Rancho El Pinole facts for kids

Rancho El Pinole was a very large piece of land, about 17,761 acres, located in what is now Contra Costa County, California. It was a special gift of land, called a Mexican land grant, given by the Mexican government.

In 1842, Governor Juan Alvarado gave this land to Ygnacio Martinez. Rancho El Pinole covered a huge area. Today, it includes most of Franklin Ridge and the towns of Crockett, Hercules, Martinez, Oleum, Pinole, Rodeo, Selby, and Tormey.

History of Rancho El Pinole

Ygnacio Martinez (1774–1848) was an important military leader. He was in charge of the Presidio of San Francisco for many years. He also served on the town council in San Francisco. After he retired in 1831, Martinez asked the Mexican government for land.

Getting the Land Grant

Martinez said that Governor Luís Antonio Argüello had given him land in 1823 because of his military service. This land was known as Pinole y Canada del Hambre. However, Martinez had lost his original papers. So, he had to ask for the land again in 1837.

While Martinez was waiting for his request to be approved, another person named Felipe Briones also asked for a grant of El Pinole in 1839. Finally, in 1842, Governor Alvarado made a decision. He gave Ygnacio Martinez a grant of about four square leagues (a large area) for Rancho El Pinole. He also gave Felipe Briones a grant of three square leagues for Rancho Boca de la Cañada del Pinole.

Life on the Rancho

Ygnacio Martinez and his family moved to the rancho in 1836. To meet the rules for land grants, he built a home and other buildings out of adobe (a type of mud brick). These homes were in the Pinole valley, about two and a half miles from San Pablo Bay. Martinez farmed a large part of the land. He also planted a vineyard and fruit trees.

Ygnacio Martinez passed away in 1848. His eleven children inherited his property. His daughter, Maria A. Martinez, was married to William A. Richardson. Another daughter, Susana, was married to Colonel William M. Smith.

Changes After the Mexican-American War

After the Mexican–American War, California became part of the United States. The 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was an agreement that said the U.S. would respect the land grants given by Mexico.

Because of a new law called the Land Act of 1851, Martinez's family had to prove their ownership to the U.S. government. They filed a claim in 1852. The land was officially given to María Antonia Martínez de Richardson and others in 1868.

In 1849, William M. Smith, who was married to Martinez's daughter, started the town of Martinez, California. He used about 120 acres of land for the new town. Later, more land was added to the town by the heirs of William Welch from a nearby rancho.

Dividing the Rancho

Over time, parts of Rancho El Pinole were sold. In 1865, John Tormey bought about 2,000 acres from some of the Martinez heirs. Then, in 1867, John Tormey and his brother Patrick bought another 7,000 acres from the family.

The Tormey brothers split their large purchase into two parts. John Tormey took the western half. This area included the town of Pinole, California and parts of the Pinole and Briones Valleys. Patrick Tormey's share was to the north and east. This land included the Rodeo Valley and eventually became the towns of Rodeo, California, Oleum, California, Selby, California, and Tormey, California.

Historic Sites to See

Several historic places from the Rancho El Pinole era still exist today.

Vicente Martinez Adobe

This was a two-story adobe ranch house built in 1849. It was constructed by Vicente J. Martínez, who was Ygnacio Martinez's son. In 1853, Vicente sold the adobe to Edward Franklin. The canyon where the adobe is located was named Franklin Canyon after him. The adobe then became known as the Franklin Canyon Adobe.

Fernandez Mansion

In the 1850s, Bernardo Fernandez, an immigrant from Portugal, started a trading business near San Pablo Bay. He eventually built the historic Fernandez Mansion.

Samuel Tennent House

This house was built in 1851. It was the home of Dr. Samuel J. Tennent, an early American settler in Contra Costa County. Dr. Tennent married Rafaela, who was Ygnacio Martinez’s daughter. Through his wife, Dr. Tennent owned a lot of land in the area.