Gary-Summer: Place-CA, Half Dome

Thursday, January 8, 1970

Place-CA, Half Dome

Half Dome (8,842, Half Dome)
(37°44′46″N 119°31′59″W)
"The names 'North Dome,' 'South Dome,' and 'Half Dome' were given by us during our long stay in the valley from their localities and pecular configuration. Some changes have been made since they were adopted. The peak called by us the 'South Dome' has since been given the name of 'Sentinel Dome,' amd the 'Half Dome,' Tis-sa-ack, represented as meaning the 'Cleft Rock' is now called by many the 'South Dome.' The 'Half Dome' was figuratively spoken of as 'The Sentinel' by our mission Indians, because of its overlooking the valley." (Bunnell, Discovery, 1880, 212) Although Half Dome was briefly called "South Dome" (because it was across from North Dome), the name "Half Dome" was soon firmly established; it was on the King and Gardiner map of 1865. There were, of course, the inevitable attempts at interpreting Indian names or legends.

"Tissaack, South Dome in Yosemite, is... the name of a woman who according to tradition was transformed into the mountain." (Kroeber, 62)

"Tis-se-yak. South Dome. This is the name of a woman who figures in a legend... The Indian woman cuts her hair straight across the forehead, and allows the sides to drop along her cheeks, presenting a square face, which the Indians account the acme of female beauty, and they think they discover this square face in the vast front of South Dome." (Powers, 364)

"Until the fall of 1875 the storm-beaten summit of this magnificent landmark was a terra incognita, as it had never been trodden by human feet... This honor was reserved for a brave young Scotchman, a native of Montrose, named George G. Anderson, who by dint of pluck, skill, unswerving perserverance, and personal daring, climbed to its summit, and was the first that ever successfully scaled it. This was accomlished at 3 o'clock PM of October 12, 1875." (Hutchings, >EM>In the Heart, 456-57)

Some early suggested names (doubtless we would think that any any of them appropriate had it always been there) were "Goddess of Liberty", "Mr. Abraham Lincoln," and "Spirit of the Valley." (YNP)

From GNIS:

In Yosemite National Park, on the west wall of Little Yosemite Valley and 1.9 km (1.2 mi) north of Liberty Cap and the north bank of Merced River.
Other names include:

Frances Peak: Browning, Peter. Yosemite Place Names. Lafayette, California: Great West Books, 1988. p179
North Dome: Browning, Peter. Yosemite Place Names. Lafayette, California: Great West Books, 1988. p104
Rock of Ages: Browning, Peter. Yosemite Place Names. Lafayette, California: Great West Books, 1988. p193
South Dome: Browning, Peter. Yosemite Place Names. Lafayette, California: Great West Books, 1988. p57
Tesaiyak: Browning, Peter. Yosemite Place Names. Lafayette, California: Great West Books, 1988. p209
Tisayac: Browning, Peter. Yosemite Place Names. Lafayette, California: Great West Books, 1988. p209
Tissaack: Gudde, Erwin G. California Place Names: A Geographical Dictionary. Berkeley, California: University of California Press, 1949. p140
To-co-yah: Browning, Peter. Yosemite Place Names. Lafayette, California: Great West Books, 1988. p104
To-ko-ye: Browning, Peter. Yosemite Place Names. Lafayette, California: Great West Books, 1988. p104
The Sentinel: Browning, Peter. Yosemite Place Names. Lafayette, California: Great West Books, 1988. p57