Tejon Creek facts for kids

Tejon Creek is a stream in Kern County, California. Its original name in Spanish was Arroyo de Tejon. The word Tejon means "badger" in Spanish.

The creek starts high up on the western slopes of the Tehachapi Mountains. From there, it flows northwest into the southern part of the San Joaquin Valley.

History of Tejon Creek

How Tejon Creek Got Its Name

The name Arroyo de Tejón (Tejon Creek) was given to the canyon and stream in 1806. A Spanish military officer, Lieutenant Francisco Ruiz, found a dead badger at the mouth of the canyon. He was exploring new routes to the San Joaquin Valley from New Spain (which is now Mexico).

Early Settlements and Surveys

In 1843, a large piece of land called Rancho Tejón was created. It was located along the creek and to its south.

Later, in 1853, Lieutenant Robert S. Williamson surveyed the area. He was part of the Pacific Railroad Survey Expedition. His team set up their main camp along Tejon Creek, on the land of Rancho Tejón.

The First Indian Reservation

The Sebastian Indian Reservation, also known as the Tejon Indian Reservation, was the first Indian reservation in California. It was started along Tejon Creek in 1853. The reservation lasted for nine years. The U.S. government ended the agreement in 1864.

Exploring the Tejon Passes

Old Tejon Pass: An Ancient Trail

The Old Tejon Pass is an ancient trail that was first found by Spanish explorer Pedro Fages in 1772. Another explorer, Padre Francisco Garcés, used it in 1776. This pass is about 15 miles (24 km) northeast of the modern Tejon Pass. It crosses the Tehachapi Mountains.

The pass connects Tejon Creek Canyon in the San Joaquin Valley with Cottonwood Creek Canyon. Cottonwood Creek is in the Antelope Valley of the western Mojave Desert.

In 1806, Lieutenant Francisco Ruiz named it Tejón Pass. He also named Tejon Canyon and Tejon Creek. All these names came from the dead American badger (tejón) he found.

The Old Spanish Route

The El Camino Viejo was an old Spanish and Mexican route. It went from Los Angeles northward. This route crossed the western Antelope Valley from Elizabeth Lake to Cottonwood Creek. Then it went over the Tehachapi Mountains at Old Tejon Pass. Finally, it followed Tejon Creek down into the San Joaquin Valley.

During the California Gold Rush, many people used this route. Early travelers and teamsters also followed it. Lieutenant Robert Stockton Williamson, an Army engineer, described it in 1853. He said it was "one of the worst roads he ever saw."

Fort Tejon Pass: A New Route

Lieutenant Williamson found a better and easier route for wagons. This was Grapevine Canyon to the west. It led to a pass between the Tehachapi and San Emigdio Mountains. After this discovery, Fort Tejon was built. Wagon traffic soon moved to the easier Grapevine route, which was called Fort Tejon Pass.

The new Stockton–Los Angeles Road used this route. Over time, the Old Tejon Pass route was used less and less. Eventually, it was almost forgotten and lost its name on maps. The name Tejon Pass then moved to the new, easier route after Fort Tejon closed.

Sinks of Tejon Station

A Stop for Mail Coaches

In 1858, the Butterfield Overland Mail set up a station called Sinks of Tejon Station. This station was at the mouth of Tejon Creek, west of Comanche Point. The creek's water would sink into the ground here during the dry season. It would not reach Kern Lake, which is why it was called "Sinks."

The Butterfield Overland Mail was a stagecoach service that ran from 1857 to 1861. It carried mail and passengers across the country. From Sinks of Tejon Station, the next stops were Kern River Slough Station (about 14 miles or 23 km northeast) and Fort Tejon Station (about 15 miles or 24 km southwest).

A Historical Landmark

The site of the Sinks of Tejon Station is now a registered California Historical Landmark. It is number 540.

The landmark sign says:

• NO. 540 SINKS OF THE TEJÓN, ALSO KNOWN AS ALAMO, STATION OF BUTTERFIELD OVERLAND MAIL LINES - Six miles east of this point was the site of the Butterfield Stage Line station Sinks of Tejón. Operating through present Kern County during 1858-61, this famous line ran from St. Louis, Missouri to San Francisco until the outbreak of the Civil War.