Rancho Las Juntas facts for kids

Rancho Las Juntas was a large piece of land, about 13,293 acres (53.8 km²), given out by the Mexican government in 1844. This land grant was located in what is now Contra Costa County, California. Governor Manuel Micheltorena gave this land to a man named William Welch.

The name "Las Juntas" means "the Crossroads" in Spanish. This rancho was situated between two other large land grants: Ygnacio Martinez’ Rancho El Pinole and Salvio Pacheco’s Rancho Monte del Diablo. Rancho Las Juntas covered parts of modern-day Walnut Creek, all of Pleasant Hill, and the eastern side of Martinez. Its original boundaries included the straits to the north, a place called "Las Juntas" (where streams met) to the south, Walnut Creek to the east, Reliz Ridge to the west, and Alhambra Creek to the northwest.

History of Rancho Las Juntas

William Welch and His Family

William Welch was born in Ireland in 1798. He arrived in Northern California in 1821 after leaving his ship. He first traveled to Los Angeles and then, two years later, moved north to the Pueblo of San Jose.

In San Jose, William Welch became a naturalized citizen, meaning he officially became a citizen of Mexico. His land documents even called him Guillermo Welch, the Spanish version of his name. In 1826, he married Maria Antonia Galindo. Her brother, Francisco Galindo, later helped found the city of Concord.

Life on the Rancho

The Mexican government officially granted the three-square-league Rancho Las Juntas to William Welch in 1844. Around 1845, the Welch family decided to move from San Jose to their new rancho permanently.

William and Maria sent their oldest son ahead to build a new home. This new house was planned near the ruins of an old adobe building that had been burned down by Native Americans years before. Sadly, William Welch passed away in 1846, before the new home could be finished. After his death, Welch's wife and children moved to the rancho to join their oldest son.

Rancho Under New Rule

After the Mexican-American War, California became part of the United States. This change happened with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. This treaty promised that the United States would respect the land grants given by the Mexican government.

To make sure their land was officially recognized by the U.S. government, land owners had to file a claim. In 1852, James Swansen, who was managing Welch's estate, filed a claim for Rancho Las Juntas. The U.S. government officially recognized the grant in 1870, giving the land to William Welch's heirs.

New Owners and Development

Over the years, parts of Rancho Las Juntas were sold to different people. In 1852, Henry Bush bought about 600 acres (2.4 km²) of Welch's land. This land was along the eastern side of Alhambra Creek, stretching south from what is now Brown Street in Martinez. Henry Bush was related to a family that would later include two U.S. Presidents.

In 1879, Henry Bush's widow sold 70 acres (0.28 km²) of their ranch to the Christian Brothers. They built a seminary there, which is a school for religious training, and grew grapes to make wine. Later, in 1930, this land was sold again to build homes.

Other important landowners in the area included David and Martha Boss, who owned over 1,000 acres (4.0 km²) in what is now Pleasant Hill by 1855. Judge F. M. Warmcastle had a farm of 300 acres (1.2 km²), Colonel Lathrop owned 945 acres (3.8 km²), and Colonel Gift had 733 acres (3.0 km²). William Hook, a businessman from Martinez, started buying land in 1854. By 1879, he owned a large amount of land, about 1,700 acres (6.9 km²).