Chief Tecopa

Chief Tecopa, very early 1900s.

Chief Tecopa (c.1815–1904) was a Native American leader, his name means wildcat.^[1] Chief Tecopa was a leader of the Southern Nevada tribe of the Paiute in the Ash Meadows and Pahrump areas. In the 1840s Tecopa and his warriors engaged the expedition of Kit Carson and John C. Fremont in a three day battle at Resting Springs.^[2] Later on in life Tecopa tried to maintain peaceful relations with the white settlers to the region and was known as a peacemaker.^[3] Tecopa usually wore a bright red band suit with gold braid and a silk top hat. Whenever these clothes wore out they were replaced by the local white miners out of gratitude for Tecopa's help in maintaining peaceful relations with the Paiute.^[4]
Tecopa is buried with his son and grandson at the Chief Tecopa Cemetery in the Pahrump Valley, Nevada.^[4][5]

The Census-designated place of Tecopa, California was named after Chief Tecopa by J. B. Osbourne who was the operator of a mining camp at the location.^[3]

In November 1971 Nevada Governor Mike O'Callaghan called Chief Tecopa a leader of vision and courage and dedicated a state memorial to him at the Chief's gravesite. 15 acres (61,000 m²) of land were deeded to Nye County and became Tecopa Park.^[6]

References

1. ^ McCracken, Robert D. (1996). Las Vegas:The Great American Playground. p4: University of Nevada Press. ISBN 0874173019. 
2. ^ Le Hayes. Pilgrims in the Desert. p27: Mojave River Valley Historical Association. ISBN 0918614163. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Carlson, Helen S. (1974). Nevada Place Names. p229: University of Nevada Press. ISBN 087417094X. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Glass, Al (1983). Touring Nevada. p174: University of Nevada Press. ISBN 0874170745. 
5. ^ "Cemetery project uses present to identify past". Pahrump Valley Gazette. 1998-02-12. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=q2cMAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OGQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4817,524541&dq=chief+tecopa+cemetery. Retrieved 2008-11-12. ^{[dead link]}
6. ^ "Back Then:36 Years Ago This Month". Pahrump Valley Times. 2007-11-21. http://www.pahrumpvalleytimes.com/2007/Nov-21-Wed-2007/news/18048752.html. Retrieved 2008-11-13. ^{[dead link]}

Persondata
Name	Tecopa, Chief
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1815
Place of birth
Date of death	1904
Place of death