Yokuts Valley, California

The Chukimena, the Yokuts tribe that occupied the valley before American colonization, named it Múshtihnau, after their main village.{{cite book |last=Latta |first=Frank |date=1978 |title=Handbook of Yokuts Indians |publisher=Bear State Books |pages=169 |isbn=9781892622099 }} The nearby Éntimbits Yokuts tribe called the valley, Túcheu.{{cite book |last=Latta |first=Frank |date=1978 |title=Handbook of Yokuts Indians |publisher=Bear State Books |pages=167 |isbn=9781892622099 }} The label "Valley" originally referred to either the surrounding basin or a narrow valley that connects it to the San Joaquin Valley. Today it refers to both. The basin may have originally been named "Woman's Land", after a depression in a rock overlooking the valley that resembles a woman's moccasin print. By 1873, non-native hunters adapted the name in English to "Squaw Valley", because "squaw" was the term used by white settlers for Indigenous women; it is considered a slur by natives.{{cite news|title=Native Americans want Squaw Valley, Fresno County CA renamed|first=Carmen|last=George|work=The Fresno Bee|date=February 20, 2021|accessdate=September 28, 2022|url=https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article248852289.html}}{{cite news|title=In Fresno County, Native groups take on meaning of 'Squaw' and 'Warrior'|first=Cresencio|last=Rodriguez-Delgado|work=PBS NewsHour|date=February 15, 2022|accessdate=October 8, 2022|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/in-fresno-county-native-groups-take-on-meaning-of-squaw-and-warrior}}{{cite journal|title=Change Sq__ Valley to Yokuts Valley|journal=Quarterly Review List|publisher=United States Board on Geographic Names|location=Washington, D.C.|issue=448|date=August 5, 2022|pages=30–33|accessdate=October 8, 2022|url=https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/media/files/Review%20List%20448%20%283%29.pdf#page=31}} The United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN) officially assigned the name "Squaw Valley" to the community in 1957 and to the basin in 1959.

On August 28, 1958, at the behest of Representative B. F. Sisk, the BGN decided that "Squaw Valley" would only refer to this community, not to a newer community in Placer County that was about to host the 1960 Winter Olympics. The latter would become known as Olympic Valley.{{cite report|language=en|title=Hearings and Special Reports Made by Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives on Subjects Affecting the Naval and Military Establishments|publisher=United States Government Printing Office|location=Washington, D.C.|date=1958|page=5067|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8I80z2mG-fAC&pg=PA5067|via=Google Books}}{{cite news|title=Squaw Valley 'Loses' Name|agency=United Press|work=The Press-Tribune|location=Roseville, California|date=August 30, 1957|page=2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109718884/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|language=en|title=Tug-Of-War Over Squaw Valley Name Resolved|work=Auburn Journal|date=October 4, 1958|page=B-4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109487056/|via=Newspapers.com}} Nevertheless, the name "Squaw Valley" continued to refer informally to both communities, creating considerable confusion.{{cite news|title=Olympics Site Still Has Post Office Problem|work=Auburn Journal|agency=JS|date=December 22, 1960|at=p. D-1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110449533/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=Challenge issued by county for Squaw Valley name|first=Jim|last=Janssen|work=The Press-Tribune|location=Roseville, California|date=November 13, 1969|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109488963/|via=Newspapers.com}}

From 2020 to 2023, a coalition that included members of local tribes petitioned the Fresno County Board of Supervisors to rename the community "Nuum Valley" and later "Yokuts Valley", citing the derogatory history of the town's previous name.{{cite news|title=Indigenous group goes to federal board to rename Squaw Valley|first=Lila|last=Seidman|work=Los Angeles Times|date=January 8, 2022|accessdate=September 17, 2022|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-01-08/coalition-seeks-to-rename-squaw-valley-in-fresno-county}}{{cite news|title=Should the community of Squaw Valley change its name?|first=Melissa|last=Montalvo|work=CalMatters|location=Sacramento, California|date=November 19, 2021|accessdate=September 17, 2022|url=https://calmatters.org/california-divide/2021/11/squaw-valley-rename/}}{{cite news|title=California Advisory Committee on Geographic Names Minutes|publisher=California Advisory Committee on Geographic Names|location=Sacramento, California|date=March 25, 2022|accessdate=September 13, 2022|page=13|url=https://cacgn.ca.gov/media/5qgow3zq/cacgn-03-25-2022-final-minutes.pdf#page=13}}

In September 2022, the Board on Geographic Names renamed the surrounding valley to Yokuts Basin as part of a program to remove "squaw" from geographical names across the country.{{cite news|title=Squaw removed from place names across US, California by feds|first=Darrell|last=Smith|work=The Sacramento Bee|date=September 8, 2022|accessdate=September 13, 2022|url=https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/article265494211.html}} A Fresno County Supervisor, Republican Nathan Magsig, solicited feedback from 1,400 households about the proposed renaming and says they prefer Bear Valley.{{Cite news |last=Gomez |first=Melissa |date=2024-01-30 |title=California banned a slur from geographic place names. Fresno County won't let go. |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-01-30/california-banned-slur-from-geographic-place-names-fresno-county-wont-let-go |access-date=2024-01-30 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} He organized a town hall meeting with local activists that turned contentious. Arguments against the name change ranged from procedural to political. Some opposed it simply for the fact that the new name had not been chosen by residents, ironic to the native tribes who still live in the area. Others refused to accept that the word "squaw" is considered derogatory by others. Arguments in favor of the change came from Native activists and white residents of the town who wanted their home cleared of a name that degraded Indigenous women.{{cite news|title=Squaw Valley, CA meeting about name change angers residents|first=Carmen|last=Kohlruss|work=The Fresno Bee|date=September 23, 2022|accessdate=September 28, 2022|url=https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article266118166.html}}

A few days later, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law directing state and local authorities to remove "squaw" from geographic features and place names throughout the state, including "Squaw Valley", by 2025.{{cite news|title=New law will remove the word 'squaw' from California place names|first=Louis|last=Sahagún|work=Los Angeles Times|date=September 25, 2022|accessdate=September 28, 2022|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-09-25/new-law-will-remove-the-word-squaw-from-california-place-names}}{{cite press release|title=On Native American Day, Governor Newsom Signs Legislation to Support California Native Communities, Advance Equity and Inclusion|publisher=Office of the Governor of California|location=Sacramento, California|date=September 23, 2022|accessdate=September 28, 2022|url=https://www.gov.ca.gov/2022/09/23/on-native-american-day-governor-newsom-signs-legislation-to-support-california-native-communities-advance-equity-and-inclusion/}} In October, the Fresno County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution that acknowledged the state and federal renaming efforts while notifying the federal government that 87% of households that responded to Supervisor Magsig's survey opposed renaming the community.{{cite news|title=Supervisors Tell Feds: Squaw Valley Wants to Keep Its Name|first=Liz|last=Juarez|work=GVWire|location=Fresno, California|date=October 12, 2022|accessdate=February 9, 2023|url=https://gvwire.com/2022/10/12/supervisors-tell-feds-squaw-valley-wants-to-keep-its-name/}}

In January 2023, the Board on Geographic Names completed additional review on renaming the unincorporated populated place to "Yokuts Valley."{{cite press release|title=Interior Department Completes Vote to Remove Derogatory Names from Five Locations|publisher=United States Department of the Interior|location=Washington, D.C.|date=January 12, 2023|accessdate=February 9, 2023|url=https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/interior-department-completes-vote-remove-derogatory-names-five-locations}}{{cite news|title=Federal government votes to rename Fresno County's Squaw Valley|first=Melissa|last=Montalvo|work=The Fresno Bee|date=January 12, 2023|accessdate=February 10, 2023|url=https://www.fresnobee.com/fresnoland/article271072387.html}} In February, a prominent welcome sign bearing the previous name was removed, prompting some local residents to call for its restoration.{{cite news|title=Removal of 'Welcome to Squaw Valley' sign has residents outraged|publisher=KMPH-TV|location=Visalia, California|date=February 7, 2023|accessdate=February 9, 2023|url=https://kmph.com/news/local/removal-of-welcome-to-squaw-valley-sign-has-residents-outraged}}

Present-day Yokuts Valley was originally the home of Yokuts and Mono people. In 1869, the Simpson Drake family became the first recorded non-Indigenous family to settle in the basin. An early reference to Yokuts Valley appears in an 1884 issue of an Idaho newspaper.

The first post office opened in "Squaw Valley" in 1879.{{California's Geographic Names|1109}} It was renamed Squawvalley in 1895 before closing in 1918. It reopened in 1923, renamed back to Squaw Valley in 1932, and closed again in 1945 in favor of the nearby Orange Cove post office.{{cite news|title=PO Department Recognize Squaw Valley Prior Claim|work=Reedley Exponent|date=November 19, 1959|page=4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110449399/|via=Newspapers.com}} The "Squaw Valley" post office was established a third time in 1960.

In the 1960s, the community moved east to its current location.{{cite journal|title=Change S__ Valley to Nuum Valley|journal=Quarterly Review List|publisher=United States Board on Geographic Names|location=Washington, D.C.|issue=446|date=January 24, 2022|pages=15–18|accessdate=October 8, 2022|url=https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/media/files/Review%20List%20448%20%283%29.pdf#page=31}} In 1994, the Fresno County Public Library's Bear Mountain Branch Library relocated to the community from Dunlap, where it had been since 1915.{{cite web|title=Bear Mountain Branch Library|publisher=Fresno County Public Library|accessdate=February 10, 2023|url=https://www.fresnolibrary.org/branch/bear.html}}

The community is located in the Yokuts Basin. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of {{convert|56.6|mi2|km2|1}}, of which over 99% is land. The Squaw Valley-Miramonte AVA grape-growing region is centered around the community.

At the 2010 census Yokuts Valley had a population of 3,162. The population density was {{convert|55.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Yokuts Valley was 2,700 (85.4%) White, 30 (0.9%) African American, 77 (2.4%) Native American, 47 (1.5%) Asian, 2 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 159 (5.0%) from other races, and 147 (4.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 525 people (16.6%).{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0673794|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715040425/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0673794|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Squaw Valley CDP|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}}

The census reported that 3,160 people (99.9% of the population) lived in households, 2 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.

There were 1,188 households, 343 (28.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 715 (60.2%) were married couples living together, 101 (8.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 66 (5.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 75 (6.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 7 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 239 households (20.1%) were one person and 99 (8.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.66. There were 882 families (74.2% of households); the average family size was 3.01.

The age distribution was 709 people (22.4%) under the age of 18, 200 people (6.3%) aged 18 to 24, 597 people (18.9%) aged 25 to 44, 1,111 people (35.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 545 people (17.2%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 46.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.9 males.

There were 1,419 housing units at an average density of {{convert|25.1|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}, of which 1,188 were occupied, 1,009 (84.9%) by the owners and 179 (15.1%) by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.7%. 2,648 people (83.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 512 people (16.2%) lived in rental housing units.

As of the census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}} of 2000, there were 2,691 people, 1,025 households, and 779 families in the CDP. The population density was {{convert|47.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,160 housing units at an average density of {{convert|20.5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.33% White, 1.37% African American, 2.38% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.22% Pacific Islander, 4.83% from other races, and 2.30% from two or more races. 12.15% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 1,025 households 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.9% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.0% were non-families. 19.3% of households were one person and 8.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 2.98.

The age distribution was 23.5% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 30.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% 65 or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.4 males.

The median household income was $39,417 and the median family income was $47,739. Males had a median income of $38,375 versus $27,850 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $20,719. 8.9% of the population and 2.6% of families were below the poverty line. 14.4% of those under the age of 18 and 2.1% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

As an unincorporated community, Yokuts Valley lacks a local government.{{cite book|chapter=Unincorporated Areas|chapter-url=https://admin.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ca-roster/2021/unincorporated-areas.pdf|title=California Roster 2021|publisher=California Secretary of State|date=2021|accessdate=September 14, 2022|url=https://www.sos.ca.gov/administration/california-roster}} Instead, Fresno County service areas and special districts serve the area. Along with much of eastern Fresno County, Yokuts Valley is located in Supervisorial District 5.{{cite map|title=Fresno County - Supervisorial Districts|publisher=County of Fresno|date=December 14, 2021|accessdate=February 10, 2023|url=https://www.co.fresno.ca.us/home/showpublisheddocument/64672/637846818282200000}} The Kings Canyon Unified School District serves Fresno County's mountain areas including Yokuts Valley. The Fresno County Sheriff's Office maintains a substation in Yokuts Valley.{{cite web|title=Facility List by Dept|publisher=County of Fresno|accessdate=February 10, 2023|at=E194|url=http://www2.co.fresno.ca.us/0440/BidDocuments/926-5231/926-5231%20Exhibit%201%20-%20Facility%20List.xls|format=Excel}}

• Stuart Erwin{{snd}} actor
• Don Knight{{snd}} actor

{{reflist}}

• {{Commons-inline}}

{{Fresno County, California}}

{{Kings Canyon National Park}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Census-designated places in Fresno County, California

Category:Populated places established in 1879

Category:Census-designated places in California