Rancho Los Guilicos facts for kids

Rancho Los Guilicos was a very large piece of land, about 18,834 acres, given out by the Mexican government in 1837. It was located in what is now Sonoma County, California. Governor Juan B. Alvarado gave this land to a man named John Wilson. The rancho stretched along Sonoma Creek, from Santa Rosa Creek down towards Glen Ellen. Today, places like Oakmont, Kenwood, and Annadel State Park are part of where this rancho once was.

A Look Back: The History of Rancho Los Guilicos

Early Owners and the Mexican Land Grant

The large land grant was given to Captain John Wilson. He was born in Scotland and worked as a sea captain and trader. Wilson came to California in 1830. In 1837, he married María Ramona Carrillo de Pacheco. Her mother, Maria Ygnacia Lopez de Carrillo, also owned a large rancho nearby. Wilson and his business partner, James Scott, owned other ranchos in California too.

California Becomes Part of the United States

After the Mexican–American War, California became part of the United States in 1848. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo said that the land grants given by Mexico would still be honored. So, John Wilson filed a claim for Rancho Los Guilicos in 1852. The land was officially given to him in 1886.

New Owners and Ranch Life

John Wilson never actually lived on Rancho Los Guilicos. In 1849, he sold the rancho to William Hood and William Pettit. William Hood was from Scotland and worked as a cabinet maker. He came to San Francisco and saw the beautiful valley of Los Guilicos. He decided he wanted to buy the land.

When gold was found in California in 1848, many people rushed to the gold fields. But William Hood made a lot of money building houses in San Francisco. By 1850, he had enough money to buy half of Los Guilicos. William Pettit sold his half to Amelia Wilson soon after. Amelia later sold her share to William Hood around 1854, making him the full owner.

In 1849, two brothers from Virginia, William Hudson and Martin Hudson, bought 2,500 acres of the rancho. They used the land to grow wheat and raise animals.

Later Owners and Famous Visitors

Captain John Hamilton Drummond, an Irishman who served in the British army, bought part of the rancho in 1877. He raised sheep and grew grapes for wine. Later, in 1890, the Drummond Ranch was bought by Mary Ellen Pleasant.

In 1905, Thomas Kearns, a U.S. Senator from Utah, bought a large part of the property. He made it even bigger, to 1,800 acres. Senator Kearns used the rancho as a vacation spot and an investment. He even hosted his friend, President Theodore Roosevelt, there.

The area of Los Guilicos Rancho was also a setting for a famous book. The author Jack London wrote about this area in his 1913 novel, The Valley of the Moon. In the book, his main character excitedly says, "We have found our Valley!"

Historic Places on the Rancho

William Hood House

The William Hood House was built in 1858. William Hood built it for his wife, Eliza Shaw. This house is an important historic site from the rancho's past.