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William Bright

1500 California Place Names Paperback – Abridged, November 30, 1998

by Bright (Author)

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This is the new "pocket" version of the classic California Place Names, first published by California in 1949. Erwin G. Gudde's monumental work, which went through several editions during its author's lifetime, has now been released in an expanded and updated edition by William Bright. The abridged version, originally called 1000 California Place Names, has grown to a dynamic 1500 California Place Names in Bright's hands. Those who have used and enjoyed 1000 California Place Names through the decades will be glad to know that 1500 California Place Names is not only bigger but better. This handbook focuses on two sorts of names: those that are well-known as destinations or geographical features of the state, such as La Jolla, Tahoe, and Alcatraz, and those that demand attention because of their problematic origins, whether Spanish like Bodega and Chamisal or Native American like Aguanga and Siskiyou.

Names of the major Indian tribes of California are included, since some of them have been directly adapted as place names and others have been the source of a variety of names. Bright incorporates his own recent research and that of other linguists and local historians, giving us a much deeper appreciation of the tangled ancestry many California names embody. Featuring phonetic pronunciations for all the Golden State's tongue-twisting names, this is in effect a brand new book, indispensable to California residents and visitors alike.

Print length

174 pages
Language

English
Publisher

University of California Press
Publication date

November 30, 1998
Dimensions

4.25 x 0.44 x 8.13 inches
ISBN-10

0520212711
ISBN-13

978-0520212718
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The definitive guide to the etymology of California's geographical names . . . updates the state's poetic vocabulary and gives compelling proof that place names are not the fixed road-map landmarks that so many assume them to be."--"Santa Cruz Sentinel

From the Back Cover

This book traces the origins of place names such as California, named after the mythical black queen Califia, and the town of Peanut, named by a postmaster who was fond of this snack. From the exotic to the prosaic, from border to border, from A to Z, 1500 California Place Names explores the heritage of the Indians, explorers, missionaries, settlers, and surveyors who took part in naming the state's cities, rivers, lakes, peaks, valleys, and other geographical features. This revised, expanded handbook includes the names of the major Indian tribes of California, many of them directly or indirectly the source of place names. William Bright incorporates his own recent research and that of other linguists and local historians to give us a deeper appreciation of the tangled ancestry of many California names. Featuring phonetic pronunciations for tongue-twisting locales, this compact guide should accompany anyone who travels the highways, trails, or waterways of the Golden State.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of California Press; Fourth edition (November 30, 1998)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 174 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0520212711
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0520212718
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.25 x 0.44 x 8.13 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,400,704 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #753 in Regional Geography
- #793 in Catalogs & Directories (Books)
- #2,986 in Pacific West United States Travel Books

Customer Reviews:
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Stunned by the tiny histories and lacking depth

Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2010

Verified Purchase

I ordered this book as well as the book on NM place names, "The Place Names of New Mexico" by Robert Julyan, and they arrived same day. If you want to see what a great book on place names looks like, get the NM place name book above. The CA place names book is tiny in physical size and has 170 pages. Compare with the NM book which is massive and has 385 pages. The reviews in the CA book are tiny...most are three lines that tell how the town got its name with little passion. The NM book has large reviews on most town and place names, 6 to 12 lines that are told with some passion and interest. Take an example from the CA book for the town name Dulzura- Spanish for sweetness, from dulce "sweet". that's it! Not much passion or interest in the descriptions!
One would think with the physical size of California, compared to the smaller physical size of New Mexico that California would have made a better showing. I noticed many CA towns were NOT included in the book, French Gulch being one.
Save your money on this one folks.

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

Philip

The Kindle version allows me to use it in the car easily.

Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2020

Verified Purchase

Searching for why a place was named as I drive around California is great. I prefer Erwin G. Gudde's "California Place Names" more. It has more places defined, more explanation, more detail, but being able to quickly search William Bright's "1500 California Place Names" version on my Kindle is worth owning both of these gazetteers. If I could only have one it would be the Gudde/Bright book, not yet available on Kindle.

Helpful

ZCyclesTop Contributor: Camping

Is OK but not exhaustive...

Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2019

Verified Purchase

or even close. Mostly name you already know the history of or could make an intelligent guess. Many Spanish names that are just the meaning of the translation... Was hoping for a deeper dive into mining towns, rural northern CA towns and areas of major cities.

Helpful

Malcolm

Now I know where place names came from

Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2021

Verified Purchase

I keep my copy in the car, and now whenever we're going anywhere and we see a name we're curious about, we just look it up. they're almost all there!

Helpful

Anvanya

CA Place Names Book

Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2012

Verified Purchase

Too short, by far - but the Author acknowledged this in the preface. We have had fun looking for meanings all over the state. And if you know some basic Spanish vocabulary, the missing names probably will not be a problem for you. I would like to see it updated and in a hard-back version; the paperback gets roughed up from being tossed about in the truck cab. This together with a geology of California book are our basic trip texts. The history we learn along the way.

Helpful

Trapdoor33

Chinese Camp?? Now where did that name come from??

Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2011

Verified Purchase

If you are touring in California and have the least bit of curiosity about the areas that you ride or drive through, you need this book! Fits nicely in glove box, tail trunk or pocket and is mighty nice to have. California's rich history leaves a legacy in its place names and their stories range from the fascinating to ho-hum, but it's a start if you are interested. I don't drive in the Sierras without a copy and it's a fun companion if you need something to read for a few minutes in Saint's Rest!
The descriptions are usually brief, though some are several paragraphs long; there is a reference companion volume available here at Amazon.com: California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names, 40th Anniversary Edition. This work is available in both Hardbound and Softbound format.

Helpful

Jeremy Hakimi

Ever wonder how and where California cities arose from?

Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2016

Verified Purchase

I LOVE California my birth state and I especially love how and where these interesting cities names arose from. Great read for everyone who loves and appreciates California!

Helpful

Queen Bee

I love the book

Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2017

Verified Purchase

It has every place name in Calif with some history. I love the book.

Helpful

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1500 California Place Names Paperback – Abridged, November 30, 1998

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