Hernández

A place in the Hernandez Valley. Hernandez Valley is now partially covered by the Hernandez Reservoir which was completed in 1962. The name "Hernandez Valley" appears on a 1875 map and it is also named on Priest Valley 1915 30' quadrangle. Postal authorities established the Erie post office in 1874 (San Benito Advance, June 27, 1874), moved it 1.5 miles northwest and changed the name to Hernandez in 1892; they moved it 1.5 miles southeast in 1896, move it 1 mile north in 1904, and discontinued it in 1936.

According to Salley, the name "Hernandez" commemorates Rafael Hernández and Jesus Hernández, farmers in the region in the 1870s. According to Frusetta, Hernandez Valley was named for Augustine and Jesus Hernández and A.T.D. Button purchased Augustine's ranch in the 1870s.

James Frank Taylor opened the first store to open in Hernandez Valley in 1874. He sold it to Augustus Brunetti in 1880. Brunetti built a saloon and the Del Monte Hotel.