaz (Ton-path'). The valuable gem of that 
 name. 
 
 Trigo (Tree'-go). Wheat: "Wheatland." 
 
 Trinidad ( Tree-nee-dad' ). The Holy Trinity; 
 feminine proper name. 
 
 Tropico (Troh'-pee-coe). Tropic; tropical. 
 
 U. 
 
 Uno (Oo'-noe). One; first; (I). 
 
26 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 V. 
 
 Vallejo (Vah-lee-a'-lioe). In honor of Gen. Ma- 
 riano Vallejo. (See origin of counties.) 
 
 Ventura (Vehn-too'-rah). Luck; fortune; (see 
 origin of counties). 
 
 Verde (Vehr'-day). Verdure; greenery; vernal. 
 
 Vidal (Vee-dahl'). In honor of a pioneer settler. 
 
 Viola (Vee-o'-lah). Violet; musical instrument; 
 feminine proper name. 
 
Origin of the Name California 
 
 The origin of the musical name "California" 
 appears to be but little known even in this 
 State. For many years its derivation has been 
 shrouded in mystery, and though there are 
 many conjectures extant as to the etymology 
 of the word, ;in recent years the theory of Dr. 
 Edward Everett Hale, an eminent historian 
 who has devoted many years to research in 
 matters Californian, has been generally ac- 
 cepted as the most accurate. Dr. Bale's views 
 upon this most interesting subject will be readi- 
 ly approved by the intelligent reader when com- 
 pared with the attempts of others to give a 
 plausible account of the derivation of the word. 
 
 The following account of the origin of the 
 name " Calif ornia" will be found on page 26, 
 volume 1, Leigh H. Irvine's History of Cali- 
 fornia, an exhaustive work of great value, and 
 of still greater interest. A copy of this splen- 
 did work should adorn the shelves of the 
 libraries of every true Calif ornian 's home. 
 
 Mr. Irvine 'says: 
 
28 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 Professor Josiah Royce of Harvard, "Win- 
 field Davis, and other historians, now accept 
 Dr. Edward Everett Hale's conclusion that the 
 name California was derived from an old 
 romance and applied by Cortes to the peninsula 
 he discovered in 1535. Mr. Hale made his 
 investigations in the year 1862, while reading 
 the old romance, "Sergas Esplandian," by 
 Garcia Ordonez de Montalvo, the translator of 
 Amidas. In this connection it is worth while 
 to give some of the statements of the eminent 
 Doctor Hale, for there have been a number of 
 theories as to the origin of the name. He says : 
 "Coming to the reference, in this forgotten 
 romance, to the island of California, very near 
 to the Terrestrial Paradise, I saw at once that 
 here was the origin of the name of the state of 
 California, long sought for by the antiquarians 
 of that state, but long forgotten. For the 
 romance seems to have been published in 1510 
 the edition of 1521 is now in existence while 
 our California, even the peninsula of that name, 
 was not discovered by the Spaniards till 1526, 
 and was not named California till 1535." 
 
 Soon after his discovery, Mr. Hale invited 
 the American Antiquarian Society to examine 
 the evidence, and in March, 1864, he translated 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 29 
 
 for the Atlantic Monthly all the parts of the 
 story that relate to the Queen of California 
 (Califia), and in 1873 he published a small 
 volume on the subject, in which he said: "The 
 name California was given by Cortes, who dis- 
 covered the peninsula in 1535. For the state- 
 ment that he named it, we have the authority 
 of Herrera. It is proved, I think, that 
 the expedition of Mendoza, in 1532, did 
 not see California; it is certain that they 
 gave it no name. Humboldt saw, in the arch- 
 ives of Mexico, a statement in manuscript that 
 it was discovered in 1526; but for this, there 
 is no other authority. It is certain that the 
 name does not appear till 1535. No etymology 
 of this name has been presented satisfactory 
 to the historians. Venegas, the Jesuit historian 
 of California, writing in 1758, sums up the 
 matter in these words: "The most ancient name 
 is California, used by Bernal Diaz, limited to 
 a single bay. I could wish to gratify the read- 
 er by the etymology and true origin of this 
 name; but in none of the various dialects of 
 the natives could the missionaries find the least 
 traces of such a name being given by them to 
 the country, or even to any harbor, bay, or 
 small part of it. Nor can I subscribe to the 
 
30 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 etymology of some writers, who suppose the 
 name to be given to it by the Spaniards, on 
 their feeling an unusual heat at their first land- 
 ing here; that they thence called the country 
 California, compounding the two Latin words 
 calida and fornax, a hot furnace. I believe few 
 will think the adventures could boast of so 
 much literature. Clavigero, in his history of 
 California, after giving this etymology, offers 
 as an alternative the following, as the opinion 
 of the learned Jesuit, D. Guiseppe Compoi: 
 "He believes that the name is composed of the 
 Spanish word cala, which means *a little cove 
 of the sea,' and the Latin fornix, which means 
 'the vault of a building.' He thinks these 
 words are thus applied, because, within Cape 
 St. Lucas, there is a little cove of the sea 
 towards the western part of which rises a rock, 
 so worn out that on the upper part of the 
 hollow is seen a vault, as perfect as if made 
 by art. Cortes, therefore, observing this cala, 
 or cove, and this vault, probably called this 
 port California, or cala and fornix speaking 
 half in Spanish, half in Latin. Clavigero sug- 
 gests, as an improvement on this somewhat wild 
 etymology, that Cortes may have said Cala for- 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 31 
 
 nax, 'cove furnace,' speaking as in the Jesuit's 
 suggestion, in two languages." 
 
 " Towards the close of this romance of the 
 Sergas Esplandian, the various Christian 
 knights assemble to defend the Emperor of the 
 Greeks and the city of Constantinople against 
 the attacks of the Turks and Infidels. In the 
 romance, the name appears with precisely our 
 spelling, in the following passage: 
 
 "Sergas, ch. 157: 'Knows that, on the right 
 hand of the Indies, there is an island called 
 California, very near to the Terrestrial Para- 
 dise, which was peopled with black women, 
 without any men among them, because they 
 were accustomed to live after the fashion of 
 Amazons. They were of strong and hardened 
 bodies, of ardent courage, and of great force. 
 The island was the strongest in the world, 
 from its steep rocks and great cliffs. Their 
 arms were all of gold; and so were the capari- 
 sons of the wild beasts which they rode, after 
 having tamed them; for in all the island there 
 is no other metal. They lived in caves very 
 well worked out ; they had many ships, in which 
 they sailed to other parts to carry on their 
 forays.' " 
 
 The name appears in several distinct pass- 
 
32 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 ages in the book. Mr. Hale adds: "This 
 romance, as I have said, is believed to have 
 been printed first in 1510. No copies of this 
 edition, however, are extant. But of the edi- 
 tion of 1519 a copy is preserved; and there are 
 copies of successive editions of 1521, 1525, and 
 1526, in which last year two editions were 
 published one at Seville and the other at Bur- 
 gos. All of these are Spanish. It follows, al- 
 most certainly, that Cortes and his followers, 
 in 1535, must have been acquainted with the 
 romance; and as they sailed up the west side 
 of Mexico, they supposed they were precisely 
 at the place indicated 'on the right hand of 
 the Indies.' It will be remembered also, that 
 by sailing in the same direction, Columbus, in 
 his letter to the sovereigns, says 'he shall be 
 sailing towards the Terrestrial Paradise.' We 
 need not suppose that Cortes believed the 
 romance more than we do; though we assert 
 that he borrowed a name from it to indicate 
 the peninsula he found 'on the right side of 
 the Indies, near to the Terrestrial Paradise.' 
 * * * In ascribing to the Esplandian the 
 origin of the name California, I know that I 
 furnish no etymology for that word. I have 
 not found the word in any earlier romances. 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 33 
 
 I will only suggest that the root Calif, the 
 Spanish spelling for the sovereign of the Mus- 
 sulman power of the time, was in the mind of 
 the author as he invented these Amazon allies 
 of the Infidel power." 
 
 It is interesting to note that Senator James 
 D. Phelan, a student of Californiana, has named 
 his beautiful home in Saratoga, in Santa Clara 
 County, "Montalvo," in honor of the author 
 whose book gave California her name. 
 
Derivation and Definition of the 
 
 'Names of the Several Counties 
 
 of California 
 
 (Report of General Mariano G. Vallejo to the 
 
 First Legislative Session. From Calif or ma 
 
 Blue Book.) 
 
 IN SENATE, April 16, 1850. 
 To the Senate of the State of Calif orma: 
 
 The Select Committee, appointed by your 
 honorable body in the latter part of January 
 last, "to report to the Senate the derivation and 
 definition of the names of the several counties 
 of the State/' as established by the bill, en- 
 titled "An act sub-dividing the State into coun- 
 ties, and establishing the seats of justice there- 
 in," would respectfully report: 
 
 That at the time of the appointment of the 
 committee, the said bill had passed one branch 
 of the Legislature only, nor did the same re- 
 ceive the approval of the Governor until the 
 18th day of February last. Upon the same 
 day, however, another bill was introduced into 
 
36 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 the Senate, amendatory of no less than twelve 
 sections of said act; and shortly afterwards, 
 another amendatory bill to the same act was 
 introduced into the lower branch of the Legis- 
 lature. By the provisions of these two amend- 
 atory bills, a number of new counties were 
 created, the names of others changed, and the 
 original bill materially altered in many par- 
 ticulars. As it was intended that the report 
 of the committee thus appointed should con- 
 tain the derivation and definition of the names 
 of the counties as created by law, they could 
 not perfect their labors until these amandatory 
 bills had been finally acted upon, and the names 
 of the various counties and their respective 
 boundaries definitely settled. The last men- 
 tioned bill was not approved until the 5th in- 
 stant, and, consequently, but very little time 
 has been allowed to your committee to finish 
 their labors and to prepare this report. 
 
 Your committee must also state that they have 
 labored under great disadvantages in preparing 
 their report, from the absence of all books of 
 reference on the subject committed to them. 
 A resolution was adopted in your honorable 
 body, directing the Secretary to procure cer- 
 tain works on the early history of California, 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 37 
 
 and which, could they have been procured, 
 would materially have assisted your committee 
 in the discharge of their duties. But the Secre- 
 tary was unable to obtain them, and your com- 
 mittee have been compelled to depend almost 
 entirely upon recollection and upon oral in- 
 formation in the preparation of the following 
 report. 
 
 Your committee would also ask the indul- 
 gence of the Senate for having introduced under 
 the name of some of the counties anecdotes and 
 incidents of a personal character not properly 
 belonging to "the derivation and definition " 
 of the names of those counties. But the cir- 
 cumstances mentioned have become so well 
 known in those counties, and some of them are 
 so intimately connected with the family history 
 of the compiler of this report, that they have 
 been permitted to find a place therein. 
 
 With these remarks, your committee would 
 most respectfully submit the following report. 
 
 M. G. VALLEJO, Chairman. 
 April 15, 1850. 
 
38 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 EEPOET OF SELECT COMMITTEE. 
 
 San Diego. This county (St. James), derives 
 its name from its present chief town, named 
 atfer the harbor, which is only three miles dis- 
 tant therefrom. This excellent harbor was dis- 
 covered and so named by Sebastian Vizcaino, 
 admiral of the Spanish royal squadron, in the 
 year 1603; and in 1768 His Catholic Majesty, 
 by royal decree, determined upon its explora- 
 tion and settlement. Jose Galvez, Royal Com- 
 missioner (Visitador General) of New Spain, 
 was consequently intrusted with the undertak- 
 ing; and for the purpose of successfully car- 
 rying it through, two expeditions were fitted 
 out one by land, the other by water; the lat- 
 ter was carried out in the "San Carlos/' "Prin- 
 cipe/' and "San Jose/' commanded by Vicente 
 Villa, two of which vessels having reached their 
 destination respectively on the llth of April 
 and on the 1st of May, 1769, whilst the fate 
 of the third ("San Jose") still remains un- 
 known. The land expedition was divided into 
 two parts, the first being commanded by Fer- 
 nando Eivera y Moncada, and the second by 
 Captain Gaspar de Portola, Governor of the 
 Province. The first division reached its des- 
 tination on the 14th of May of said year 1769, 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 39 
 
 and there found the two above-mentioned ves- 
 sels at anchor. On the 1st of July the second 
 division also arrived safely; and on the 16th 
 of the same month and year, the land having 
 been taken possession of with the accus- 
 tomed formalities in the name of His Catho- 
 lic Majesty, the establishment of the mission 
 of San Diego was at once started under the 
 direction of the Eeverend Father Junipero Ser- 
 ra this being the first civilized settlement 
 founded in the extensive and beautiful coun- 
 try known as Upper California. 
 
 San Diego presents an arid appearance, but 
 it possesses nevertheless, a pleasant and luxuri- 
 ous climate, with a clear, blue sky, enhanced 
 by the sublime view of the Pacific Ocean. 
 
 There are no building materials or timber in 
 its vicinity, but its water is of the best that 
 is known in the country. It abounds in cop- 
 per mines, while it produces the best olives and 
 Indian pears; and although its vineyards have 
 not increased in number, yet the fruit they 
 bear is certainly of the best quality which Cali- 
 fornia yields. 
 
 Notwithstanding the departure of many fami- 
 lies from San Diego, no part of the country 
 maintains so high a claim for the amiable and 
 
40 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 sociable qualities of the fairer portion of its 
 inhabitants. Here, indeed, the grace of per- 
 son and amiability of disposition of the fair sex 
 have attracted the young men of the north, and 
 caused many of them to be led captive to the 
 altar of Hymen, thus contributing to their 
 moral subjection to the fair Dieguinas in the 
 latter 's native place, to whom the writer can not 
 but tender a tribute of admiration and re- 
 spect. 
 
 Los Angeles. This county derives its name 
 from the city of Los Angeles, which was 
 founded in the latter part of the year 1781, 
 by order of the Viceroy of New Spain, Bailio 
 Frey Antonio Bucareli y Ursua, and is situated 
 on the right bank of the "Porciuncula" river, 
 which copiously waters the highly fertile plains 
 whereon the city stands. Invited by the genial 
 climate, the inhabitants have converted a large 
 portion of this plain into a delightful garden, 
 which is covered with all sorts of native fruit 
 trees, but especially the vine, which is cultivated 
 with care and extraordinary success. 
 
 This beautiful and extensive valley, famous 
 for its excellent wines and liquors, contains 
 within its limits the ex-missions of San Juan 
 Capistrano, San Gabriel, and San Fernando, 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 41 
 
 which, to within the last few years, constituted 
 the best and richest establishments of the kind. 
 In 1832, including the environs, they numbered 
 very nearly half a million head of cattle. 
 
 From the reasons above mentioned, as well 
 as from its extent and natural advantages, 
 the county of Los Angeles is destined to be- 
 come the most populous of any in the south, 
 and doubtless many men of business, both pub- 
 lic and mercantile, tired of their avocations, 
 will retire there to enjoy a life of angels. 
 
 The white population of the county is from 
 12,000 to 15,000. 
 
 Santa Barbara. There being a distance of 
 more than five hundred miles between the mili- 
 tary posts of San Diego and Monterey, and the 
 missions of San Antonio, San Luis Obispo, San 
 Buenaventura, San Gabriel, and San Juan Cap- 
 istrano being situated in this intervening space, 
 the Governor deemed it advisable, for the pro- 
 tection of these missions, to establish another 
 post or "presidio" at some suitable point some- 
 where in their vicinity; with this object in 
 view, and with the requisite troops, and ac- 
 companied by the Reverend Presiding Father 
 Junipero Serra, he bent his steps toward these 
 missions, until reaching a valley of delightful 
 
42 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 view and rich verdancy, in April, 1782, where 
 the troops were stationed, and the new "pres- 
 idio" called "Santa Barbara," which is the 
 oldest and principal town of that immediate 
 section of country. Hence the name of the 
 county. 
 
 San Luis Obispo. This county takes its name 
 from its principal town, which is the so-called 
 mission, founded on the 1st of September, 1772, 
 by the Reverend Fathers Junipero Serra and 
 Jose Cavalier, in the fertile and beautiful hol- 
 low named "Bears' Glen," by the troops of 
 Monterey on the same day and year, from having 
 there killed a number of bears, which, being 
 cut up and dried, supplied them with meat for 
 months. There is not in California a settle- 
 ment that was more willingly and benignly re- 
 ceived by the aborigines than the mission of 
 San Luis Obispo; indeed, there was no reason 
 for any other reception on the part of the 
 Indians, since they were generously treated by 
 the whites, and received from them the benefi- 
 cial effects of their calling and the desirable 
 extermination of dangerous wild beasts. 
 
 The following circumstance, which happened 
 during the first months of the foundation of 
 San Luis Obispo, is insignificant in itself, but 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 43 
 
 the writer can not but dwell upon it for a 
 moment with the most tender feelings of the 
 heart : 
 
 As a matter o'f course, at that period few 
 families, had as yet migrated to this country, 
 and the female sex was an oasis in the desert. 
 The writer's father was one of the many who 
 immigrated here in bachelorship, and while 
 sojourning in San Luis Obispo he unexpectedly 
 met with a lady who was in travail, and about 
 to bring a new being into the world; and as 
 there was no one, save her 'husband to assist 
 her, he acted as holder (tenedor). The lady 
 was safely delivered of a girl, whereupon the 
 holder (then a young man) solicited of the par- 
 ents the hand of their child, and a formal 
 agreement ensued between the parties, condi- 
 tioned that if at mature age the girl should 
 willingly consent to the union, the ceremony 
 would be duly performed. Time rolled by, 
 and year after year transpired, until the mucha- 
 cha had reached her fourteenth year, when the 
 marriage took place, and the offspring of that 
 union has now the honor to present his readers 
 with this short biographical sketch. 
 
 Monterey. This name is composed of the 
 words monte and rey, and literally means "king 
 
44 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 of forests." The harbor of Monterey was dis- 
 covered in 1603, by Admiral Sebastian Vizcaino, 
 and so named in honor of Count Monterey, as 
 well as from the neighboring forest of massive 
 pines and other trees. 
 
 On being informed of this discovery, the 
 King of Spain, at the instance of the Marquis 
 of Croix, Viceroy of Mexico, and Jose Galvez, 
 Most Illustrious Royal Commissioner, ordered 
 a second naval expedition to act in concert 
 with a land expedition, with a view to taking 
 possession of the harbor. The latter expedition, 
 commanded by Captain Eivera y Moncada, 
 reached its destination on the 23rd of May; the 
 former, commanded by Captain Juan Perez, on 
 the 31st of May, 1770, when the banner of 
 Spain was unfurled in token of possession. 
 
 Monterey has always been the residence of 
 the superior authorities as the capital of Upper 
 California. Since its foundation, fourteen duly 
 appointed Governors of Upper California have 
 discharged the duties of that office, viz. : Fages, 
 Borica, Arrillaga, Arguello 1st, Sola, Arguello 
 2d, Echeandia, Victoria, Figueroa, Chico, Car- 
 rillo, Alvarado, Micheltorena, and Pico. 
 
 The forest of Monterey, viewed from the bay, 
 presents the most picturesque appearance im- 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 45 
 
 aginable. The surrounding hills of the city, 
 crowned with tall pines and clothed in per- 
 petual verdure, excite in the stranger a feeling 
 at once of surprise and sympathy for the place. 
 The native, as well as the foreign residents, 
 are in constant admiration of it at least such 
 is the feeling of the writer, whenever he has 
 the honor of being there his native place. On 
 occasions like those, how fondly he recollects 
 all the scenes of his childhood! Those of 
 Monterey, born since the year 1807, to you this 
 sincere sentiment of gratitude is addressed ! The 
 city of Monterey contains from 1,500 to 2,000 
 inhabitants. 
 
 In October, 1842, the American colors were 
 hoisted there by Commodore Jones; it is said 
 through pretended mistake but he lowered 
 them at the end of forty-eight hours. On the 
 7th of July, 1846, they were again unfolded 
 to the breeze of Monterey by Commodore Sloat, 
 and if the act was then done, also through a con- 
 venient mistake, is a question of "quien sabe." 
 
 Santa Cruz. The name of this county sig- 
 nifies "holy cross." The word "cross," mys- 
 tically speaking, is derived from the gibbet, 
 which the Greeks, Romans, and other nations 
 used to erect in that form, for the purpose of 
 
46 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 executing guilty slaves or persons of low con- 
 dition. After the crucifixion of Christ the cross 
 was sanctified, and has, since that period, been 
 the distinguishing sign of the Christian re- 
 ligion. 
 
 The county of Santa Cruz is probably the 
 richest in the State, as regards timber and ir- 
 rigated soil. The mission of Santa Cruz, from 
 which the county derives its name, was secu- 
 larized in 1834, and has now a growing popu- 
 lation. It is situated at the north of the bay 
 of Monterey, and possesses an anchorage. Three 
 vessels of ordinary size have been launched 
 there. 
 
 San Francisco. The name of this county is 
 famous throughout the Catholic world as being 
 that of the creator of the religious order of 
 Franciscans in Europe and America, in whose 
 name the mission of 'San Francisco de Asis 
 (Dolores) was established in the year 1776, 
 under the immediate superintendence of the 
 Reverend Father Junipero de Serra. In the 
 same year and in the name of His Catholic 
 Majesty, the harbor of San Francisco was taken 
 possession of, and a fort or a redoubt erected 
 with the same name, which it still retains. The 
 bay is also called San Francisco, and lately it 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 47 
 
 was given to the town of Yerba Buena, by the 
 municipal authorities of that place, doubtless 
 so as to harmonize the three places (distant 
 one league from another, and forming a tri- 
 angle), that they may amicably respond to the 
 same name when the astounding activity and 
 rapid growth of one will have united all three 
 into an immense commercial city. In 1836 
 there were only two houses in San Francisco 
 one belonging to Captain Richardson, the other 
 to J. P. Leese and up to 1846 the place had 
 made little progress. In 1848, however, it re- 
 ceived so wonderful an impulse from the dis- 
 covery of the gold mines in the Sierra Nevada, 
 that it can be said San Francisco is an en- 
 chanted or magical city, built by spirits such 
 as are spoken of in the Arabian Nights. 
 
 The town now contains a fluctuating popu- 
 lation of from 20,000 to 40,000 inhabitants, 
 made up in the short space of two years. The 
 bay is large enough to accommodate the naval 
 and commercial fleets of the world; there are 
 now on its broad, magnificent bosom, five hun- 
 dred vessels, and more than two thousand other 
 craft, steamboats, scows, etc., actually engaged 
 in all the ramifications of trade. San Fran- 
 cisco possesses theaters and good substantial 
 
48 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 wharves; it is the starting paint of navigation 
 to the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers and 
 their tributaries, which embrace an extent of 
 two hundred leagues; it is the present seat of 
 the Supreme Court of California, and the resi- 
 dence of the Collector of Customs, wherein 
 more than two millions of dollars have been 
 collected within two years. 
 
 Santa Clara. According to the Eoman Book 
 of Martyrs or Martyrology, as Hortalana, the 
 pious mother of Santa Clara, was once kneeling 
 before a crucifix, praying earnestly that, being 
 with child, she might be happily delivered, she 
 heard a voice whispering, "Fear, not, woman, 
 thou wilt safely bring forth;" whereupon a 
 brilliant light suddenly illumined the place, and 
 the mother, inspired by the mysterious predic- 
 tion, baptized her child Clara, which is the 
 feminine of clear or bright. Clara was after- 
 wards sanctified on account of her many emi- 
 nent virtues, and accordingly venerated by the 
 Catholics in all Eoman Catholic churches. 
 
 The mission of Santa Clara, from which the 
 county derives its name, was founded on the 
 12th day of January, 1777. The county is fer- 
 tile, and abounds in timber and water, but par- 
 ticularly in quicksilver. Its inhabitants declare 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 49 
 
 it to be most advantageously situated for a 
 large and flourishing city. Its chief town is 
 the pueblo of San Jose, the permanent seat of 
 government until removed by law, as prescribed 
 by the Constitution. Quien sabe? 
 
 Contra Costa. This name signifies "opposite 
 coast/ 7 and the county is so called from its 
 situation opposite San Francisco, in an easterly 
 direction. It is, undoubtedly, one of the most 
 fertile counties in the State, possessing rich 
 agricultural lands, which embrace an interior 
 coast of thirty leagues, extending in the bays 
 of Santa Clara, San Francisco and San Pablo, 
 the straits of Carquinez, the bay of Suisun, and 
 the San Joaquin Kiver; a circumstance which, 
 united to its mild climate, will render it very 
 important. The pueblo of Martinez is its chief 
 town, and "New York of the Pacific, " as well 
 as other towns on the shores of the San Pablo 
 and San Joaquin, will also very soon effectually 
 contribute to its importance. 
 
 "Mount Diablo/' which occupies a conspicu- 
 ous place in modern maps, is in the center of 
 this county. It was intended so to call the 
 county, but both branches of the Legislature, 
 after warm debates on the subject (the repre- 
 sentatives of the county opposing the proposed 
 
SO DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 name), resolved upon the less profane name of 
 "Contra Costa/' The following is the history 
 of "Mount Diablo" (Mount Devil): In 1806 
 a military expedition from San Francisco 
 marched against the tribe "Bolgones," who 
 were encamped at the foot of the mount; the 
 Indians were prepared to receive the expedi- 
 tion, and a hot engagement ensued in the large 
 hollow fronting the western side of the mount. 
 As the victory was about to be decided in 
 favor of the Indians, an unknown personage, 
 decorated with the most extraordinary plu- 
 mage, and making divers movements, suddenly 
 appeared near the combatants. The Indians 
 were victorious, and the incognito (Puy) de- 
 parted toward the mount. The defeated sol- 
 diers, on ascertaining that the spirit went 
 through the same ceremony daily and at all 
 hours, named the mount "Diablo," in allusion 
 to its mysterious inhabitant, that continued 
 thus to make his strange appearance, until the 
 tribe was subdued by the troops in command 
 of Lieutenant Gabriel Moraga, in a second cam- 
 paign of the same year. In the aboriginal 
 tongue "Puy" signifies "evil spirit"; in Span- 
 ish it means "diablo," and doubtless it signifies 
 "devil" in the Anglo-American language. 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 51 
 
 Marin. This is the name of the great chief 
 of the tribe Licatiut, and the other tribes that 
 inhabited this county and that of Sonoma. In 
 Spanish "Licatiut" signifies "Arauzon," a fa- 
 vorite root or vegetable of these Indians, of 
 which they made plentiful supplies to be used 
 on great festival occasions. It affords them 
 nourishment in great abundance in the valley 
 of "Petaluma," their usual encampment. In 
 the year 1815 or 1816 a military expedition 
 proceeded to explore the country north of the 
 bay of San Francisco, and on returning by the 
 Petaluma Valley an engagement ensued with 
 Marin, in which he was made prisoner and 
 conducted to the station at San Francisco, from 
 which he escaped, and again reaching Peta- 
 luma, he united his scattered forces, and thence- 
 forward dedicated his most strenuous efforts to 
 harass the troops in their hostile incursions into 
 that part of the country. He carried on hos- 
 tilities until he was so closely pursued as to be 
 compelled to take refuge in the Marin isles, 
 situate at the mouth of the inlet San Rafael, 
 so named from this circumstance. He there 
 defended himself for some time, but was again 
 taken captive to San Francisco in 1824 ; whence 
 
52 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 being set at liberty, he retired to the mission 
 of San Rafael, and there died in 1834. 
 
 Sonoma. The name of this county is an 
 Indian word, signifying "Valley of the Moon," 
 by which the aborigines designated the valley 
 wherein the town of that name is situated. 
 
 The tribe occupying this valley was called 
 Chocuyen; but in 1824, on the arrival there of 
 the first expedition for the purpose of estab- 
 lishing a mission, the name of "Sonoma" hav- 
 ing been given to their chief by the paternal 
 minister, Jose Altimira, the Chocuyenes then 
 adopted the same, which they still retain. This, 
 as well as the other tribes who occupied the 
 tract which now composes the counties of Son- 
 oma and Marin, were dependent on a great 
 chief who bore the heathen name of Marin 
 de Licatiut, as mentioned in the history of the 
 county of that name. 
 
 Sonoma is the most beautiful and picturesque 
 valley of Upper California; and from its topo- 
 graphical situation, fronting the bay of San 
 Pablo, from its delightful climate, fertile soil, 
 abundant timber of all kinds close by, and from 
 its pure and sweet waters, it is destined very 
 soon to become one of the most populous 
 parts of that valuable section of country. There 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 5.3 
 
 are hot springs in its vicinity, which, from their 
 medicinal virtues, may in future rival those of 
 Arkansas. 
 
 Sonoma is at present the residence of the 
 commander-in-chief of the western division of 
 the army in California and Oregon. 
 
 In the Pueblo de Sonoma, in fine, there oc- 
 curred an incident which will render the town 
 celebrated in the history of the country, to wit : 
 On the 14th day of June (of perpetual memory) 
 a certain personage ordered a certain flag to be 
 there hoisted, on whose white surface was con- 
 spicuously to be seen a certain animal; after 
 other certain personages had taken the place by 
 surprise, they took a certain personage prisoner 
 to a certain fort, on the eastern bank of a cer- 
 tain river, in which they locked him for two 
 months; during which he was overtaken by a 
 certain disease which prevails there yearly, and 
 from which he was set at liberty very nearly 
 on the point or on the eve of settling accounts 
 with a third personage, whose emblematic figure 
 throughout the world is that of a skeleton armed 
 with a scythe in his right hand. 
 
 Solano. This is the second name of the cele- 
 brated missionary Francisco Solano, and was 
 also borne by the great chief of the tribes origi- 
 
54 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 nally denominated ' ' Suisunes, ' ' and scattered 
 over the western side of the river Jesus Maria 
 (now Sacramento). The residence of this chief 
 was the valley of Suisun, which is bounded by 
 the hill near Suscol. Before receiving the bap- 
 tismal name of Solano, the chief was called 
 "Sem-yeto," which signifies the " brave or fierce 
 hand." 
 
 In 1817 a military expedition (under com- 
 mand of Lieutenant Jose Sanchez, and by order 
 of the commandant of San Francisco, Jose 
 Arguello) crossed the Straits of Carquinez (on 
 rafts made of rushes, as there were no ferries 
 or regular boats in those days), for the double 
 purpose of exploring the country and reducing 
 it to Christianity. On crossing the river they 
 were attacked by the Suisun tribe, then headed 
 by their chief, Malaca, who caused them con- 
 siderable loss; the Indians fought bravely and 
 to the utmost extreme, but they were in turn 
 attacked with such force and perseverance as 
 to oblige them to retreat to their rancheria; 
 where, being still hotly pursued and believing 
 their fate sealed, these unfortunate people, in- 
 cited by their chief, set fire to their own rush- 
 built huts and perished in the flames with their 
 families. The soldiers endeavored to stay their 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 55 
 
 desperate resolution, in order to save the women 
 and children; but even these preferred this 
 doom to that which awaited them from the 
 hands of their enemies. Thus perished this 
 chief, and thus was his hearth and the home of 
 his people destroyed. 
 
 The town of Benicia, situate in this county, 
 is rapidly increasing in size and importance, 
 and will soon rival the other towns that encircle 
 the bay of San Francisco. The American squad- 
 ron is stationed here, and many trading ves- 
 sels lie at anchor. Here is the only passage to 
 the interior; consequently there is, perhaps, no 
 point from which the active trade of the bay 
 can be better observed. There is in front of 
 the town a bank or promontory extending out 
 one mile, which precludes the necessity of 
 wharves. 
 
 Tolo. A corruption of the Indian word 
 "Yoloy," signifying a place abounding with 
 rushes (tular), with which the Indians com- 
 posed the term "Toloytoy," Rushtown (Pueblo 
 del Tule), situated on the western shore of the 
 river Sacramento. The tribe occupying this 
 pueblo derived its name therefrom, and were 
 the subjects of a great chief, who also ruled 
 various other tribes with absolute sway. All 
 
56 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 these tribes were encamped on the western banks 
 of the Sacramento and its tributaries. The 
 Christian name of the chief was F. Solano, and 
 his usual residence Sonoma. In 1835, Motti, 
 captain of the Yoloy tribe, rebelled against the 
 superior chief, and being unsuccessfully pur- 
 sued, Solano applied to the commandant of So- 
 noma for assistance, pursued the tribe once 
 more, and reduced it to submission. The re- 
 bellious leader was ordered to Sonoma, where 
 he remained until the tribe and chief returned 
 to their former hearths in 1846. 
 
 Napa. The name of the tribe who occupied 
 the valley of the same name. The meaning of 
 the name is not ascertained. Napa Valley is 
 fertile and beautiful in the extreme, possesses 
 a very mild climate, and abounds throughout 
 with timber of all kinds. The county, at the 
 extreme north, contains the highlands of May- 
 acmas, famous as being the encampment of the 
 Napa tribe, one of the bravest in California. 
 They greatly harassed the frontier posts, and 
 were very numerous up to the year 1838, when 
 they were mostly carried off by smallpox. Napa 
 City, situated on the stream that crosses the 
 valley, will soon be a flourishing town ; it is 
 fifteen miles distant from the entrance of Napa 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 57 
 
 Bay. The creation of this county is attributable 
 to the constant efforts of Captain J. Brackett, 
 member of the Assembly from the district of 
 Sonoma. The writer is impressed with the be- 
 lief that the subdivision is premature and will 
 affect the interests of the people. 
 
 Mendocino. In the year 1535 Antonio de 
 Mendoza, first Viceroy of New Spain, appointed 
 by the the Emperor, arrived at the City of 
 Mexico, fourteen years after its conquest or sur- 
 render, and ordered a survey of the coast of 
 California, wherein Cape Mendocino was dis- 
 covered, and so called in honor of the Viceroy. 
 Mendocino, from which the county derives its 
 name, is the patronymic of Mendoza. 
 
 Sacramento. Signifies Sacrament, or Lord's 
 Supper. The streams known as Feather and 
 Sacramento rivers were first respectively named 
 by Captain Moraga "Sacramento" and "Jesus 
 Maria"; but the latter now assumes the name 
 of Sacramento, whilst the former is called 
 Feather. Sacramento is the principal river in 
 all that section of country, and gives name to 
 the county. Several towns are springing up, 
 but the chief one of the county is Sacramento 
 City, situated on the eastern bank of the Sacra- 
 mento. This rapidly growing and flourishing 
 
58 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 town, containing a permanent population of 
 12,000 inhabitants, has sprung up in the short 
 space of a year. It contains, besides, multitudes 
 of transient residents, constantly going to and 
 from the "placeres." Steamboats and numer- 
 ous vessels of light and heavy draught are 
 safely moored immediately abreast of the town. 
 
 El Dorado. The far-famed fabulous region 
 of genial clime and never-fading verdure, where 
 gold and precious stones are as common as rocks 
 and pebbles, where wines gently flow from foun- 
 tains, where wheat spontaneously grows over- 
 topped with tiny loaves of bread, and pigeons 
 fly about already roasted, where nature has 
 converted the rudest things into harmony of 
 shape and appearance, and where, in fine, a 
 creature of the genus mulier, full of sympathy 
 and grace, trips about in natural loveliness, the 
 most beautiful of God's creations. Francis 
 Orellana, a companion of Pizarro, first spread 
 the account of the supposed existence of this 
 province in South America. 
 
 As it is universally known how and when the 
 discovery was made that has caused the star of 
 the west to spring up as if by magic, given it 
 the appropriate epithet of "golden," and will 
 eventually revolutionize the world, more than 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 59 
 
 the passing remark that gold was first discovered 
 in this county at Sutter 's mill, is here deemed 
 unnecessary. The county derives its name from 
 this circumstance. 
 
 Suiter. This county is named after Captain 
 John Augustus Sutter, from Switzerland, and 
 formerly a military officer under Charles X. He 
 immigrated to this country in the latter part 
 of the year 1839, for the purpose of forming a 
 colony. With this object in view, he petitioned 
 the Mexican government for a grant of land, 
 which he obtained, subject to the regulations 
 prescribed by law. He then fixed the site of 
 the colony on the eastern side of the Sacra- 
 mento River, between its tributaries, known as 
 the American Fork and Cosumnes, and named 
 it New Helvetia. To inspire confidence in his 
 colonists, as well as to protect them against 
 the sudden attacks of the aborigines, who were 
 very numerous at that period, or against any 
 surprise whatsoever from any other power, he 
 built a fort and manned it with several pieces 
 of artillery. The building is well known as 
 Sutter 's Fort. Captain Sutter is the oldest set- 
 tler in the valley of the rushes (valle de los 
 tulares), on the banks of the Sacramento. His 
 known enterprise, openness, and urbanity of 
 
60 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 manners, and characteristic hospitality toward 
 all who approached his colony, have commanded 
 public respect and gained for him the personal 
 regard of friends. The former and present in- 
 habitants of California, ever remembering the 
 name of Sutter, as now borne by the county, will 
 transmit it to future generations and thus im- 
 mortalize it. 
 
 Yuba. A corruption of the word uba, which 
 when pronounced in English, produces the 
 sound Yuba. This pronunciation has been lat- 
 terly so generally adopted that the original word 
 is now obsolete. 
 
 Yuba River is the chief tributary of Feather 
 Eiver, and was called Uba by an exploring ex- 
 pedition in 1824, from the immense quantities 
 of vines that shaded its banks and the neigh- 
 borhood, overloaded with wild grapes (properly 
 called "uvas silvestres" in Spanish). The coun- 
 ty, which derives its name from the aforesaid 
 river, was created by the present Legislature, 
 in compliance with the wishes of the delegates 
 from that portion of the State. It contains 10,- 
 000 inhabitants. 
 
 Butte. This is purely a French word, sig- 
 nifying hill or mound of earth. The high hills 
 or peaks situated in the valley of the Sacra- 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 61 
 
 mento, and seen at a great distance, were so 
 named by a detachment of hunters, headed by 
 Michel La Frambeau, from the Hudson Bay 
 Company at Columbia Eiver, who visited this 
 country in search of beaver in the year 1829. 
 Nine years previous to this period they were 
 denominated peaks (picachos) by Captain Luis 
 A. Arguello, who headed an expedition to the 
 Columbia Eiver by order of the governor of 
 the province. This county contains these peaks, 
 and takes their name. 
 
 Colusa. Is purely an Indian word, being the 
 original name of a numerous tribe on the west- 
 ern side of the Sacramento Biver; its meaning 
 is not ascertained. The so-called county is one 
 of the new counties created by the first Legis- 
 lature of the State. 
 
 Shasta. Is the name of the tribe residing at 
 the foot of the height or mountain, remarkable 
 as being considerably higher than the range, 
 and encircling the source of the Sacramento 
 River. Upon the subdivision of the State into 
 counties Mr. "Walthall, member of the Assembly 
 of the delegation from the district of Sacra- 
 mento, proposed this name for the county, and 
 it was adopted by the Legislature. The moun- 
 tain has likewise been so named. 
 
62 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 Trinidad. Signifies trinity. The Roman Cath- 
 olics annually celebrate a certain Sunday in 
 honor of the Most Holy Trinity. This festival 
 has been observed since the year 1260, when 
 it was so regulated by the Council of Arlez. 
 
 Trinity Bay was so called from having been 
 discovered on the anniversary of this festival, 
 June 11, 1775, by the second naval exploring ex- 
 pedition, consisting of a frigate in command of 
 Captain Bruno Ezeta, and a sloop commanded 
 by Juan de la Quadra y Bodega. Hence the 
 name of the county. The bay has been newly 
 surveyed and found accessible. Since last Jan- 
 uary, rich gold "placeres" have been discovered 
 there ; and the surrounding fertile country, for- 
 merly known as New Albion, is now being set- 
 tled. 
 
 Calaveras. This word signifies skulls, and the 
 so-called creek, which gives name to the county, 
 derives its own name from the fact of an im- 
 mense number of skulls having been found lying 
 in its vicinity from time immemorial. Accord- 
 ing to the diary of Captain Moraga, who headed 
 the first incursions made on the Sacramento 
 and San Joaquin rivers, and the Sierra Nevada, 
 the chiefs of the tribes encamped on these rivers 
 made war against the tribes of the Sierra, who 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 63 
 
 came down to fish for salmon, with which those 
 rivers abound. This was considered a trespass 
 on rights acquired by occupation, and war was 
 in consequence declared between the tribes of 
 the valley and those of the Sierra, during which 
 a sanguinary battle was fought near the creek 
 Calaveras. The tribes of the valley were vic- 
 torious, and more than three thousand killed 
 on both sides remained on the field. Hence the 
 name of the creek as given by Captain Moraga. 
 
 This is one of the counties abounding in gold 
 mines, and has a population of about 15,000. 
 
 San Joaquin. The meaning of this name has 
 a very ancient origin in reference to the parent- 
 age of Mary, the mother of Christ. According 
 to divine revelations, Joachim signifies "prepa- 
 ration of the Lord/' and hence the belief that 
 Joaquin, who in the course of time was ad- 
 mitted into the pale of sanctity, was the father 
 of Mary. In 1813, commanding an exploring 
 expedition to the valley of the rushes (valle de 
 los tulares), Lieutenant Gabriel Moraga gave 
 the appellation of San Joaquin to a rivulet 
 which springs from the Sierra Nevada and emp- 
 ties into Lake Buena Vista. The river San 
 Joaquin derives its name from the rivulet, and 
 baptizes the county with the same. 
 
64 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 Stockton (named in honor of Commodore 
 Stockton) is a highly flourishing town and the 
 seat of justice in the county. It contains about 
 2,500 inhabitants. Pleasantly situated on a 
 slough of the San Joaquin River, on a plain, 
 thinly overspread with oak and shrubbery, and 
 within a day or two from some of the rich 
 "placeres," it is destined to become the city of 
 the San Joaquin, notwithstanding the absolute 
 lack of poetry in its name. 
 
 Tuolumne. A corruption of the Indian word 
 "talmalamne," which signifies cluster of stone 
 wigwams. The county abounds in gold "pla- 
 ceres." Throughout its rivers and hollows, 
 throughout its valley and hills, gold, gold, and 
 more gold is found. 
 
 Mr. Benjamin S. Lippincott, Senator from 
 the district of San Joaquin, hailing from per- 
 haps the richest county in the State in the pre- 
 cious metal, has exerted an influence in its cre- 
 ation. The county seems to be an integral por- 
 tion of the "El Dorado," which has been for 
 years so eagerly sought for by every lover of 
 gold. Tuolumne City is just springing up, and 
 it is believed will shortly be a sort of "Jauja," 
 the golden city of the fabulous region where 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 65 
 
 rivers of milk and of honey flowed, and fari- 
 naceous fruits grew spontaneously. 
 
 Mariposa. The name of this county signifies 
 butterfly. In the month of June, 1807 in one 
 of their yearly excursions to the valley of the 
 rushes (valle de los tulares) with a view to 
 hunt elks a party of Californians pitched their 
 tents on a stream at the foot of the Sierra Ne- 
 vada, and whilst there, myriads of butterflies, 
 of the most gorgeous and variegated colors, 
 clustered on the surrounding trees, and at- 
 tracted their attention, from which circum- 
 stance they gave the stream 'the appella- 
 tion of Mariposa. Hence Mariposa Eiver, from 
 which the country (also heavily laden with the 
 precious metal) derives its poetical name. 
 
Origin and Meaning of the Names 
 of the Counties of California 
 
 (By Prentiss Maslin. California Blue Book.) 
 Alameda County. Created March 25, 1853. 
 The Spanish word "Alameda" means "a public 
 walk or promenade in the shade of trees. ' ' Lit- 
 erally, it comes from Alamo, the poplar or cot- 
 tonwood tree, and it is from the derived mean- 
 ing of the word, "a public walk," that this 
 county obtained its name. 
 
 Alpine County. Created March 16, 1864. 
 This county derived its name from the English 
 word "Alpine," meaning, "of, pertaining to, 
 or connected with, the Alps." Its geographical 
 position, lying as it does on the crest of the 
 Sierra Nevada Mountains, made it particularly 
 an alpine county, and hence its name. 
 
 Amador County. Created May 11, 1854. The 
 meaning of this word in Spanish is "lover of 
 inanimate objects." This county most prob- 
 ably derived its name from either Sergeant 
 Pedro Amador or from Jose Maria Amador, 
 
68 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 his son. Sergeant Pedro Amador was one of 
 the prominent settlers of California. He was 
 an adventurer and a soldier in the Spanish 
 army, coming to California in 1771 and after 
 serving in San Diego and Santa Barbara was 
 transferred to San Francisco, and died in San 
 Jose April 10, 1824, at the age of 82 years. 
 His son, Jose Maria, was born in San Francisco 
 on December 18, 1794, and was also a soldier 
 and a renowned Indian fighter. He obtained a 
 large grant from the Mexican government, and 
 after the discovery of gold forsook pastoral 
 pursuits and went to the Southern mines, where 
 he greatly increased his fortune. He was living 
 as late as 1883. 
 
 Butte County. Created February 18, 1850. 
 This is one of the original twenty-seven counties 
 of the State of California, and derived its name 
 from that wonderful topographical formation, 
 now known as the Marysville or Sutter Buttes, 
 which lie in Sutter County and which were 
 named by Michel La Frambeau of the Hudson 
 Bay Company, who visited the northern part of 
 California as a voyageur and trapper in the 
 year 1829. The word "butte" is purely a French 
 word, and signifies "a small hill or mound of 
 earth detached from any mountain range." 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 69 
 
 Calaveras County. Created February 18, 
 1850. One of the original twenty-seven counties 
 of California. The meaning of "Calaveras" is 
 "skulls," and the county derived its name from 
 Calaveras Creek, which was so named by Cap- 
 tain Moraga of the Mexican army, who headed 
 the first exploring expedition of the Sacramento 
 and San Joaquin rivers and into the Sierra Ne- 
 vada Mountains, from the fact that he found 
 a large number of skulls lying along the banks 
 of the creek. According to the diary of Cap- 
 tain Moraga, the history of this abundance of 
 skulls is that the tribes who lived on the Sacra- 
 mento and San Joaquin rivers made a des- 
 perate war against the tribes of the Sierra, who 
 annually came down to fish for salmon in these 
 rivers. This was considered in the light of a 
 trespass, inasmuch as the Sierra tribes refused 
 to allow the valley tribes to go into the moun- 
 tains to hunt deer and gather acorns. In a 
 most sanguinary battle fought near this creek, 
 the tribes of the valley were victorious, and 
 more than three thousand Indians were killed. 
 Hence, the name of the creek, from which the 
 county subsequently derived its name. 
 
 Colusa County. Created February 18, 1850. 
 This is one of the original twenty-seven coun- 
 
70 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 ties of the State of California. The name of 
 this county in the original act of 1850 was 
 spelled "Colusi," and ofttimes in newspapers 
 was spelled "Coluse," and was the name of an 
 Indian tribe living on the west side of the Sac- 
 ramento Eiver. The meaning of the word ' ' Co- 
 lusa" has never been determined. 
 
 ED. NOTE. Hon. John P. Irish, former Naval 
 Officer at San Francisco, writes as follows re- 
 garding the name of this county : 
 
 "Reading the derivation of the names of Cali- 
 fornia counties, written by Mr. Prentiss Maslin, 
 I note that he finds no meaning or translation 
 of the Indian word 'Colusa,' the title of the 
 tribe from which the county was named. The 
 late General Will Green, who went there while 
 the tribe was still a strong body and associated 
 with them so much as to acquire a knowledge 
 and quite free use of their language, told me 
 that the word 'Colusa' means 'scratcher.' When 
 a member of the tribe married, it was the privi- 
 lege of the bride to begin the honeymoon by 
 scratching her husband's face. The young 
 women so uniformly availed themselves of this 
 privilege that a newly married man was always 
 known by the deep scratches upon his face in- 
 flicted by his wife. From this tribal custom the 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 71 
 
 tribe was known as Colusa or the scratchers. 
 General Green was always so correct in the 
 knowledge he acquired and imparted as to such 
 matters that I am very certain this is the exact 
 and correct meaning of the word ' Colusa.' " 
 
 Contra Costa County. Created February 18, 
 1850. One of the original twenty-seven coun- 
 ties of the State of California. This county 
 originally included what is now known as Ala- 
 meda County, and because of its relationship to 
 San Francisco County, on the west side of 
 San Francisco Bay, it was called Contra Costa, 
 or "opposite coast," lying as it does on the op- 
 posite coast or eastern shore of San Francisco 
 Bay. 
 
 Del Norte County. Created March 2, 1857. 
 The name of this county signifies "the north/' 
 and the county being situated in the extreme 
 north (west) corner of the State of California, 
 derived its name from its geographical position. 
 
 El Dorado County. Created February 18, 
 1850. This is one of the original twenty-seven 
 counties of the State of California. Francis 
 Orellana, a companion of the adventurer Pi- 
 zarro, wrote a fictitious account of a wonderful 
 province in South America, of a fabulous re- 
 
72 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 gion of genial clime and never-fading verdure, 
 abounding in gold and precious stones, where 
 wine gushed forth from never-ceasing springs, 
 and wheat fields grew ready-baked loaves of 
 bread, and birds already roasted flew among 
 the trees, and nature was filled with harmony 
 and sweetness. From this description, a gold- 
 bearing belt was called El Dorado, as in later 
 days it has been called Klondike. So when the 
 discovery of gold by James W. Marshall at 
 Coloma in January, 1848, became known to the 
 world, California, and particularly that part 
 where gold was discovered, was called "El Do- 
 rado/ ' and it was from this fact that the coun- 
 ty was given its name upon its creation. 
 
 Fresno County. Created April 19, 1856. The 
 word " Fresno " in Spanish signifies "ash tree/' 
 and it was because of the abundance of moun- 
 tain ash in the mountains of this county that 
 it received its name. 
 
 Glenn County. Created March 11, 1891. This 
 county was created out of the northern portion 
 of Colusa County, and derived its name from 
 Dr. Hugh J. Glenn, who, during his lifetime, 
 was the largest wheat farmer in the State, and 
 a man of great prominence in political and com- 
 mercial life in California. 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 73 
 
 Humboldt County. Created May 12, 1853. 
 This county derived its name from Humboldt 
 Bay which was named for Baron Alexander von 
 Humboldt, the eminent scientist, by Captain Ot- 
 tinger of the ship " Laura Virginia." 
 
 Imperial County. Created August 15, 1907. 
 It derived its name from the Imperial Valley, 
 situated therein. 
 
 Inyo County. Created March 22, 1866. This 
 county derived its name from a tribe of Indians 
 who inhabited that part of the Sierra Nevada 
 Mountains. The meaning of thip word has 
 never been determined. 
 
 Kern County. Created April 2, 1866. This 
 county derived its name from the Kern River, 
 which was named for the lieutenant by that 
 name of General John C. Fremont's third ex- 
 pedition in 1845-47. 
 
 Kings County. Created March 22, 1893. This 
 county was created out of the western part of 
 Tulare County, and derived its name from Kings 
 "River, which, according to history and tradi- 
 tion, was discovered in 1805 by an exploring ex- 
 pedition and named Eio de los Santos Reyes 
 (the "river of the holy kings"), from which 
 it obtained its present name. 
 
74 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 Lake County. Created May 20, 1861. This 
 county derived its name because of the many 
 charming lakes that are within its boundaries. 
 
 Lassen County. Created April 1, 1864. The 
 name of this county was derived from Mount 
 Lassen, which was named for Peter Lassen, a 
 native of Switzerland, one of General Fremont's 
 guides and a famous trapper, frontiersman, and 
 Indian fighter, who was killed by the Piutes 
 at the base of this mountain in 1859. 
 
 Los Angeles County. Created February 18, 
 1850. This county was one of the original 
 twenty-seven counties of the State of Califor- 
 nia. The words "Los Angeles" literally mean 
 "the angels," and are a contraction of the orig- 
 inal name "Pueblo del Eio de Nuetra Senora 
 La Reina de Los Angeles de Poreiuncula" (the 
 town of the river of Our Lady, Queen of the 
 Angels). It will therefore be observed that Los 
 Angeles was really named for the Virgin Mary, 
 commonly called "Our Lady of the Angels" by 
 the Spanish. On September 7, 1781, Governor 
 Felipe de Neve issued orders from the San 
 Gabriel Mission for the establishment of a pue- 
 blo on El Rio Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles 
 and under the protection of Nuestra Senora La 
 Reina de Los Angelef (Our Lady, Queen of the 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 75 
 
 Angels), the mission by this name having been 
 dedicated three days before, having practically 
 the same title. This pueblo in time became 
 known as the Ciudad de Los Angeles, "the City 
 of the Angels," and it is from this that the 
 county derived its patronymic. 
 
 Madera County. Created March 11, 1893. 
 "Madera" in Spanish signifies "timber," and 
 the county derived its name from the town of 
 Madera, situated within its limits, which town 
 was originally surrounded by groves of trees. 
 
 Marin County. Created February 18, 1850. 
 This county is one of the original twenty-seven 
 counties of the State of California, and derived 
 its name from Chief Marin, of the Licatiut tribe 
 of Indians, who inhabited that section of Cali- 
 fornia. In 1815, a military expedition of the 
 Spanish proceeded to explore the country north 
 of the bay of San Francisco. This action aroused 
 the ire of the Licatiut tribe, and a desperate 
 engagement was fought in the valley now known 
 as the Petaluma Valley. Chief Marin led the 
 forces of the Indians with wonderful strategy 
 and bravery that called forth the admiration of 
 his enemies. At the same time, his sub-chief 
 Quentin gave battle to a second division of the 
 Spanish army at the point which still bears his 
 
76 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 name, Punta de la Quentin. Chief Marin after- 
 wards was christianized and baptized under the 
 name of "Marinero," "the Mariner," by the 
 padres, because of the fact of his intimate 
 knowledge of the bay of San Francisco, on 
 which he often acted as ferryman for the whites. 
 
 Mariposa County. Created February 18, 
 1850. One of the original twenty-seven counties 
 of the State of California. This county took its 
 name from the Mariposa River. The meaning 
 of "Mariposa" in the language of the Spanish 
 is "butterfly." There is some doubt as to how 
 this stream derived its name. According to one 
 story, in June, 1807, a party of Californians 
 from the San Joaquin Valley made one of their 
 annual excursions into the Sierra Nevada 
 Mountains for the purpose of hunting elk. 
 Camping upon the banks of a river, they were 
 charmed and delighted with the butterflies of 
 most gorgeous and variegated colors that 'hov- 
 ered around them in countless numbers, and 
 because of this they gave to the stream the name 
 "Mariposa." Another beautiful story, and 
 probably more authentic, is that the first ex- 
 plorers in the mountains of that region beheld 
 for the first time a beautiful lily growing ev- 
 erywhere, gay-colored, spotted, and in some re- 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 77 
 
 spects resembling the wings of a butterfly. In 
 their admiration, they gave to this dainty flower, 
 the Calochortus, the name of Mariposa (but- 
 terfly) lily. 
 
 Mendocino County. Created February 18, 
 1850. One of the original twenty-seven coun- 
 ties of the State of California. This county 
 derived its name from Cape Mendocino, which 
 was discovered and named by Juan Rodriguez 
 Cabrillo in 1542, and named for Don Antonio 
 de Mendoza, the first Viceroy of N$w Spain, 
 or Mexico, appointed by the King of Spain in 
 1535. 
 
 Merced County. Created April 19, 1855. 
 This county derived its name from the Merced 
 River, which was originally named by the Span- 
 ish "Rio de Nuestra Senora de la Merced," 
 meaning "the river of Our Lady of Mercy. " 
 
 Modoc County. Created February 17, 1874. 
 This county derived its name from a fierce tribe 
 of Indians by that name, which means "the 
 head of the river," and who lived at the head- 
 waters of the Pitt River. 
 
 NOTE Gen. 0. 0. Howard, in an article in 
 the St. Nicholas magazine for May, 1908, page 
 624, states that the Indian name of the tribe of 
 
78 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 which the name Modoe is a corruption is "Mak- 
 laks," and means "The People." 
 
 Mono County. Created April 24, 1861. The 
 name of this county is a Spanish word mean- 
 ing "monkey," and was applied to an Indian 
 tribe living in that section of the State. 
 
 Monterey County. Created February 18, 
 1850. This county is one of the original twen- 
 ty-seven counties of the State of California. It 
 derived its name from the bay of Monterey. The 
 word itself is composed of the Spanish words 
 "monte" and "rey," and literally means "king 
 of the forest." The bay was discovered by Se- 
 bastian Vizcaino in 1603, and named in honor 
 of his friend and patron, Gaspar de Zufiiga, 
 Count of Monterey and Viceroy of Mexico. 
 
 Napa County. Created February 18, 1850. 
 One of the original twenty-seven counties of 
 the State of California. The word "Napa" 
 means, in the language of a large and power- 
 ful tribe of Indians that lived in that section 
 of California, "fish," because of the myriads 
 of fish that inhabited the Napa River and other 
 creeks of this section. This tribe of Indians 
 were nearly exterminated by smallpox in 1838, 
 and now the only evidence of their ever having 
 existed is the name given to this county. 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 79 
 
 Nevada County. Created April 25, 1851. 
 The word "Nevada" in Spanish means 
 "snowy." The county derived its name from 
 the fact of the perpetual snow-capped moun- 
 tains within its boundaries. 
 
 Orange County. Created March 11, 1889. 
 This county was given its name by the Legis- 
 lature because of the orange groves for which it 
 is justly famous. 
 
 Placer County. Created April 25, 1851, 
 "Placer" is probably a contraction of the words 
 "plaza de oro," the place of gold, and means in 
 Spanish "a place near a river where gold is 
 found." The county derived its name from 
 the numerous places therein where that method 
 of extracting the gold from the earth, called 
 placer mining, was practiced. 
 
 Plumas County. Created March 18, 1854. 
 The Spanish originally called one of the tribu- 
 taries of the Sacramento River, Rio de las Plu- 
 mas, or the "River of the Feathers." The 
 Americans subsequently robbed this river of its 
 beautiful name, by changing its euphonious 
 Spanish title to the English equivalent, the 
 Feather River, but the Legislature, in creating 
 this county, gave thereto the name of "Plumas," 
 because of the fact that all of the numerous 
 
80 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 branches of the Feather River have their origin 
 in the mountains of this county. 
 
 Riverside County. Created March 11, 1893. 
 This county was created from San Diego and 
 San Bernardino counties, and derived its name 
 from the town of Riverside. 
 
 Sacramento County. Created February 18, 
 1850. This county is one of the original twen- 
 ty-seven counties of the State of California. 
 "Sacramento" signifies "Sacrament, or Lord's 
 Supper." Captain Moraga first gave the name 
 "Jesus Maria" (Jesus Mary) to the main river, 
 and the name "Sacramento" to a branch there- 
 of. Later, the main river became known as the 
 Sacramento, while the branch became known as 
 El Rio de las Plumas, or Feather River. 
 
 San Benito County. Created February 12, 
 1874. Crespi in his expedition in 1772 named 
 a small river in honor of San Benedicto (Saint 
 Benedict, "the Blessed"), the patron saint of 
 the married, and it is from the contraction of 
 the name of this beloved saint that this county 
 took its name. 
 
 San Bernardino County. Created April 26, 
 1853. Saint Bernard is the patron saint of 
 mountain passes. The name "Bernardino" 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 81 
 
 means "bold as a bear.'* The Spanish gave to 
 the snow-capped peak in Southern California 
 the name of San Bernardino in honor of the 
 saint, and from this the county derived its name. 
 San Diego County. Created February 18, 
 1850. One of the original twenty-seven coun- 
 ties of the State of California. On November 
 12, 1603, the day of San Diego de Alcala (Saint 
 James of Alcala), Sebastian Vizcaino anchored 
 his fleet in the bay of San Diego, and named 
 the same in honor of the day, as well as in honor 
 of his flagship, which name has since been re- 
 tained, although Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo named 
 this bay San Miguel on September 28, 1542, 
 sixty-one years previous; and it is from this 
 bay that the county derived its name. 
 
 San Francisco County. Created February 
 18, 1850. This county is one of the original 
 twenty-seven counties of the State of California. 
 The sixth mission in California was established 
 by Padre Junipero Serra October 9, 1776, and 
 was named "Mission San Francisco de Asis a 
 la Laguna de los Dolores." (Saint Francis of 
 Assisi at the Lagoon of Sorrows), and to this 
 mission San Francisco owes its name. 
 
 San Joaquin County. Created February 18, 
 1850. This is one of the original twenty-seven 
 
82 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 counties of the State of California. The meaning 
 of the name of this county has a very ancient 
 origin and refers to the parentage of Mary, 
 the mother of Christ. According to tradition, 
 Joachim signifies "whom Jehovah hath ap- 
 pointed," and hence the belief that Joaquin, 
 the Spanish spelling for Joachim, was the father 
 of Mary. In 1813, Lieutenant Moraga, com- 
 manding an expedition in the lower great cen- 
 tral valley of California, gave to a small rivu- 
 let, which springs from the Sierra Nevada Moun- 
 tains and empties into Buena Vista Lake, the 
 name of San Joaquin, and it is from this that 
 the present river derived its name, which in turn 
 baptized the county with the same. 
 
 San Luis OHspo County. Created February 
 18, 1850. One of the original twenty-seven coun- 
 ties of the State of California. On September 
 1, 1772, the Mission San Luis Obispo (Saint 
 Louis the Bishop) was established and was 
 named for Saint Louis, the Bishop of Toulouse. 
 He was the son of Charles of Anjou, King of 
 Naples, and the county derived its name from 
 this mission, founded by the padres, Junipero 
 Serra and Jose Cavalier. 
 
 San Mateo County. Created April 19, 1856. 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 83 
 
 This county bears the Spanish name of Saint 
 Matthew, "the gift of Jehovah." 
 
 Santa Barbara County. Created February 
 18, 1850. This county is one of the original 
 twenty-seven counties of the State of Califor- 
 nia. Saint Barbara is the patron saint of the 
 sailors, and gives them special protection from 
 deadly lightning and fires at sea. For this 
 reason her name is frequently seen over the 
 powder magazines on board of war vessels. 
 Santa Barbara received this name from Se- 
 bastian Vizcaino, when he sailed over these 
 waters on that Saint's Day, December 4, 1603; 
 and when Padre Junipero Serra established a 
 mission near this channel on December 4, 1786, 
 he named it Santa Barbara, Virgen y Martir 
 (Saint Barbara, Virgin and Martyr). It is 
 from these two sources that the county derived 
 its name. 
 
 Santa Clara County. Created February 18, 
 1850. One of the original twenty-seven counties 
 of the State of California. On January 12, 
 1777, Mission Santa Clara was established, and 
 named for Saint Clara of Assisi, Italy, the first 
 Franciscan nun and founder of the Order of 
 Saint Clara. Her name ' ' Clara ' ' means * * clear ' ' 
 or " bright/' and according to the Eoman Book 
 
84 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 of Martyrs, as Hortalana, the pious mother of 
 this nun, was once kneeling before a crucifix, 
 praying, that she might be happily delivered 
 of her unborn babe, she heard a voice whisper- 
 ing, "Fear not, woman, thou wilt safely bring 
 forth"; whereupon a brilliant light suddenly 
 illumined the place, and the mother, inspired 
 by the mysterious prediction, baptized her child 
 Clara, which is the feminine of the word mean- 
 ing clear or bright. Clara was afterwards sanc- 
 tified on account of her many eminent virtues, 
 and accordingly venerated by the Catholics in 
 all Eoman Catholic churches, and canonized 
 under the name Saint Clara. 
 
 Santa Cruz County. Created February 18, 
 1850. This is one of the original twenty-seven 
 counties of the State of California. "Santa" 
 is the Spanish feminine of "Saint" or "holy"; 
 "Cruz" is the Spanish for "cross," and "Santa 
 Cruz" signifies "holy cross," which emblem 
 was to the devout explorers of California what 
 it was to the Crusaders. Those who fell by the 
 wayside had a rude cross erected over them to 
 mark their last resting-place; if anything not- 
 able occurred in any of the expeditions, a cross 
 was set up, and all that marked the site of the 
 mission which was founded by Padres Lopez 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 85 
 
 and Salazar on September 25, 1791, was the 
 memorial cross erected to mark this site. From 
 this the county derived its name. 
 
 Shasta County. Created February 18, 1850. 
 This county is one of the original twenty-seven 
 counties of the State of California. The deriva- 
 tion of the name of the county, which was taken 
 from the butte of that name, is in doubt. Some 
 authorities claim the name " Shasta" to be de- 
 rived from Shas-ti-ka, the name of a tribe of 
 Indians that lived at the base of this mountain. 
 The word "Shas-ti-ka" means "stone house or 
 cave dwellers." Other authorities claim that 
 the word "Shasta" is a corruption of the French 
 word "chaste," and was first applied by ex- 
 plorers because of the wonderful whiteness or 
 chastity of the eternal snow that caps the sum- 
 mit of this wonderful peat. 
 
 Sierra County. Created April 16, 1852. 
 "Sierra" is the Spanish word for "saw," and 
 was applied to the chain of mountains, Sierra 
 Nevada, meaning "snow saw," because of the 
 jagged, serrated or saw-tooth peaks which form 
 the sky line of this range of mountains, and the 
 county that bears the name "Sierra" was so 
 called because of the jagged peaks within its 
 borders. 
 
86 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 Siskiyou County. Created March 22, 1852. 
 The word Siskiyou has never been authentically 
 determined. It has generally been assumed that 
 this is the name of a tribe of Indians inhabiting 
 this region, but there are several stories regard- 
 ing its derivation and meaning. Senator Jacob 
 R. Snyder of San Francisco, who advocated 
 the formation of this county, in an argument 
 delivered April 14, 1852, in the Senate of the 
 State of California, stated that the French 
 name "Six Callieux" was given to a ford on 
 the TJmpqua River, at which place Michel La 
 Frambeau, who led a party of Hudson Bay Com- 
 pany trappers, crossed in the year 1832. Six 
 large stones or rocks lay in the river where 
 they crossed, and they gave it the name of "Six 
 Callieux" or "Six-stone Ford," and from this 
 the mountain or butte derived its name, which 
 was subsequently given to the county when 
 created. 
 
 Solano County. Created February 18, 1850. 
 This county is one of the original twenty-seven 
 counties of the State of California. "Solano" 
 in Spanish means "east wind," and was the 
 second name of the celebrated missionary Fran- 
 cisco Solano. When the chief of the powerful 
 tribe of Suisunes Indians, which inhabited the 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 87 
 
 west side of the River Jesus Maria, was chris- 
 tianized, he was by this missionary baptized 
 Solano, and as his residence was in the valley 
 of Suisun, the name Solano was given to this 
 county. 
 
 Sonoma County. Created February 18, 1850. 
 This county is one of the original twenty-seven 
 counties of the State of California. "Sonoma" 
 is an Indian word meaning "valley of the 
 moon," because of the resemblance of this val- 
 ley to the shape of that orb. In 1824, when 
 Padre Jose Actimira baptized the chief of the 
 Cho-cuy-en Indians, he gave him the baptismal 
 name of Sonoma, and from this source the coun- 
 ty derived its name. 
 
 Stanislaus County. Created April 1, 1854. 
 Chief Estanislao, of a powerful tribe of Indians 
 who lived on what is known now as the Stanis- 
 laus Eiver, but by the Indians called the La- 
 kish-um-na, was educated at the Mission San 
 Jose. He became a renegade and incited his 
 tribe against the Spaniards, but was defeated 
 in 1826 in a fierce battle on this river, which 
 was afterwards called Stanislaus for the de- 
 feated Indian chief. It is from this river that 
 the county derived its name. 
 
88 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 Suiter County. Created February 18, 1850. 
 This is one of the original twenty-seven coun- 
 ties of the State of California. Sutter County 
 was named after General John Augustus Sut- 
 ter, a native of Switzerland, and a soldier of 
 fortune. He first arrived in San Francisco July 
 2, 1839, obtained a large grant from the Mexi- 
 can government, and called his first settlement 
 New Helvetia, which is now the city of Sacra- 
 mento. 
 
 Tehama County. Created April 9, 1856. "Te- 
 hama" is the name of a tribe of Indians which 
 originally inhabited that part of the State which 
 now bears its name. The meaning of the word 
 has never been determined. 
 
 Trinity County. Created February 18, 1850. 
 This is one of the original twenty-seven coun- 
 ties of the State of California. This county 
 derived its name from Trinidad Bay, which was 
 discovered and named by Captain Bruno Ezeta 
 on June 11, 1775, a date that happened to be 
 Trinity Sunday. The Spanish charts of the 
 bay were misleading, and Major Reading and 
 others thought that the river he named Trinity 
 emptied into this bay. 
 
 Tulare County. Created April 20, 1852. 
 Commandante Fages, while hunting for desert- 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 89 
 
 ers in 1773, discovered a great lake surrounded 
 by marshes and filled with rushes, which he 
 named Los Tules (the tules, Scirpus lacrustus). 
 In 1813, Captain Moraga on his exploring ex- 
 pedition passed through the valley of this lake, 
 and named it "Valle de los Tules" (valley of 
 the tules), from which this county takes its 
 name. 
 
 Tuolumne County. Created February 18, 
 1850. This county is one of the original twen- 
 ty-seven counties of the State of California. 
 "Tuolumne" is a corruption of the Indian 
 word "talmalamne," which signifies " stone 
 houses or caves," the same as the word 
 " Shasta," but in another language. This was 
 the name of a large tribe of Indians who lived 
 on both sides of the river now bearing that 
 name, from which the county derived its patro- 
 nymic. 
 
 Ventura County. Created March 22, 1872. 
 On March 30, 1782, Padres Junipero Serra and 
 Cambon dedicated a mission at San Buenaven- 
 tura to San Buenaventura, Doctor Serafico (St. 
 Bonaventura, Serafic Doctor), which is the name 
 under which Giovani de Fidanza of Tuscany 
 was canonized. Buenaventura is composed of 
 two Spanish words, "Buena" meaning "good," 
 
90 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 and "Ventura" meaning "fortune"; hence the 
 name signifies "good fortune." The county 
 took its name from the latter Spanish word 
 "Ventura." San Buenaventura has at all times 
 been the name of the town, but this beautiful 
 and euphonious name has been abbreviated by 
 the United States Post Office Department to 
 "Ventura." 
 
 Yolo County. Created February 18, 1850. 
 This is one of the original twenty-seven coun- 
 ties of the State of California. "Yolo" is a 
 corruption of an Indian tribal name "Yo-loy," 
 meaning "a place thick with rushes." This 
 tribe was a branch of the Suisunes, and in- 
 habited the marshes immediately west of Rio de 
 Jesus Maria (now known as the Sacramento 
 River) . 
 
 Tuba County. Created February 18, 1850. 
 This is one of the original twenty-seven coun- 
 ties of the State of California. "Yuba" is a 
 corruption of the Spanish word signifying "wild 
 grape." A Spanish exploring expedition in 
 1824 found immense quantities of vines shad- 
 ing the banks of a river, which is the chief 
 tributary of the Feather River. These vines 
 were heavily laden with wild grapes (called 
 Uvas silvestres in Spanish), and the river was 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 91 
 
 therefore called the Uva or Uba, and by a cor- 
 ruption of the word "Uba" the river eventually 
 became known by its present name, "Yuba," 
 from which the county derived its name. 
 
Attention Calif ornians! 
 
 This being a work of a constructive and 
 of a preservative nature, it could hardly be 
 deemed complete without an appeal to all true 
 Californians and to those Societies which have 
 been organized for the preservation of the old 
 landmarks and Spanish names of California. 
 
 There is a power at work that is constant- 
 ly changing, ruining and emasculating the 
 romance and beauty of our glorious state by 
 changing and abbreviating the names given to 
 historic places by the old Padres. 
 
 That power is the Postal Department and 
 the Railroad Companies! 
 
 There are numberless instances on record 
 where the old original/ and romantic names 
 have been either changed or abbreviated, but 
 absolutely ruined in all cases, by these un- 
 patriotic and unthinking people. 
 
 In Southern California one instance stands 
 out more glaringly and prominently than others, 
 namely, the changing of the name of San Bu- 
 enaventura by the Postal authorities to that of 
 
94 DICTIONARY OF SPANISH-NAMED 
 
 Ventura! Doubtless the " pay-rollers" of 
 Uncle Sam are too busy to waste time writ- 
 ing such long names, but their fat salaries go 
 on just the same, whether they write long or 
 short names. If in their blissful ignorance they 
 know not what they do, it is high time that 
 the Government imposed a more thorough edu- 
 cational and historical test to applicants for 
 positions in its offices or for appointees whose 
 authority may (mis) lead them to deflower our 
 beautiful California. 
 
 Since California has become a wonder, and 
 one of the world's acknowledged show places, 
 and thereby a source of great revenue to the 
 Railroad corporations, why are these concerns 
 permitted to "bite the hands that feed them," 
 when they alter or change the old names? Not 
 long ago in Central California the romantic 
 name of "Paloma," was changed to "Dove" 
 by the railroad people, and a little later, a 
 name no less romantic and interesting was un- 
 ceremoniously changed from "Pajaro," mean- 
 ing bird in the Spanish language, to that of 
 ignominious "Watsonville Junction!" 
 
 Who authorized these changes? "Who are 
 these pilferers of beauty and romantic dignity 
 that they should be permitted to carry on this 
 
CALIFORNIA CITIES AND TOWNS 95 
 
 devastation without a voice to say them not 
 
 That cases cited are not the only ones on 
 record, but are here shown to emphasize 
 the enormity of the crime for that is just 
 what it is it is a flagrant crime against the 
 people of the State of California, and the crimi- 
 nals should be dealt with accordingly. 
 What are you going to do about it? 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
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