Rancho Laguna de Tache (Castro) facts for kids
Rancho Laguna de Tache was a huge piece of land, about 48,801 acres, given out by the Mexican government in California. It was a "land grant," which means the government gave large areas of land to people. This particular grant was given in 1846 by Governor Pío Pico to Manuel Castro.
The name "Laguna de Tache" comes from a lake used by the Tachi people, a group of Native Americans called the Yokuts. This large ranch stretched along the north side of the Kings River for about 26 miles. Today, towns like Laton, Riverdale, and Lanare are located on what used to be this ranch. It's important not to mix this ranch up with another one nearby that had a similar name.
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The History of Rancho Laguna de Tache
Early Days with Manuel Castro
The land grant for Rancho Laguna de Tache was first given to Manuel de Jesus Castro in 1843. However, the official document to make him the owner wasn't issued until 1846. Manuel Castro was an important person. He had been an Army captain and also served as a leader in the northern part of California.
Even though he owned the ranch, Manuel Castro stayed in Monterey. He sent a person named Ysidor Villa to manage the ranch as its foreman. A foreman is like a manager who oversees the work and people on a large property.
California 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 said that the land grants given by Mexico would still be honored by the new United States government.
Because of a new law in 1851, Manuel Castro had to file a claim for his land with a special group called the Public Land Commission. This was to prove he owned the land. His claim was approved, and he officially received the land in 1866. Another person, Jeremiah Clark, tried to claim a part of the ranch, but his claim was not approved.
New Owners and Changes
In 1866, Jeremiah Clark bought the entire Rancho Laguna de Tache from Manuel Castro. Clark built a house on the ranch in 1879, which was about three miles west of where Laton is today.
Later, in 1880, Clark leased the ranch to a company called Polley Heilbron & Company. This lease was for 10 years, and the company had the option to buy the land. However, due to some family disagreements and legal issues, Clark's wife, Charlotte, stopped the company from buying the ranch.
In 1896, Charlotte F. Clark sold the ranch to two new owners: Charles A. Laton and Llewellyn A. Nares. Charles Laton was a wealthy businessman from San Francisco, and Llewellyn Nares was from England. The towns of Laton and Lanare are named after these two men. Also, in 1892, a company called the Fresno Canal and Irrigation Company gained control of the ranch's water rights. This meant they controlled who could use the water from the Kings River.
