Mission Viejo in Orange County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Land of the Acjachemen
The Original People of Orange County
— Welcome —
Photographed By Adam Margolis, March 6, 2022
1. Acjachemen Marker
For thousands of years, ancestors of the Acjachemen came to this site to gather chert. Rich in silica, this hard rock breaks along fracture lines that produce sharpe edges. As a result, chert was a valuable resource for making stone tools like scrapers, stone points and knifes.
Ancient people living in the upper Aliso Creek area would visit this site to quarry chert. Others traveled grater distances and lived here for short periods of time. Imagine the sound you would have heard-voices, the chiseling of rock, the clatter of stone as it was struck and fractured.
Skyridge was home to one of the largest and oldest quarries in mainland Orange County. This land was excavated in the 1970's and 1980's, and again in the 2010's. Roughly 200,000 pieces of chert were collected Archaeologists believed millions more were not collected.
The Acjachemen creation story tells us that chert was one of the "kaamalam" which means "first people". The Acjachemen believe this quarry represents a living spirit.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Industry & Commerce • Native Americans • Settlements & Settlers.
Location. 33° 40.342′ N, 117° 37.286′
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Andrew and Anna Hoffman (approx. 1.3 miles away); O'Neill Park (approx. 1.8 miles away); Women's Individual Road Race (approx. 2˝ miles away); Men's Individual Road Race (approx. 2˝ miles away); Lisa Anne Frost (approx. 2.6 miles away); Modjeska's Home (approx. 2.6 miles away); The Legend of Flores Peak (approx. 2.7 miles away); Florence Joyner Olympiad Park (approx. 2.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mission Viejo.
Photographed By Adam Margolis, March 6, 2022
2. Acjachemen Marker
Marker can be seen to the right of center, near the sidewalk.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 19, 2022. It was originally submitted on March 7, 2022, by Adam Margolis of Mission Viejo, California. This page has been viewed 226 times since then and 24 times this year. Last updated on March 18, 2022, by Adam Margolis of Mission Viejo, California. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 7, 2022, by Adam Margolis of Mission Viejo, California. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
