Rancho La Sierra facts for kids

Rancho La Sierra, also known as "La Sierra de Santa Ana," was a huge piece of land in what is now Riverside County, California. It was about 17,774 acres big! In 1846, Governor Pío Pico gave this land as a "land grant" to a woman named Vicenta Sepulveda. Today, parts of this old rancho include the city of Norco and the western side of Riverside.

History of Rancho La Sierra

Maria Vicenta Sepulveda (1816–1907) was an important person in the history of Rancho La Sierra. Her father, Francisco Sepulveda, had also received a large land grant called Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica.

In 1834, Vicenta married Tomas Antonio Yorba (1788–1845). Tomas was the son of José Antonio Yorba, who owned Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana in what is now Orange County.

Early Ranching and Land Claims

Tomas and his brothers used to graze their animals on lands east of their father's rancho. In 1834, Tomas's brother, Bernardo Yorba, was given a land grant called Rancho Cañón de Santa Ana. The brothers continued to use lands even further east, which they called La Sierra.

After Tomas died in 1845, both Bernardo Yorba and Vicenta Sepulveda (who was now a widow) applied for parts of the La Sierra lands. On June 15, 1846, Governor Pio Pico decided to split the land. He gave the eastern half, Rancho La Sierra, to Vicenta Sepulveda. The western half, Rancho La Sierra (Yorba), went to Bernardo Yorba. In 1847, Vicenta married Jose Ramon Carrillo.

Changes After the Mexican-American War

After the Mexican–American War, California became part of the United States. The 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo said that the existing land grants would still be honored. So, in 1852, a claim for Rancho La Sierra was filed with the Public Land Commission. Vicenta Sepulveda officially received the land in 1877. In 1858, Vicenta also bought another rancho called Rancho Valle de San Jose.

New Owners and Development

Over the years, Rancho La Sierra changed hands many times. Abel Stearns bought it but had to sell it because of a big drought in 1863. The San Jacinto Land Company was one of the later owners.

In 1908, James W. Long bought the rancho. He started the Orange Heights Water Company and began to develop the area in 1910.

Willitts J. Hole (1858–1936), a businessman from Los Angeles, eventually bought most of the original rancho. He owned more than 17,000 acres! Hole continued to use the land as a ranch, which became known as the Hole Ranch. He even built a large mansion there.

Later, he started dividing the property for different projects. In 1922, he sold 400 acres to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. During World War II, in 1942, the U.S. Army bought 1,239 acres from the Hole estate to create Camp Anza, a place where soldiers would get ready to leave the country.

Birth of Norco and Riverside

In 1921, the North Corona Land Company bought some of the property. This company was created to grow citrus fruits. The name "Norco" comes from "North Corona." Norco officially became a city in December 1964. In the same year, the city of Riverside took over the rest of the original Rancho La Sierra lands.

What Does "La Sierra" Mean?

The name "La Sierra de Santa Ana" means "The mountains of Santa Ana" in English. The Yorba brothers had been using this name since 1825. It helped them tell the difference between the higher lands of La Sierra de Santa Ana and their Cañón de Santa Ana lands, both located near the Santa Ana River.

Even today, the western part of Riverside is still called La Sierra. Four neighborhoods in the city start with this name. After the Seventh-day Adventist Church bought their land, they opened the La Sierra Academy, which is now known as La Sierra University.

Historic Sites of the Rancho

• Hole Mansion: This rustic bungalow was designed by Arthur Benton and built for Willits J. Hole between 1912 and 1915.