Rancho Las Positas facts for kids
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Rancho Las Positas was a very large piece of land, about 8,880 acres (36 square kilometers), in what is now Alameda County, California. The Mexican government gave this land as a "land grant" in 1839. Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado gave it to two men: Robert Livermore and José Noriega. The name "Las Positas" means "little watering holes" in Spanish. Today, the city of Livermore is located on part of this old rancho.
Contents
The Story of Rancho Las Positas
Early Days on the Rancho
In 1834, Robert Livermore and his friend José Noriega started raising animals on the land that would become Rancho Las Positas. They also built a simple adobe house there. An adobe is a building made from sun-dried earth and straw.
Robert Livermore and his wife, Josefa Higuera Molina, first lived in another area called Sunol Valley. But Robert often visited Rancho Las Positas to manage his animals. So, they decided to move there. The first house they lived in on the rancho was an adobe building.
Changes After the Mexican-American War
California became part of the United States after the Mexican–American War in 1848. A special agreement called the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo said that land grants given by Mexico would still be valid. This meant that people like Livermore and Noriega could keep their land.
To make sure their land was officially recognized, Livermore and Noriega had to file a claim. They did this in 1852. Their ownership of Rancho Las Positas was officially confirmed in 1872.
Sharing and Separating Land
In 1847, José Noriega and Robert Livermore also bought another large piece of land. It was called Rancho Cañada de los Vaqueros and was north of Rancho Las Positas.
By 1854, Livermore and Noriega decided to divide their properties. Livermore bought Noriega's half of Rancho Las Positas. In return, Livermore sold his half of Rancho Cañada de los Vaqueros to Noriega. However, Robert Livermore had already given his share of Rancho Cañada de los Vaqueros to his wife and children in 1852. Noriega did not know this. So, when Livermore tried to sell his half to Noriega, he actually didn't own it anymore. This led to some legal problems later on.
Robert Livermore passed away in 1858. He died before the town named after him was officially created. He left behind his wife, Josefa, and their eight children.
Historic Buildings on the Rancho
The very first building on Rancho Las Positas was an adobe house. It was built near Las Positas Creek. In 1849, a two-story wooden house was added. This was the first building made of wood in the entire valley.
