Rancho Nipomo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rancho Nipomo |
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| Location | Nipomo, California |
| Reference no. | 1033 |
Rancho Nipomo was a very large piece of land, about 37,888 acres (153 square kilometers), in what is now San Luis Obispo County, California. This land was given as a "Mexican land grant" in 1837 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to a man named William Goodwin Dana. A land grant was like a gift of land from the government.
The land grant included the area where the town of Nipomo is today. Rancho Nipomo is now recognized as a special place called a California Historical Landmark. This means it's an important part of California's history.
Contents
The Story of Rancho Nipomo
Who Was William Goodwin Dana?
William Goodwin Dana was born in Boston in 1797. He became a sea captain when he was young. In 1825, he sailed to Santa Barbara. There, he met and married Maria Josefa Carrillo in 1828. Her father, Carlos Antonio Carrillo, was an important person in California.
In 1836, William Dana became the alcalde of Santa Barbara. An alcalde was like a mayor and a judge all in one. It was a very important job in Mexican California.
How Rancho Nipomo Began
William Dana received the Rancho Nipomo land grant in 1837. In 1839, his family moved to Nipomo to live on their new ranch. William Dana lived there until he passed away in 1858.
Changes After the Mexican-American War
After the Mexican–American War, California became part of the United States in 1848. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, which was an agreement that ended the war. This treaty said that land grants given by Mexico would still be honored by the United States.
To make sure these land grants were official under U.S. law, people had to file a claim. William G. Dana filed a claim for Rancho Nipomo in 1852. Finally, in 1868, the land was "patented" to him. This means the U.S. government officially recognized his ownership of the land.
Historic Places at Rancho Nipomo
The Dana Adobe Home
One of the most important historic sites on the ranch is the Dana Adobe. An adobe is a type of building made from sun-dried earth bricks. Captain Dana started building this home in 1839. It was the main house for his family and the center of the large ranch. Today, you can visit the Dana Adobe and learn more about life on a California rancho long ago.
