Settlement of Yosemite!
Human hunters and their groups gravitated towards Yosemite for their abundant wildlife. The Native Americans Miwok Tribal group called Yosemite Vally home, and called the valley Awani meaning great gaping mouth. They also referred to themselves as Awanichi, which means people of the valley. Besides wildlife, acorns from black oak were they made in to flour. The tribes had the ability to live peacefully because they were unreachable to Spanish missionaries. Miwok lived many generations in the beauty of Yosemite Valley without interference.
Unfortunately once gold was discovered in the Sierra Nevada's thousands of gold seekers searched through the foot hills with their picks and pans looking for gold. They wondered into Yosemite Valley, which made the inhabitants feel very threatened. Native Americans fought back!
Two years after gold was discovered in California and the gold rush commenced, John Savage, a major leading a battalion through new wilderness happened upon Yosemite Valley. His original goal was to force Native Americans into group to move them to reservations. Once they saw the valley they were awe struck by its beauty. One of the men in John's battalion suggested naming it Yosemite after an Anawichi. Clearly the name stuck!
In 1855 James Hutchings, a magazine publisher, lead a group in to the valley. Thomas Ayers was apart of this group and made many sketches of this beautiful land that were later published and drew in more tourists. Once the knowledge of Yosemite's existence begins to spread it's unstoppable!
In the 19th century Galen Clark built a cabin and settled down in Yosemite, he became the guardian of Yosemite.
Luckily on June 30th, 1864 Lincoln signed a law creating Yosemite Valley and Mariposa grove of giant sequoias as a scenic reserve. This doesn't mean it was a national park, but it's a step in the right direction!
Even though Lincolns legislation was a good effort to help the valley, trespassers, homesteaders still gravitated towards the land, mines were still being created, and hunters were ignoring laws protecting the wild life. This beautiful land was still in danger of being destroyed!
Then came John Muir, Yosemite's soulmate, who becomes Yosemite's fearless champion. He becomes a fantastic advocate for Yosemite and it becomes his life goal to maintain the valley. Muir discoveries Yosemite by sleeping under the stars, becomes one with the Earth, explores Yosemite on foot, and takes in as much of his atmosphere as he can.
In 1890 congress lets Yosemite becomes Americas third national park, but it does not include the valley itself or mariposa grove. This worries John Muir tremendously. In 1903 President Roosevelt, a rugged outdoorsmen himself, came to Yosemite to discover its beauty. He spent time with John Muir in Yosemite. They camped together and Muir showed to Roosevelt America's treasure. John Muir is able to get Roosevelt to add Mariposa grove to the national park. This completed the protection of Yosemite's natural beauty for generations and generations to come! First settled by Native Americans now Yosemite is open to tourists from all over the world year round!
The Ahwahnee Hotel has been open since 1927 and continues to be a wonderful place for tourists to stay to enjoy Yosemite. Now Yosemite has camp grounds, cabins, and two hotels which offer a great opportunity for people to stay right in the base of the valley.
Unfortunately once gold was discovered in the Sierra Nevada's thousands of gold seekers searched through the foot hills with their picks and pans looking for gold. They wondered into Yosemite Valley, which made the inhabitants feel very threatened. Native Americans fought back!
Two years after gold was discovered in California and the gold rush commenced, John Savage, a major leading a battalion through new wilderness happened upon Yosemite Valley. His original goal was to force Native Americans into group to move them to reservations. Once they saw the valley they were awe struck by its beauty. One of the men in John's battalion suggested naming it Yosemite after an Anawichi. Clearly the name stuck!
In 1855 James Hutchings, a magazine publisher, lead a group in to the valley. Thomas Ayers was apart of this group and made many sketches of this beautiful land that were later published and drew in more tourists. Once the knowledge of Yosemite's existence begins to spread it's unstoppable!
In the 19th century Galen Clark built a cabin and settled down in Yosemite, he became the guardian of Yosemite.
Luckily on June 30th, 1864 Lincoln signed a law creating Yosemite Valley and Mariposa grove of giant sequoias as a scenic reserve. This doesn't mean it was a national park, but it's a step in the right direction!
Even though Lincolns legislation was a good effort to help the valley, trespassers, homesteaders still gravitated towards the land, mines were still being created, and hunters were ignoring laws protecting the wild life. This beautiful land was still in danger of being destroyed!
Then came John Muir, Yosemite's soulmate, who becomes Yosemite's fearless champion. He becomes a fantastic advocate for Yosemite and it becomes his life goal to maintain the valley. Muir discoveries Yosemite by sleeping under the stars, becomes one with the Earth, explores Yosemite on foot, and takes in as much of his atmosphere as he can.
In 1890 congress lets Yosemite becomes Americas third national park, but it does not include the valley itself or mariposa grove. This worries John Muir tremendously. In 1903 President Roosevelt, a rugged outdoorsmen himself, came to Yosemite to discover its beauty. He spent time with John Muir in Yosemite. They camped together and Muir showed to Roosevelt America's treasure. John Muir is able to get Roosevelt to add Mariposa grove to the national park. This completed the protection of Yosemite's natural beauty for generations and generations to come! First settled by Native Americans now Yosemite is open to tourists from all over the world year round!
The Ahwahnee Hotel has been open since 1927 and continues to be a wonderful place for tourists to stay to enjoy Yosemite. Now Yosemite has camp grounds, cabins, and two hotels which offer a great opportunity for people to stay right in the base of the valley.
The information from this blog post was found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTj2BF5HmXo
If you want more information!
If you want more information!