This photograph of Cathedral Rocks, Yosemite was taken in springtime near El Capitan Meadow. During springtime, run-off from the Merced River forms ponds around the meadow. This gives a fabulous opportunity to photograph the rocks, spires, and trees with some great reflections on the still water surface.
Origin of the name of Cathedral Rocks, Yosemite National Park
The original inhabitants of Yosemite Valley (the Ahwahneechees) called these rocks Poosenachuka (Poo-sen’a-chu-ka), meaning “large acorn cache”. Undoubtedly, the spires look like the poles of a “chuckah” (chuck-ah), a building they used to store food such as acorns and nuts.
Ahwahneechees lived in Yosemite Valley for several millennia before they were driven out during the Mariposa Indian War of 1850/51. At this time, the California Gold Rush brought prospectors, traders, and other new settlers into conflict with the indigenous people who lived in the Valley and surrounding areas. Consequently, hostilities arose when the indigenous peoples tried to resist this invasion.
Originally, there were two small villages or camps near Cathedral Rocks:
Hoptone (Hop’-tó-ne), located at the base of the westernmost of the cliffs, close to the south end of El Capitan bridge across Merced River.
Wesummeh (Wé-sum-meh), is located at the base of Cathedral Spires near the Merced River, where there is a small meadow. This is not far above Hoptone.
In total, about 40 of these villages or camps were scattered throughout Yosemite Valley. Sometime later, all the villages and food stores were destroyed and burnt to the ground by soldiers during the Mariposa War.
The name “Cathedral Spires and Rocks” was first given in 1862 by James Mason Hutchings. With his wife, Elvira, the pioneering couple ran a hotel in the valley. Indeed, they called the hotel “Hutchings House”. In any event, he believed that the spires “appear like the towers of a Gothic Cathedral”. A name that is still used today.
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