utes , ▁and ▁Mod oc ▁Indian ▁tribes . ▁The ▁W int us ▁established ▁their ▁main ▁camp ▁on ▁Cot ton wood ▁Creek . ▁Pen ut ian ▁Indian ▁tribes ▁on ▁the ▁Pacific ▁coast ▁or ▁valley ▁included ▁the ▁Ma id u , ▁Mi w ok , ▁Const ano an , ▁Y ok uts , ▁Y anas , ▁and ▁other ▁divisions . ▁ ▁Histor ians ▁said ▁that , ▁in ▁the ▁lower ▁ 4 8 ▁contin ental ▁United ▁States , ▁California ▁has ▁the ▁most ▁native ▁tribes ▁and ▁sub div isions ▁of ▁tribes ▁and ▁more ▁different ▁Indian ▁languages . ▁The ▁W int us ▁were ▁the ▁largest ▁and ▁most ▁peace ful ▁division ▁that ▁settled ▁in ▁Northern ▁California ▁and ▁Oregon . ▁▁ 1 8 th ▁and ▁ 1 9 th ▁centuries ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁Century , ▁the ▁first ▁recorded ▁Spanish ▁( or ▁any ▁European ) ▁land ▁entry ▁and ▁expl oration ▁of ▁the ▁present - day ▁state ▁of ▁California , ▁was ▁the ▁Port ol á ▁expedition , ▁in ▁ 1 7 6 9 – 1 7 7 0 , ▁that ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁found ing ▁of ▁Al ta ▁California , ▁reaching ▁as ▁far ▁north ▁as ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Bay . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 th ▁Century ▁launched ▁many ▁expl or ations ▁by ▁whites ▁into ▁California ▁and ▁its ▁northern ▁interior . ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 8 1 2 , ▁the ▁Russian - American ▁Fur ▁Company ▁under ▁Ivan ▁K us kov ▁established ▁a ▁col ony ▁at ▁Fort ▁Ross ▁on ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁Son oma ▁County . ▁As