Rancho Cañada de Pala facts for kids

Rancho Cañada de Pala was a huge piece of land, about 15,714 acres, in what is now Santa Clara County, California. It was given as a land grant by the Mexican government in 1839 to José de Jesús Bernal. The name "Cañada de Pala" is interesting because "pala" means "shovel" in Spanish, but it means "water" in many Native Californian languages. This ranch was located in the hills and mountains of the Diablo Range, east of San Jose. Today, much of this land is part of Grant Ranch Park and all of Blue Oak Ranch Reserve.

History of Rancho Cañada de Pala

Early Days of the Rancho

José de Jesús Bernal received the Rancho Cañada de Pala in 1839. He and his two brothers built their homes, called adobes, near a pond fed by a spring. This spot was on a ridge with a great view of the Santa Clara Valley. They used the land to raise cattle and horses. José's uncle, Joaquin Bernal, also had a ranch nearby called Rancho Santa Teresa.

Changes After the Mexican-American War

After the Mexican–American War, California became part of the United States in 1848. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo stated that the land grants given by Mexico would still be valid. To make sure these land claims were official, the United States government created the Land Act of 1851.

José de Jesús Bernal filed a claim for Rancho Cañada de Pala in 1852 with the Public Land Commission. This commission was set up to check and approve land claims from the Mexican era. In 1863, the land was officially granted, or "patented," to José de Jesús Bernal, José Antonio Bernal, and Juan Bernal. This meant they had clear legal ownership of the land.

Later Owners and the Park

A large part of the rancho, known as "Halls Valley," was given to Frederick Hall. He was Bernal's lawyer and received the land as payment for helping with the claim. In 1850, the southern part of the rancho was sold to Samuel Q. Broughton, who had traveled to California in 1846.

Later, in 1880, Adam Grant bought his first piece of Cañada de Pala. Adam Grant was a businessman who sold supplies to gold miners. His son, Joseph D. Grant, eventually owned about 9,533 acres of the rancho. In 1974, Santa Clara County bought the Grant Ranch. Today, this land is a public park for everyone to enjoy.