- - Catnic's Blog - Tehachapi News

Jul 9, 2008 at 09:07 AM : I always heard it was...

I always heard it was the answer to the riddle "Why did the chicken sit on the pod"

Jul 9, 2008 at 10:07 AM : LOL. Oh...

LOL. Oh that's baaad.

Jul 9, 2008 at 11:07 AM : I agree catnic,...

I agree catnic, riceme, ( I think it was her ) maybe not, anyway, she commented there was not a squiggly icon for the mark, above the "n", so I let her know it was a "tilde". I heard that it was pronounced " Tah --heech -a -pa", that's the way my friends & I say it. That might be the way it reads on the Apple Shed mural, & when Old Town was the "Town" they did have to make a sign directing people, & the " white man" spelled it wrong. I've heard it means, " Garden of Eden," & "Hot Winds." Lets see if you get the right "version."

Jul 9, 2008 at 12:07 PM : Ah,...

Ah, interesting. Even more stories to add to the mix. I wonder if there's any documentation anywhere that would prove how/when the name got changed.

And those definitions are new to me too.

Jul 9, 2008 at 12:07 PM : pen in hand would...

pen in hand would be " The Man " my man, from Amsterdam! Off The subject....are you related to gube? Bad joke, I couldn't resist.

Jul 9, 2008 at 12:07 PM : LOL. I think...

LOL. I think I'm more like the "Anti-Gube," though I have to admit, he cracks me up.

Jul 9, 2008 at 01:07 PM : You know it's...

You know it's because of the picture you have up, right? You must be twice removed. Gube sure keeps the ball rolling. If your the " Anti- Gube," you must have a big family. Ha Ha.

Jul 9, 2008 at 01:07 PM : Oh that is...

Oh that is funny. Just because we are cartoons doesn't mean we're related!

I thought it was funny because if it were up to me, I'd give every law-abiding illegal immigrant citizenship.

Jul 9, 2008 at 01:07 PM : I am one...

I am one of those people that is HORRIBLE with names. I'd be happier if everyone wore name tags. I have a horrible habit of calling people things like 'buddy' because I can't remember their name. I thought was pretty interesting stuff but this is all I could find and I have no idea how accurate it is.

The community name derives from an Indian term to describe a local creek

Survey of Tehachapi Valley in 1853

Lieutenant R. S Williamson was assigned by the U. S. government to conduct a reconnaissance survey of the west in search for a railroad route to California. Williamson and his scout Alexis Godey in August 1853 were searching the east slope of the southern Sierra Nevada for a pass known to be south of Walker Pass. On August 17, they ascended Cache Creek to Tehachapi Valley, and found the pass they were looking for. The following are Williamson's first impressions of the valley (Barras, 1984, p. 60):

... a steep and continuous descent for eight or nine miles, when we found ourselves in a beautiful prairie, apparently completely surrounded by high mountains, and as far as the eye could tell, it was a horizontal plain.
We came to an Indian rancheria, where we learned there was a stream of water and good grass two or three miles further on. We proceeded to the place, and here found an excellent camping ground...
There was another rancheria close to the place selected for our camp, and from the Indians we learned that their name for the creek was Tah-ee-chay-pah. It is one called Pass creek by Colonel Fremont, and is the same one he ascended when he crossed the mountains in 1844.

Williamson, however did not record the meaning of Tah-ee-chay-pah. Some likely possibilities come the from Indian words for snow, or to freeze, a hard climb, a flat place, or People from Oak Flat.

Jul 9, 2008 at 02:07 PM : From Storilori "I...

From Storilori "I heard that it was pronounced " Tah --heech -a -pa", "

I'm sure you've all gotten them, but I love the great alternative pronounciations for our town from telephone solicitors.

Tichipapa

Takacheepi

Taha....Teha... anyway, I'm calling about a great offer.....

Jul 9, 2008 at 02:07 PM : Wow, that sounds good...

Wow, that sounds good Smokey.

Jul 9, 2008 at 02:07 PM : I know this is a...

I know this is a little besides the point, but I do understand the need to know name information on a personal level. My maiden name was changed from it's original in the late 1800s when my paternal ancestors came to America. No one knows how it was changed or why, but theories abound. Some say that railroad paymasters did it, or that it was changed to avoid association with "the old country" because of discrimination... Who knows.

But the original name is very pleasant-sounding (if said correctly) and it would have been nice to keep it, even though it would have thown everybody for a loop if they had tried to pronounce it! Of course, everyone gets the changed name wrong too!

Jul 9, 2008 at 11:07 PM : Madcow.........

Madcow...... Girl....what was the original name?

Jul 10, 2008 at 06:07 PM : Remind me and...

Remind me and I'll tell you at the next meet. I hate to put last names out online- you never know these days. Plus it's totally Polish, so it's full of z's, and you'd have to hear it spoken :)