On August 28, 1769, the Portola expedition camped near Point Arguello, where they found a small Chumash rancheria. This area had many excellent flints, and so they named it "Los Pedernales", The Flints. This name continued to be used for the point on Spanish maps until Mexican Independence in 1821. The American and non-Spanish European designation was Point Arguello, from the name given by George Vancouver in 1793, in honor of José Darío Argüello, then Commandant of the Presidio of Monterey.