Before the Europeans, for as long as perhaps 10,000 years, the original inhabitants of the Central Valley lived in the shadow of the Sutter Buttes. Then, as now, there was a mystique about the mountains that continues to intrigue people both near and far. Through the centuries, various cultures have accessed and utilized the landscape in diverse ways that reflect the values of their societies. Their words and language further define these attitudes.

Esto Yamani (Histum Yani) is the name that native Maidu people use to identify this small mountain range. The translation to English is The Middle Mountain. Variations in dialect manifested in a variety of pronunciations causing the discrepancies in the written name.

The Middle Mountain was figuratively and literally at the heart of the Maidu Indians' spiritual beliefs. The story of its beginning centered on its appearance where once there was only sea. The very first Man and Woman were created there. They believed that after death, the souls of their people ascended to the top of its highest peak. The Buttes were a special place revered by the Maidu.

They did not live in the Middle Mountain, but rather came there to draw sustenance from the landscape, both physically and spiritually. By hunting and gathering they fed their bodies, and by reaffirming their living in harmony with the world, they strengthened their beliefs. All life was appreciated and respected.

Our 21st century lifestyles consume us, leaving little time to commune with the natural world. By identifying ourselves as the Middle Mountain Foundation, we are honoring the native people who traveled here before us and following their lessons to tread softly as we experience the Sutter Buttes.