Lafayette Bunnell | |
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| Born | Lafayette Houghton Bunnell March 13, 1824 |
| Died | July 21, 1903 (aged 79) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Army surgeon, explorer, historian |
| Known for | Naming Yosemite |
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Lafayette Houghton Bunnell (March 13, 1824 – July 21, 1903) was an American physician, author, and explorer. He is most well known for his involvement with the Mariposa Battalion, the first non-Indians to enter Yosemite Valley, and his book Discovery of the Yosemite and the Indian War of 1851. Bunnell led the battalion members in a vote to name the valley, and for this reason he is often credited as the person who named Yosemite. He was also a soldier and surgeon in the United States war with Mexico and the Civil War.