Why is death valley called death valley?

Answer 1

For westward travelers in the 19th century on their way to California, Death Valley was a very difficult place to cross. Temperatures are very high and water is very scarce. Not all travelers or their animals that were pulling their equipment survived the crossing.

In 1849 westward bound gold-seekers tried to take a shortcut from the main route. They parted ways with the main wagon train heading down from Salt Lake, Utah. Most turned back but a stubborn few kept moving westward across Nevada and inevitably stumbled into the lowest, driest, hottest spot in the entire Great Basin (in the Western Hemisphere for that matter). Fortunately it was winter. Their experiences were horrific and one of those pioneers died in Death Valley. But when the others escaped and looked back, one of them said "Goodbye Death Valley," probably referencing the 23rd Psalm from The Bible, and the name stuck. Check out Weird Tales 3: The Pioneer's Lost Trunk for the story.

The story for Death Valley's name is interesting, and it is on the Death Valley National Park webpage: http://www.nps.gov/deva/historyculture/the-lost-49ers.htm
Simply because the temperature gets so hot there during the daytime, that almost nothing can survive there for any length of time.

Answer 2

YES THERE ARE FLOODS IN DEATH VALLEY - IN 2004 A FLASH FLOOD WIPED OUT THE ROAD IN FURNACE CREEK WASH - DESERT FLASH FLOODS ARE VERY DANGEROUS -- IN RAINY TIMES THE LAKE IN LAKE MANLY (BADWATER) CAN GET ENOUGH WATER TO USE A KAYAK.

AND THE NAME "DEATH VALLEY":Death Valley is called Death Valley because there is so little water and everything is so dry. You would die if you had no water with you from dehydration.

Well, sort of. Death Valley is on the border of California and Nevada. Its name comes from the experiences of some gold rush pioneers who took a "shortcut" near Enterprise, Utah and wandered aimlessly westward leaving the known route of the Old Spanish Trail. They stumbled into the deepest, driest, hottest valley on the continent (fortunately it was Christmas Eve so the weather was fairly pleasant). While most continued to struggle out of the valley by burning their wagons and eating their oxen and moving out on foot, two families decided another tact. They would send out two single men (John Rogers and William Lewis Manly) and wait for them to bring back supplies. For 26 long days the families waited. When the boys returned with a little one-eyed mule and some food they led the families out of the valley. When they reached one of the peaks they looked back over the scene of so much suffering and where ONE of their party died (an older ailing man named Captain Culverwell) and they said, "Goodbye Death Valley". Later William Lewis Manly told a reporter for the Los Angeles Star Newspaper and by 1861 the name first appeared on a map, hit the papers and entered the imagination of the public. And so the name drew attention and fired the imagination of everyone who heard it. Legends grew and additional names were added: The Devil's Golf Course, The Devil's Cornfield, Coffin Peak, Last Chance Canyon, Funeral Mountains, Blood Red Mountains, etc. However, the Indians knew it simply as Tumpisa or Red Rock. For the Native Americans of the Shoshone tribe the land was simply "Home." For much more on Death Valley see www.goldcreekfilms.com and find cool DVDs on Death Valley's extraordinary history.

Answer 3

From 1849 to 1850 a group of pioneers settled in this unknown valley but died in winter of hunger and thirst. That's how Death Valley got it's name.... of death and despair.yup
Here is the story:

A long time ago, there were emigrants moving to California, and they took a short cut. The short cut is also known as the Death Valley. It took them months to travel through the Death Valley. And one guy died during that trip, so then the lady said "Goodbye Death Valley" when they were leaving the place.

But there are many stories to it too, you can take a look at this website:

http://www.nps.gov/deva/historyculture/the-lost-49ers.htm

Answer 4

probably because it is the hottest,driest and lowest place in North America.

Answer 5

Because it is so hot there that nothing can live there.

Answer 6

because a guy named death lived there now he is dead though