Rancho Agua Caliente (Sonoma County) facts for kids
Rancho Agua Caliente was a large piece of land, about 3,219 acres (13 km2), given by the Mexican government in what is now Sonoma County, California. It was granted in 1840 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Lázaro Piña. The name "Agua Caliente" means "warm water" in Spanish, referring to the natural hot springs in the area. This land stretched north of Sonoma and included places you might know today like Glen Ellen, Fetters Hot Springs, and Agua Caliente.
History of the Rancho
Lázaro Piña (who passed away in 1847) was a soldier who arrived in California in 1819. In 1829, he joined a military uprising against Governor Echeandía. Later, in 1838, Piña worked under General Mariano Vallejo in Sonoma. By 1840, Piña was a second lieutenant on Vallejo's team.
Lázaro Piña and his first wife, Maria Placida Villela (who passed away in 1844), had six sons and one daughter. One of their sons, José German Piña, also received his own land grant called Rancho Tzabaco. After Maria Villela died, Lázaro married Maria Ignacia Pacheco. Lázaro left California when the Mexican-American War began and was killed fighting for Mexico in 1847.
Land After the War
After the Mexican-American War, California became part of the United States. The 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo stated that the land grants given by Mexico would still be honored.
In 1853, Mariano G. Vallejo tried to claim Rancho Agua Caliente with the Public Land Commission. However, the Commission first said no because there was no clear proof of the original grant or that Piña had given the land to Vallejo. But in 1861, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed that Vallejo owned the land. The grant was officially confirmed for 1,864 acres (7.5 km2) in 1880.
Other people also claimed parts of the rancho:
- C.P. Stone claimed a part in 1853, and it was officially confirmed for 212 acres (0.9 km2) in 1880.
- After the Mexican-American War, Joseph Hooker left the United States Army and bought a piece of the rancho in 1853. His claim was officially confirmed for 551 acres (2.2 km2) in 1866.
- Vallejo sold another part of the rancho to Thaddeus M. Leavenworth. He was a doctor and druggist from Connecticut who came to San Francisco in 1847. He was also a leader in San Francisco for a short time. His claim was officially confirmed for 592 acres (2.4 km2) in 1880.
In 1858, Colonel Charles V. Stuart bought a part of the rancho. He named his new ranch "Glen Ellen" to honor his wife, Ellen.
Historic Sites of the Rancho
- Lachryma Montis: This was the estate where M. G. Vallejo moved in the early 1850s, located near Sonoma. He named it "Lachryma Montis," which means "weeping mountain," because of a spring on the property.
