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r Mokelumne Rivers. The Yokuts may have been fairly recent arrivals in the San Joaquin Valley, perhaps being pushed out of the foothills about 500 years ago. Population estimates for the Northern Valley Yokuts vary from 11,000 to more than ` 31,000 individuals. Populations were concentrated along waterways and on the more hospitable east side of the San Joaquin River. Villages, or clusters of villages, made up "miniature tribes" (tribelets) and were lead by headmen. The number of tribelets is estimated at 30 to 40; each tribe spoke their own dialect of the Yokut language. Combined with the Southern Valley Yokut and the Foothill Yokut dialects, these tongues formed the Yokutsan linguistic family of the Penutian ` Stock(Shipley 1978). Principal settlements were located on the tops of low mounds on or near the banks of the ` larger watercourses. Settlements were composed of single-family dwellings, sweathouses, and ceremonial assembly chambers. Dwellings were small and lightly constructed, semisubterranean, and oval. The public structures were large and earth covered. Sedentism was fostered by the abundance of riverine resources in the area. Subsistence among the Northern Valley Yokuts revolved around the waterways and marshes of the lower San Joaquin Valley. Fishing with dragnets, harpoons, and book and line yielded salmon, white sturgeon,river perch, and other species of edible fish. Waterfowl and small game attracted to the water also provided a source of protein. The contribution of big game to the diet was probably minimal. Vegetal staples included acorns, rule roots, and seeds. Most Northern Valley Yokut groups had their first contact with Europeans in the early t_ 1800s when the Spanish began exploring the Sacramento—San Joaquin River Delta. The gradual erosion of Yokut culture began during the Mission Period. Epidemics of European diseases played a large role in the decimation of the native population. The final blow to the aboriginal population came with the gold rush and its aftermath. In the rush to the southern mines, native populations were displaced from their territories. Ex-miners settling in the fertile valley applied further pressure to the native groups and altered the landforms and waterways of the valley. �- Many Yokuts resorted to wage labor on farms and ranches. Others were settled on land set aside for them on the Fresno and Tule River Reserves. Historic Context The project area is located in San Joaquin County, approximately 8 miles southeast of the city of Tracy. San Joaquin County, one of California's original 27 counties, took its name from the San Joaquin River, which in turn, was named for Saint Joachim by Gabriel Moraga in 1913. The centrally located city of Stockton has remained the county seat since the county was established (Rensch et al. 1990). Early explorers visited the region relatively frequently. Eighteenth-century explorers included Pedro Fages (1772), Juan Bautista de Anza(1776), and Francisco Eliza(1793). DeSilva Gates Quarry Project,San Joaquin County Cultural Resources Inventory Report V Community Development Department 4 November 2005 AS 05-105 tt•