California renames park at request of Yurok Tribe

EUREKA, Calif. (AP) — California will rename a popular park in Northern California to include its traditional Yurok name after a request from the state’s largest tribe. Patrick’s Point State Park will now be known as Sue-meg State Park after the unanimous vote Thursday by the California State Parks and Recreation Commission. Yurok spokesman Matt Mais says the name is how the Yurok people have always referred to the location in Humboldt County north of Eureka. Yurok Chairman Joseph L. James told the commission that every year, Yurok families hold brush dances at reconstructed tribal village within the current park boundaries and hundreds attend healing ceremonies.