Rancho Cañada de los Coches facts for kids

Rancho Cañada de los Coches was a special piece of land, about 28 acres (11 hectares) big, given out by the Mexican government. This happened in 1843 in what is now San Diego County, California. The land was given by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to a woman named Apolinaria Lorenzana.

This small ranch was located near a place called Flinn Springs. Its name, "Cañada de los Coches," means "Glen of the Hogs." This is because the priests from the San Diego Mission used to bring their pigs here to drink water from a small spring during dry times. Today, this historic spot is known as California Historical Landmark #425.

The Story of Rancho Cañada de los Coches

Who Was Apolinaria Lorenzana?

Apolinaria Lorenzana was born in 1790 and lived until 1884. She came to California with her mother in the year 1800. When her mother went back to Mexico, Apolinaria moved to San Diego. There, she was cared for by a person named Raymundo Carrillo.

Apolinaria Lorenzana never married. She was very dedicated to her church. Because of her strong religious beliefs, people called her "La Beata," which means "the pious one" or "the devout one."

How Did She Get the Land?

Because Apolinaria was so devoted to the church, the priests at the San Diego Mission wanted to protect some of their lands. At that time, the Mexican government was taking church lands away (this was called the secularization act of 1833). To try and save some of these lands, the priests gave Apolinaria special papers in 1833-1834. These papers said she owned three areas: Cañada de los Coches, Rancho Jamacha, and Rancho San Juan de Las Secuas.

Apolinaria later sold Rancho San Juan de Las Secuas. She officially received the land grant for Rancho Jamacha in 1840. Then, in 1843, she received the official grant for Rancho Cañada de los Coches.

Life on the Ranch

Even though she owned these ranches, Apolinaria Lorenzana continued to live mostly at the San Diego Mission. She hired people called "majordomos" to manage her ranches for her. She would visit and stay at the ranches sometimes.

As the Mission became less active, Apolinaria moved to San Juan Capistrano in 1846.

Who Owned the Ranch Next?

Later, Apolinaria Lorenzana sold her Rancho Cañada de los Coches. She sold it to Anacleto Lestrade. He was a priest from France who worked at the San Gabriel Mission from 1851 to 1856. Lestrade also claimed another piece of land called Rancho Rosa Castilla.

The Ranch Becomes Part of the United States

After the Mexican–American War, California became part of the United States in 1848. This change was agreed upon in a document called the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This treaty promised that the land grants given by the Mexican government would still be recognized.

Because of a new law called the Land Act of 1851, people who owned land grants had to prove their ownership. A claim for Rancho Cañada de los Coches was filed in 1852. Finally, in 1873, the land was officially given to Anacleto Lestrade with a special document called a patent.