Anza Valley facts for kids

The Anza Valley, once known as the Hamilton Plains, is a special area in Riverside County, California. It's like a big, natural bowl in the land, also called a basin. This valley stretches southwest from Bautista Canyon and is west of Thomas Mountain. It goes all the way to Terwilliger Valley, which is about 2.8 miles west-southwest of Table Mountain. The valley is also about 12 miles south of Idyllwild.

The Anza Valley sits high up, at about 4,157 feet (1,267 m) above sea level. It is located west of the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains. Water from the valley flows into Cahuilla Creek. This creek is a smaller stream, known as a tributary, that eventually joins the Santa Margarita River.

History of Anza Valley

Anza Valley is named after Juan Bautista de Anza, a Spanish explorer who led the Anza expeditions into California.

The Anza Valley is named after a brave Spanish soldier and explorer named Juan Bautista de Anza. He first traveled through this valley on March 16, 1774. He came back again on December 27, 1775. When he first saw it, de Anza called the valley "San Carlos."

Later, on September 16, 1926, the valley was officially renamed Anza Valley. This was done to honor him. Before that, it was sometimes called Cahuilla Valley.

Jim Hamilton's Story

In the late 1800s, the Anza Valley was also known by another name: the Hamilton Plain. This name came from an early settler named Jim Hamilton. He was an African American pioneer who moved to this area. Jim Hamilton had lost his land in Butterfield Valley after a legal dispute. This happened in the early 1880s.

After losing his land, Hamilton moved to the lands where the Cahuilla people lived. There, he and two of his sons continued to raise cattle. Their ranch was in what we now call the Anza Valley.

Hamilton's Legacy

Even today, Jim Hamilton's name is remembered in the area. Hamilton Creek, which starts east of Anza, is named after him. Hamilton School in Anza was also named in his honor. Since 2006-2007, the school has been split into a K-8 School and Hamilton High School.

Jim Hamilton was married to a Native American woman, and they had three sons. Two of his sons became U. S. Marshals, who are law enforcement officers. Sadly, one of them was killed while on duty in San Jacinto, California. The two surviving sons also married Native American women.

Images for kids

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  This painting shows Juan Bautista de Anza, who explored the Anza Valley.