The San Joaquin River connects three of the defining features of California's landscape, the Sierra Nevada Central Valley in San Francisco Bay the river and its tributaries cover a drainage of over 15,000 square miles. Today on KVPR Central Valley roots the story of the river and how it earned its many names.
Long before the river was called the San Joaquin, native peoples lived along its banks and fished its waters. The Mono tribe called the river Typici-h-huu, which means important or great river. The Yokuts also called the river home, and named it Tihshachu, which means “salmon spearing place.”
In 1772, an expedition led by Spanish explorer Pedro Fages and Franciscan priest Juan Crespí visited the San Joaquin River from San Francisco Bay, and named it Rio Grande de San Francisco. But that name didn’t last.
In either 1805 or 1806, an expedition led by Gabriel Moraga entered the Central Valley and came across the river. Moraga named it after St. Joachim, the father of the Virgin Mary. Thus the name San Joaquin River was born. Incidentally, Moraga’s own father was also named Joaquin.
In 1826, American explorer Jedidiah Smith visited the area and reported the indigenous tribes called the river Peticutry. It was Moraga’s name that stuck however, and was applied to both the river and the southern half of the Central Valley.
