Rancho La Liebre facts for kids

Rancho La Liebre was a very large piece of land in California, about 48,800 acres (76 square miles). It was a Mexican land grant, which means the Mexican government gave it away. In 1846, Governor Pío Pico gave this land to José María Flores. The name "Liebre" means "Hare" in Spanish. The area had many jackrabbits, so that's how it got its name!

This rancho was mostly in the mountains, like the Tehachapi Mountains and Sierra Pelona Mountains. It was in the northwest part of Los Angeles County, west of the Antelope Valley and Mojave Desert. Today, Rancho La Liebre is part of the much larger Tejon Ranch, which is about 270,000 acres.

History of Rancho La Liebre

José María Flores was an important leader. He was the commander of the Mexican forces in California during the Mexican-American War.

Land Ownership Changes

After the Mexican-American War, California became part of the United States. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 promised that land grants, like Rancho La Liebre, would still be valid. However, Flores almost lost his land! A group called the Public Land Commission thought his land grant was not properly given. They believed Governor Pico might have made the grant after California was already under American control.

But Flores fought for his land. He won an appeal, which meant he got to keep the title to the rancho. The official ownership was confirmed for José María Flores in 1875.

Edward Beale Buys the Rancho

In 1855, a man named Edward Fitzgerald Beale bought Rancho La Liebre from Flores. This was the first of four Mexican land grants that Beale would buy. He also bought Rancho Los Alamos y Agua Caliente, Rancho El Tejon, and Rancho Castac. By combining these grants, Edward Beale created what we know today as the Tejon Ranch.

Historic Sites of the Rancho

La Casa del Rancho La Liebre

La Casa del Rancho La Liebre is an old adobe house. Edward F. Beale built it in the late 1850s. It is located in a place called Bear Canyon (Canon de las Osas). By the time Beale bought La Liebre, he was married to Mary Edwards and had a son named Truxtun Beale.

This house was very important. It served as the main office for the huge ranch land. This land covered nearly 270,000 acres across both Los Angeles and Kern Counties. You can find the house about half a mile south of State Route 138. It's also about ten miles east of Interstate 5.