Capitan Grande Reservation facts for kids
The Capitan Grande Reservation is a special area of land in San Diego County, California. It belongs to the Kumeyaay people, an important Native American group. Two tribes, the Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians and the Viejas Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians, share control of this land.
This reservation is very large, about 15,753 acres (63.75 square kilometers). No one lives there today. It is found in the Cuyamaca Mountains, surrounded by the Cleveland National Forest. The nearest town is Alpine, California.
History of Capitan Grande Reservation
The Capitan Grande Reservation was created a long time ago, in 1875. President Ulysses S. Grant set aside this land for the local Kumeyaay people. He did this using a special order.
The name "Capitan Grande" comes from a Spanish word, Coapan. This was the name for the area west of the San Diego River in the 1800s. The land was dry and mountainous. It had many chaparral plants, which are tough shrubs. It was a difficult place to live.
Changes to the Reservation Land
In 1931, a big change happened. The state of California built a dam and flooded a large part of the reservation. This created the El Capitan Reservoir. Many Kumeyaay families had their homes in the area that was flooded.
The tribes tried to keep their land. However, the government allowed the city of San Diego to buy the land. The Kumeyaay people did not agree to this sale. The two tribes, Barona and Viejas, had to sell their land.
With the money from the sale, they bought new lands. These new lands became their current homes. They are known as the Barona Reservation and the Viejas Reservation.
Capitan Grande Reservation Today
Today, the Capitan Grande Reservation is still owned by the two tribes. They share control of the remaining land. The reservation is not developed, meaning there are no buildings or towns there. Instead, it is used as a special place to protect nature. It serves as an ecological preserve.
