Hank Meals Unveils the Hidden Stories Behind Sierra Nevada Place Names

On Friday, February 27, 2026 at 7:30 PM, the Nevada Theatre will host an evening of storytelling, discovery, and regional lore with renowned author, archaeologist, and cultural historian Hank Meals in What’s in a Name: Local Literature Lurking in a Lucid Landscape. Presented by Paul Emery, this multimedia slide-talk weaves together history, humor, and observation to reveal the surprising tales hidden in the place names of the Sierra Nevada.

From evocative landmarks like Whisky Diggings and Deadwood Creek to the whimsical and cryptic monikers scattered across maps of Nevada County and beyond, Meals explores how place names serve as portals into human experience – capturing moments of triumph, folly, aspiration, and survival. This engaging presentation invites audiences to rethink the way they see the landscape: not just as geography, but as a living narrative reflecting the values, adventures, and imaginations of the people who shaped it.

A lifelong resident of the region, Hank Meals brings a unique voice to local storytelling. His career spans decades as a photographer, archaeologist, interpreter, and writer. In the 1970s he worked as an archaeologist for the Tahoe National Forest, documenting cultural sites and early settlements. His photography has been featured in regional publications, and his interpretive skills have guided countless audiences along historic trails and through backcountry landscapes.

Meals is the author of critically acclaimed books that have become essential guides to Northern California’s natural and cultural terrain. The River: Hiking Trails and History of the South Fork of the Yuba River combines trail descriptions with deep historical insight; Yuba Trails: A Selection of Hiking Experiences in the Historic Watershed continues this tradition, blending hiking guidance with stories of mining camps, Indigenous heritage, and watershed ecology. Through these works, Meals has cemented his role as one of the region’s most trusted voices on the connection between place and story.

In What’s in a Name, Meals draws on his extensive research and decades of exploration to reveal how seemingly ordinary names — creeks, peaks, valleys, ridges, roads — often harbor unexpected meaning. With original photographs, historical documents, and personal reflections, he offers a compelling view of the Sierra as a “text” waiting to be read, understood, and appreciated.

Paul Emery Music presents this event at the historic Nevada Theatre (401 Broad Street, Nevada City). Doors open at 7 PM; the program begins at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $25 General Admission and $35 Reserved Seating.