Olympic Valley (historically or informally known as Squaw Valley) is an unincorporated community located in Placer County, California northwest of Tahoe City along California State Highway 89 on the banks of the Truckee River near Lake Tahoe. It is home to Palisades Tahoe (formerly Squaw Valley Ski Resort), the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics. Olympic Valley is the smallest resort area to host the Olympic Winter Games. Name When westward bound travelers first encountered the valley, they called it "Squaw Valley" because they saw only Washoe women and children, as most of the men were away hunting. The name "Squaw Valley" has become associated with the area's history as a skiing destination. However, the local Washoe tribe has advocated for the removal of "squaw", a term used historically for Native American women that is now considered an ethnic slur. Since the 1960 Winter Olympics, the community has also been known as Olympic Valley, based on a post office by this name. On August 28, 1958, at the behest of Representative B. F. Sisk, the United States Board on Geographic Names decided that "Squaw Valley" would only refer to an older community in Fresno County (now known as Yokuts Valley). Nevertheless, in informal usage, "Squaw Valley" continued to refer to either community, creating considerable confusion. As of 2022, the United States Postal Service recommends "Olympic Valley" as the city name for the 96146 ZIP code, and this name now refers to the surrounding valley as well. History The Washoe people inhabited the area around Lake Tahoe for thousands of years and used present-day Olympic Valley as a summer tribal ground. The first whites passed through the valley during the 1849 California Gold Rush. A hay ranch was established in 1862. The town of Claraville, formerly located at the mouth of the valley, was once among the biggest mining operations in the Lake Tahoe region. In June 1863, John Keiser and Shannon Knox reported outcroppings of gold at the mouth of Squaw Creek (now Washeshu Creek), attracting an influx of prospectors. There were rumors that the mine was salted with ore brought in from Virginia City, Nevada. George Wharton James, author of the book The Lake of the Sky doubts the mines were salted with ore and suggests that the energetic prospector Shannon Knox started the mine with good faith. He writes about the History of the Tahoe Region (pre 1915)