Frog Woman Rock Gets Marker
Caltrans District 1 and members of the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians were on hand [yesterday] as the Historical Landmark (No. 549) was unveiled in a ceremony at Frog Woman Rock in Mendocino County. Frog Woman Rock, a large volcanic monolith that sits nearly 900 feet tall, is located in the ancestral territory of the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians and to this day is considered to be a place of great power to the many Pomo tribes in the area.
A landslide in the 1960s resulted in roadway loss and the plaque was moved and never replaced at that time. Over the last several years, Caltrans has worked closely with local tribes and state agencies to reestablish the roadside California Historical Landmark monument.
“This plaque will be a permanent reminder that we can work together properly and in a good way by honoring such a significant place like this rock,” said Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Ramόn Billy Jr. of the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians. “You made this real for us and I thank you. We no doubt will accomplish more down the road, but this does make me pleased as I have always wanted to see something like this over at the rock.”
If you would like to visit the landmark, the parking area is located between Hopland and Cloverdale next to southbound U.S. 101 at post mile 5.2.
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What cave person called that rock home before the natives? There is always someone else that was here first. The Neanderthal is extinct and forgotten , let me guess ,no signs of Neanderthals ever living on sacred grounds. How would we know? Can’t dig on sacred grounds, crack me up. Nice plaque for rock that has be claimed by many over the last couple thousand years. Question is, who will be the next owner.
I suggest you find God lone ranger
I didn’t know God was hiding? Speaking of which I’m trying to get a hide n seek tournament going but good players are hard to find, get R dog ,crack me up.
Not quite sure Neanderthals are extinct. You haven’t met my brother-in-law.
Good point Ranger. The following story is another version for another time. One of many, many stories of that rock that I have heard. Most stories are far to sensitive for woke ears.
The following legend of the ” Lover’s Leap” was read by Miss Fannie Lamar at Mrs. Poston’s Seminary August, 1878:‑
“In the deep Cañada through which Russian river comes cascading down with rollicking music from the mountains into the broad valley below, a great majestic rock towers several hundred feet perpendicularly from the bank of the river and slopes off to the westward upon a gentle incline. Passengers and tourists who travel the road which runs near its base, gaze with awe and admiration upon this great monument of Nature’s marvelous work, and listen attentively to a romantic legend familiar to those who dwell in its vicinity. The story, as related by a native Californian lady, Miss Chatta Feliz, who was reared near this great rock, and who was a cotemporary with the principal actors in the tragedy, runs nearly as follows: Before the conquest of this country by the United States, and when the old Catholic Missions retained much of their primitive glory and beneficent power, many of the Indians were gathered into their folds for religious instruction. With the holy inspiration of the Church, which these simple children of Nature imbibed, they developed a passionate fondness for the fashions and ornaments of civilization. About ten miles south of the great rock, near where now stands the beautiful village of Cloverdale, dwelt a tribe of Indians, among whom was a young chief, a sort of Prince Imperial, whose name was Cachow. He was a fine looking fellow of faultless physique, a mighty hunter, skilled in the use of the bow and arrow, renowned for his prowess and rich in the trophies of the chase, as well as in the plunder of the battle field. To all this hoard of wealth and personal accomplishments he had added the glamour acquired by a short sojourn at the mission of San Rafael, and many beads and other trinkets, the gifts of the kind padres of that once famous mission. Of course Cachow was, as well as a distinguished prince, and a hero among the braves, a great favorite with the dusky ladies of his own and the neighboring tribes. About six miles north of the great rock, on a beautiful plateau called Sanel, on the bank of the river, were the wigwams of the Sanelanos. The chief of these Indians had a handsome young daughter, named Sotuka, whose small feet and hands, wealth of dark hair, grace and comeliness, and, more than all her extraordinary skill in cooking venison and grasshoppers and making buckeye mush, made her as famous within the radius of her acquaintance as was the Queen of Sheba in her country.
“About the time of which I write, in the early autumn, when the golden harvest of the wild oats had been gathered into the great willow baskets, and the wild fruits were abundant, and the deer and the rabbits were still fat, and fish were plentiful in the streams and easily caught, Sotuka’s father made a feast and sent his heralds forth with hospitable greetings and invitations to his neighbors. Among the invited guests was the distinguished Cachow, who, with all his fame and manly beauty and gorgeous trappings, was the cynosure of all eyes, and at once became the idol of the royal Sotuka.
“The juiciest acorns were roasted and pounded with Sotuka’s own hands for Cachow, and the choicest delicacies of her basket were selected and prepared for him. In short, while Cachow had completely enthralled the heart of Sotuka, he was not insensible to her great beauty and personal accomplishments; and this, their first meeting, resulted in a betrothal. After an exchange of souvenirs, like lovers of other races, and the festivities being over, Cachow returned to his home with a promise to come back in two moons with a deer skin full of beads for Sotuka’s father and make the lovely daughter his bride. But Cachow, like many men who have gone before him and many who have succeeded him, was unfaithful to his promise, and before two moons had waned he wedded another. It happened in the course of events that Cachow and his new love, in making their bridal tour, built their camp fire at the eastern base of the great rock, underneath the precipice. Sotuka had already become apprised of the perfidy of her lover, and while busily meditating and planning revenge, was informed by one of her scouts of the camping place of the bridal party. When night came Sotuka left her wigwam and, alone, hastened through the darkness to the great rock and, ascending the western slope, approached the precipice and looked down, where, by the light of the little camp fire, she saw her faithless lover and his bride fast asleep.
“With the merciless vengeance of love to hatred turned, and the desperation of unrequited affection, she clasped in her arms a stone as large as she could lift and sprang off the fearful height upon her sleeping victims On the morrow, the Sanelanos and the tribe of Cachow held a grand imposing inquest over the dead trio, and, having built a great log heap, they placed upon it the three mangled bodies and lighted the funeral pyre Then, to the music of a solemn dirge, the wailings of the mourners and the roaring of the flames, the spirits of the departed, as the Indians say, rode upon a chariot of smoke to the happy hunting ground. Since this tragic scene the great rock has been known as ‘The Lover’s Leap.'”
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.
Dear Kym, About that rock…
Thank you for the lovely story and for the tribute to the tribe as well as to the love leap.
There is also another story revolving around that powerful place. Are you familiar with the awful story of Jackie Ray Hovarter who is on death row (where he definitely belongs)? He left one of his victims near the rock after having brutally attacked, shot her, leaving her to die. After he left, that courageous woman removed the bullet and survived, made it to medical care and then found the courage to testify against Hovarter in court face to face. He was convicted and sentenced to death. She was not his first victim. To this day, each and every time we pass the rock in our travels, I pray for the woman that jumped and the woman that survived and for the tribe.
Powerful place indeed.
Thank you for all you do for the community – you are wonderful. Your email is not working – I tried to send this via email.
It was great seeing and talking to you yesterday.
Thank you so much for sharing this.
It’s beautiful.
The point by LR was not a good one, but was woefully ignorant. AFAIK there is no evidence that supports human habitation of this area prior to the direct lineal descendants of the local indigenous people.
And the various versions of the rock as a lover’s leap are laden with the ignorant and racist sentiments that prevailed at that time and which persist to the present day.
An ignorant mind is a narrow one, mine is wide open to all possibilities, this is how science begins. Why fight the truth? Money at stake? Crack me up.
Ranger – Wide open or empty?
Have you ever been to a place with an even longer history of human occupation? There’s plaques on plaques on plaques.
We happen to live in one of the more recently occupied parts of the world (based on most estimations by the various people that study these sorts of things). And I’ve not encountered any theories that include Neanderthal populations in North America
Interesting New Scientist article about California archeological site that shows possibility that neanderthals may have been first Americans.
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2129042-first-americans-may-have-been-neanderthals-130000-years-ago/
Very cool. Still lots to uncover about the hominid history of this hemisphere.
Maybe in a couple decades Ranger will get his Neanderthal historical site marker after all.
Archeology is fascinating, especially hominid history! We are so lucky to live in the information era.
Indeed, it’s a golden age of early hominid archeology right now. The unfolding discoveries in Turkey right now likely mean that our grandchildren will be learning about a whole new era of organized human society preceding Sumeria.
And discoveries in the America’s are steadily pushing the earliest date of human habitation back, and possibly pointing to the west coast of South America as the earliest entrance point for modern humans.
Fascinating stuff
I could careless, just pointing out the OBVIOUS.
Yes, you were careless and you successfully pointed out the obvious fact that you don’t have a clear understanding of history. But you’ve never let that stop you from expressing an opinion
No opinion in this case, just facts that will come to light in the future. Sometimes the answer is easily seen by some of us.
Just trying save a step and taxpayers some money. In 50 years politicians will follow the votes and completely revamp it at the taxpayers expense.
You can see how much Neanderthal DNA you have at 23andMe.
Maybe it might be a good location to set up another indian casino that honors the land they are built upon. Giant parking lots, smoke shop, gas station and hotel. “Frog Woman Casino and Resort”.
How about “they wiped out my people and all I got was this historical marker”.
How about the Indians of North America weren’t innocent angels when it came to brutalizing each other. Look it up, I’m not going to do it for you. Tired of the racist white shaming. No one gets a pass on murderous behavior, right? Including the Tribes of this continent. So, the billion dollars casino biz across the nation can extend to Frog Woman Casino and Resort. Better than a plaque.
How about nobody wants to be the loser in brutal human history.
How about asking my Jewish friends and family about being wiped out for thousands of years? Or is this too politically incorrect? Besides this frog looks more like a man. If a frog at all. Don’t mean to be sexist about the man-frog thing. Right?
*therapist voice* Show me exactly where Frog Woman hurt you. … Is Frog Woman in the room with us right now?
It was the Washington redskins name really hurt me deeply, then that statue in arcata , then that budlight can , then that butter thing, crack me up. This nation will never survive an invasion like Russia currently has going on, feelings might get hurt and guns are bad, have another budlight and close your eyes ,everything will be alright.
Answer this please: Mckinnley and the US government really were muderous, imperial dicks. The frenzy about his statue was epic. Why don’t all those offended people change Mckinnleyville’s name? Not as fun as picking on a statue? Weak, very weak…
They have found human bones 13,000 years old on an island off the coast of Ventura, California (Arlington Springs Woman).
“Her presence on an island at such an early date demonstrates that the earliest Paleoindians had watercraft capable of crossing the Santa Barbara Channel. It also gives credence to the theory that the Americas were peopled by boats sailing down the Pacific coast.”
or the ice bridge theory
right, but the pomo people… are alive. and work well enough together to organize this, specifically collaborating with the people who oversee their ancestral lands to restore some pride back into a tribe who’s been through a hell of a lot of bullshit.
How many are still alive that actually saw the bullshit? Or we calling casinos bullshit, crack me up. My ancestors were drafted into WWll bullshit , wheres my free handout. They didn’t want to kill the Japanese so Indians could have casinos , how about that bullshit.
Your ancestors got free education and subsidized housing loans and other benefits for that bullshit.
You’re also comparing a temporary military conscription to an attempted (and very nearly successful) genocide.
My ancestors went to work at age 13 , didn’t even finish high school due to the depression. Free college because they killed hundreds of thousands of Japanese? When they came back from Japan they went to work in sawmills and paid their own way.
That’s one of your best yet ranger. Your ancestors killed hundreds of thousands of Japanese in ww2 and they didn’t even get GI bill benefits?
You ought to write up that tale, it would be a sure fire top seller.
They may have had the option, but my ancestors never took handouts. Sorry ,some people have alittle pride. I guess some people are raised with ” government is good and here to give you money” and others are raised ” get out there and work and pay your own way” .
Photo of rock with face of female indigenous person. Zoom in,
Almost frog like in her appearance?
LOL!
That is the view from southbound 101, north of the rock. I have always thought that profile was the origin of the name. It is quite obvious if seen from the right spot. Thanks for posting that ❤
That’s a lot like the rock down at whale gulch.
Here is another view. Good history of the rock on Wiki.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frog_Woman_Rock#:~:text=Frog%20Woman%20is%20an%20important,became%20known%20as%20Squaw%20Rock.
👍
Seems like the state promoting a native religion.
Big difference between promoting or showing respect.
No not a big difference, more like a fine line.
Churches often get historical markers and many even have official traffic signs directing people to them.
And of course, Christmas is a fuckin federal holiday.
The constitutional limit placed on government is that congress “shall make no law” regarding people’s religious practice. There’s no broad ban on government mentioning religions.
“And of course, Christmas is a fuckin federal holiday.”
And one celebrated by every atheist I know.
Merchants love it.
It’s been well co opted by our modern consumerist religion.
“Christmas’ was an adaptation of the earlier Pagan Celebrations.
———
The origins of Christmas stem from both the pagan and Roman cultures.
The Romans actually celebrated two holidays in the month of December. The first was Saturnalia, which was a two-week festival honoring their god of agriculture Saturn. On December 25th, they celebrated the birth of Mithra, their sun god.
———
Easter was also a pagan celebration.
no law establishing a federal/national religion
Merry Christmas, crack me up. Sound like a scrooge
😂😂😂😂😂
No disrespect intended;
I grew up being told it was called “squaw rock” no history behind it it’s just what I was told.
Reading earnies statement I think this goes with that story. Not sure tho.
I also learned squaw rock, driving thru there as a kid in the 80s & 90s.
Wondering what the original marker that was washed out in the 60s said?
I always loved driving passed there (and still do). Glad that a name offensive to our indigenous tribes will be corrected for future generations
Squaw rock is what I remember from 70 and 80 ,90 legend tell they sacrifice a virgin maiden once a year back in the 1800 ers. OFF THE TOP TO THE RIVER BELOW.
was called that when i lived near there in 50s , 60s
was told by a couple friends , native americans , being politically correct , that it was a place where women , whos husband was killed in battle or defense of the tribe , went with sorrow and love and threw them selves off the cliff because they could not stand being without their husbands
That is horrible. They could have just found new husbands.
In the 80s I was told it was, ‘Squaw Jump Rock’. That is a derogatory work, and I doubt that was the native place name. Congratulations for the plaque and the recognition that this is a sacred spot.
Women are not frogs.
Frog woman is.
That is a rock.
Frog woman is not a rock
Women and frogs are not rocks.
And yet some rocks are frog woman rock.
It’s a wonderful and mysterious world we live in
It isn’t mysterious. It’s a rock.
It seems mysterious to you, you thought it’s name was calling women frogs.
Perhaps it’s just language that is mysterious to you. Afterall, how could something called “frog woman rock” be only one of those things? Somewhere in elementary language arts texts that answer lies
Is or was? Like you said below, elementary english,Crack me up. Isn’t frog woman deceased?
Frog woman is a mythical being.
Wait, did you not even read the plaque that triggered you? Were you just set off by the mention of a local tribe?
Was a mythical being, or do you still see her. Crack me up.
Do you not understand what a mythical being is?
The old marker with the prior name got pushed over the bank every time it was placed. I hope this one makes it.
Might have been a good reason for that..
O my god this is so offensive! It’s called nonbinary frog rock!
Yeah, yeah. You would rather it be Genocidal Rape Slave Rock again. Just own it then. That’s pretty much what “squaw” meant to European Americans.
way to put words in my mouth, it was called maiden rock in my family when I was growing up I never said anything about the derogatory name it had been called, YOU DID. Saying I’m ok with rape is really fucked up! I mention non binary because woman’s rights are being threatened by MEN saying they are women. Now that I think about it why is squaw valley still named that that’s messed up.
Colonizer, it is not nonbinary! It’s 2 Spirit.
Hang your head in shame and repent.
That’s really nice. Glad to see some good news.
Frog Creature looks on with scorn at the consumer culture, the casino culture, the commuter culture.. . streaming day and night below…
haunting the chapel of nature,
frightening her amphibian chant.
Comedy abounds as genocidal state conspires with colonized people, to edify anthropocentric primitivism, to glorify human culture, always.
Even environmentalists now care more about pampering the human egos of federally recognized people than they do about stamping out the scourge of cyborg modernity.
But who cares!
Go Electric!
geezus krist ! what books and web sites are you reading
I’m sorry, but when I read the plaque, I think of Klingon.
I grew up driving past back and forth from Humboldt to the Bay 5-7 times a year visiting relatives from the 70’s til now. Ernie’s Story is the story we were always told in the car,
Albeit not as detailed. As for the 3 commentators on here that so scornful of the Native tribes history and culture in this area. Your comments are usually so off
Base as to make you sound completely uneducated and ignorant of any real history. Secondly they come off as racist. Yes, when you have nothing good to add and comment derogatorily about another race it’s racism. I assume you get a sense of righteousness and even power from your ignorant comments, but as the downvotes show, we really feel sad for your primitive, rude, and disrespectful comments, like we feel sad for the drug addict that just can’t help themselves to stop.
Seems to me that any landmark should be able to display more than one marker and be known for more than one reason.
Respect for everyone’s history is real and matters.
Was there ever a point in time when people weren’t invested in their own culture?
The following quote might be fitting in this space. I have always been offended by interlopers into someone’s homeland or culture that deride and change everything sacred to them. The following is from a native woman:
“The sound “squaw,” regardless of its spelling, is OUR word for woman, and it is NOT to be used as an insult! When I hear it spoken by Native peoples, in its proper context, I hear the voices of the ancestors. I am reminded of powerful grandmothers who nurtured our people and fed the strangers, of proud women chiefs who stood up against them, and of mothers and daughters and sisters who still stand here today. In their honor I demand that our language, our women, and our history, be treated with respect.
Thank you for listening.”
Wlibomkanni, travel well.
More culture: https://lists.h-net.org/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=vx&list=h-amindian&month=9912&week=a&msg=//Wt4lIoJcFuIg%2BP975gmg&user=&pw=
I’m sorry that I was not able to properly attribute the above quote, and the delay in posting kept me from correcting it. The Quote is from Marge Bruchac.
I remember in the near past that I was told not to call the indigenous people “Indians” because it was derogatory. My cousin, while writing a history book asked a person about how she felt about being called and Indian. Her reply was “I was born as an Indian, I was raised as and Indian, and I see no reason to change that now.” The Indian people took the appellation “Indian” back and made it a proud name.
The link that I provided above, details how the indigenous people were offended by newcomers to their world changing their words and attributing terrible meaning to their revered and beautiful language. I know that most of us don’t click on links, but the links in this bolg post are well worth reading please open them, read an try not to weep.
Although I have no Indian blood, most of my family does. It hits a little close to home to have a culture turned upside down.
Thanks for the link Ernie, here’s another…..
History
Countries That No Longer Exist
By Lisa Morrow and Brittany Alexandra Sulc, updated on May 25, 2021
https://www.farandwide.com/s/countries-no-longer-exist-55039e68de634465
The English word squaw is an ethnic and sexual slur,[1][2][3][4] historically used for Indigenous North American women.[1][5] Contemporary use of the term, especially by non-Natives, is considered derogatory, misogynist, and racist.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
While the morphemesquaw (or a close variant) is found within longer words in several Eastern and CentralAlgonquian languages, primarily spoken in the northeastern United States and in eastern and central Canada,[8][9] these languages only make up a small minority of the Indigenous languages of North America. The word “squaw” is not used among Native American, First Nations, Inuit, or Métis peoples.[2][3][4][5] Even in Algonquian, the related morphemes used are not the English-language slur, but only a component part of longer Algonquian words that contain more than one morpheme.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squaw
I think it is resonable to stop calling the women squaws. They don’t call themselves squaws why should you?
So if my ancestors are on dawes roll and my 23 and me shows I’m indigenous, it’s ok for me to use the term squaw cause I’m indigenous? That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Every word can be used in a condescending way or a praise way, maybe just treat everyone with respect and you don’t have to worry about word regulations, crack me up.
Ernie said: “I have always been offended by interlopers into someone’s homeland or culture that deride and change everything sacred to them.”
You mean like the European settlers who gave a false name to Frog Woman Rock using a word that doesn’t exist in the indigenous language?
From the link posted by tru matters:
“There is cultural and ethnographic evidence from speakers of both the Northern Pomo and Central Pomo language that this location was, and still is, known by local Native Pomo as the dwelling of Frog Woman.”
And…
“In summary, there is evidence of Pomo mythology that this place was inhabited by a supernatural frog woman. This is confirmed by ethnographic sources of both the Northern and Central Pomo peoples. The current usage of the term squaw equates with widely derogatory meanings, and therefore is offensive to modern Native Americans. In addition, the term squaw is an eastern Algonquian word, unknown to the local Pomo speakers of the Hokan language stock.”
I think that you made my point quite well. I have long known that the word “Squaw” was not a local word, and has been forced upon the local culture.
I am also well aware of the disrespect shown by many of the newcomers and “Back To Landers”. I am also still offended by all the name changes of local places and plants.
To be fair, most of the people that moved here were great people that contributed greatly to our culture and well being. But, we never talk about the great people among the newcomers do we? We never talk about my ancestors that hid and saved Indians, wrote letters to Sacramento to change laws and create positive change, do we? No, we go on incessantly about the White European Indian killing bastards. (Also amongst my ancestors) You might be surprised to find the there were many people that wanted to coexist with the Indigenous people. But, who wants to talk about them? No shock value there.
If your point was supportive of reclaiming the name Frog Woman Rock you concealed it well. You also seem offended that the genocidal history of this area finally came to light after being ignored for 100 years.
Even acknowledging the crimes of European colonists in the new world is a pretty new feature of the mainstream cultural discourse.
In my elementary school, about 25 years ago, we were taught about all the glories of “settling” of the new world and all the happy Indians that gleefully helped the Europeans along their way.
Even inhigh-school, there was some little mention of sporadic violence between European and native inhabitants but it was never mentioned that there was a systemic plan to eliminate the population that the Europeans found here. No mention of the wholesale slaughter of the bison to starve them out, no mention of the intentional spreading of disease, no mention of the government sanctioned mass murder, enslavement, or child trafficking.
So if, today, the narrative pendulum has swung a bit too far in the other direction I would recommend trying to remember that that’s just the nature of momentum. It will swing back. Hopefully heading toward a more balanced telling of the story of how our country came to exist in its current form.
I think that unique natural features like this rock outcropping resonate with almost everyone. It would be nice if we could all see that commonality and use it to work toward unity instead of division. The plaque seems appropriate to me. I think it is generally accepted that the word squaw is considered a slur. A plaque acknowledging the name Squaw Rock has been used and why it will not be used officially would be educational in the same way old signs from the era of segregation really make an impact.