Native Americans have lived on the California landscape at least 13,000 years.

The Ohlone people arrived in the the Bay Area about 3,000 years ago, before 500 B.C.E..

During the last 250 years, other peoples have arrived from all over the world; the population on this land has increased by 2,000 times.

Although few traces survive of most of the sovereign Native groups who once lived here, many Bay Area Native Americans are rediscovering and celebrating their history and traditions.

Native American Lands

CHUMASH

SHOSHONEAN

YUMAN

SALINAN

YOKUTS

OHLONE

COASTMIWOK

EASTERN MIWOK

WASHO

NISENANPATWINPOMO

KONKOW

MAIDUYANA

NOMLAK

YUKI

ATHABASCAN

WINTUATSUGEWI

ACHUMAWI

MODOC

WIYOT

YUROKKAROK

SHASTATOLOWA

PARK SITETODAY

Huimen

Habasto

Omiomi

Yelamu

Ssalson

Chiguan Lamchin

Cotegen

Olpen Tamien

Puichon

Alson

Tuibun

Irgin

Seunen

Causen

Huchiun

Huchiun

Huchiun

Ssoyen

Tatcan

Sacian

Chupcan

CarquinOmpin

Suisun

COAST

MIWOK BAY

MIWOK

OHLONE

PARK SITETODAY

CHUMASH

SHOSHONEAN

YUMAN

SALINAN

YOKUTS

EASTERN MIWOK

WASHO

NISENANPATWINPOMO

KONKOW

MAIDUYANA

NOMLAK

YUKI

ATHABASCAN

WINTUATSUGEWI

ACHUMAWI

MODOC

WIYOT

YUROKKAROK

SHASTATOLOWA

DISTRICTOF SANFRANCISCO

DISTRICT

DISTRICT

DISTRICT

Mission Santa Cruzfounded in 1791

San Francisco(1776)

Monterey(1770)

Santa Barbara(1782)

Los Angeles(1781)

San Diego(1769)

San Jose

MONTEREY

OF

SAN DIEGO

OF

OFSANTA BARBARA

PARK SITETODAY

PARK SITETODAY

MISSIONSAN RAFAEL

LANDS OFMISSIONDOLORES

LANDS OFMISSIONDOLORES

LANDS OFMISSIONSAN JOSE

LANDS OFMISSIONSAN JOSE

COASTRANGE

MOUNTAINS

RANCHOSAN ANTONIO

Mission and Presidioof San Francisco,

founded 1776

Mission of Santa Clara, 1777and Pueblo of San José, founded 1777

Mission San Jose(in present-day Fremont),

founded in 1797

Missions Pueblos Presidios“. . . the call should be heeded of so many thousands of pagans who are waiting in California on the threshold of holy Baptism . . .”

Junípero Serra, head of California miSSionS, 1767

“. . . at the appropriate time the natives could be taught Christianity, and

reduced to obedience to my Royal officials . . .”

CarloS iii, King of Spain, 1770

Missions, Presidios, and Pueblos

CHUMASH

SHOSHONEAN

YUMAN

SALINAN

YOKUTS

EASTERN MIWOK

WASHO

NISENANPATWINPOMO

KONKOW

MAIDUYANA

NOMLAK

YUKI

ATHABASCAN

WINTUATSUGEWI

ACHUMAWI

MODOC

WIYOT

YUROKKAROK

SHASTATOLOWA

San Francisco

Monterey

Santa Barbara

Los Angeles

San Diego

San Buenaventura

Primer Canõn

Arroyo Chico

FernandezBoga

Honcut

New HelvetiaJohnson’s Rancho

Canada de Capay

Yokaya

Sanel

German

Guenoc

Del PasoSan JuanRio de los Americanos

CosumnesArroyo Seco

Ulpinos

Campo de los Frances

Stanislaus

Arroyo SecoEl Pescadero

El Pescadero

Rancho del Puerto

Mariposas

Orestimba

Ausaymos y San Felipe

Panoche

Aguilas

San Lorenzo

San Lorenzo

Laguna de Tache

Cholame

Cuyama

San Emidia

El Tejon

Los Alamos y Agua Caliente

La Liebre

MuscupiabeSan Bernadino

Jurupa

San Jacinto

Santa RosaTemecula

Paula

San Jose del Valle

Santa YsabelValle de San Felipe

Cuyamaca

PARK SITETODAY

Olompali Petaluma

CorteMaderade Novato

Nicasio

San Jose

San PedroCañ deHerrera

SanGeronimo

Pt. Quentin

Corte deMadera del

Presidio

Saucelito

Tomales yBaulines(Phelps)LasBaulines

LosMedanos

Montedel

Diablo

lasJuntas

Cañ delHambre

Pinole

SanPablo

El SobranteCañada del

Pinole

Acalanes

Laguna delos PalosColorados

San Antonio(Peraltas)

SanLeandro San

Lorenzo

Arroyo dela Alameda

Potrerode las

Cerritos

Arroyo de lasNeuces yBolbones

San Ramon

Santa Rita

Valle deSan Jose

AguaCaliente

Tularcitos

Rinconde las

Esteros

Ulistac

Milpitas

PuebloSan JosePueblo

Santa ClaraQuito

Pastora delas Borregas

Posolmi

SanAntonio

LaPurisima

Concepcion

El Cortede Madera

Rincon de SanFrancisquito

Arroyo deS. Francisquito

SanFrancisquito

Pulgas

SanFrancisco

Cañada deRaymundo

SanGregorio(Castro)

SanGregorio

(Rodriguez)

CañadaVerde

Miramontes

QuitoCorral

de Tierra(Palomares) Corral

de Tierra(Vasquez)

SanMateo

BuriBuriSan

Pedro

Rincon delas Salinas

Cañada deGuadalupe

SanMiguel

Lagunade la

Merced

PARK SITETODAY

Between Mexican independence in 1822 and the U.S.-Mexican War, 1846-1848, Mexico made over 800 land grants in California. Nearly all went to members of families who had come from New Spain or Mexico since 1775, rather than to Native peoples.

On the ranchos, Native Americans worked for and with the new landowners. They formed the adobe bricks and built the houses; herded the cattlle and slaughtered them for the hide and tallow trade; tended the gardens, fields and orchards; cooked the food and cared for the children.

Native Americans outnumbered the Spanish-speaking landowners on the ranchos by about twenty to one; the ranchos’ history is part of the heritage of California’s Native Peoples.

Ranchos

Visit the alcoves on the adobe wall outside to learn about daily life on the Peralta rancho from both perspectives.