Death Valley that can be made from a type of clay found in the valley. Some families still live in the valley at Furnace Creek. Another village was in Grapevine Canyon near the present site of Scotty's Castle. It was called in the Timbisha language "maahunu", whose meaning is uncertain, although it is known that "hunu" means "canyon". The valley received its English name in 1849 during the California Gold Rush. It was called Death Valley by prospectors and others who sought to cross the valley on their way to the gold fields, after 13 pioneers perished from one early expedition of
Geology of the Death Valley area Creek Basin opened in this area and the rest of Death Valley followed in stages. One of the last stages was the formation of Badwater Basin, which occurred by about 4 Ma. Data from gravimeters show that Death Valley's bedrock floor tilts down toward the east and is deepest under Badwater Basin; there is of fill under Badwater. By about 2 Ma Death Valley, Panamint Valley and their associated ranges were formed. Much of the extra local stretching in Death Valley that is responsible for its lower depth and wider valley floor is caused by "left" lateral strike-slip movement along