Ballard Mountain dedication set

John Ballard’s mountain is finally getting its rightful name. The peak, named after the pioneering African-American homesteader, will be formally dedicated on Saturday, Feb. 20 at a ceremony in Agoura Hills. Guests will include Ballard’s descendants and the director of the U.S. Geological Survey, Marcia McNutt.

Ballard, one of Los Angeles’ early black pioneers. first established himself in the city in 1859. He eventually relocated with his family in the 1880s to the mountain area known today as Seminole Hot Springs, filing a homestead claim in 1880 and receiving his homestead patent in 1900.

His mountain was known for decades as “Negrohead Mountain” and before that by a similar name containing a racial slur. The campaign to rename the mountain in Ballard’s honor originated with neighbors in the area, and the cause was taken up by Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. Their efforts culminated with the United States Board on Geographic Names making the change last September.

A link to our earlier coverage can be found here.