Rancho Orestimba y Las Garzas facts for kids

Rancho Orestimba y Las Garzas was a large piece of land in what is now Stanislaus and Merced County, California. Its name means "Meetingplace and the Herons," which sounds quite peaceful! This land, about 26,668 acres (108 square kilometers), was a Mexican land grant. This means the Mexican government gave it to someone. In 1844, Governor Manuel Micheltorena gave this grant to a man named Sebastián Núñez.

At first, this land was part of Tuolumne County. But in 1854, it became part of Stanislaus County. The rancho was located west of the San Joaquin River and south of another rancho called Rancho Del Puerto. It covered the area where the town of Newman is today. Two important creeks flowed through the rancho: Arroyo Orestimba in the north and Arroyo de las Garzas in the south.

A Gift of Land: Rancho Orestimba

This section tells the story of how Rancho Orestimba y Las Garzas came to be. It was a time when California was still under Mexican rule.

Sebastián Núñez and His Family

Sebastián Núñez was an important person in the area. In 1840, he married María Jacinta Pacheco. Her father, Francisco Pacheco, was also a well-known land owner. He had received grants for Rancho Ausaymas y San Felipe and Rancho San Justo.

In 1844, Sebastián Núñez received his own land grant. This grant was for six "square leagues." A league was a way to measure distance, and a square league was a very large area of land. The main house of Rancho Orestimba y Las Garzas was built in a beautiful spot. It was located above a grove of sycamore trees near the Arroyo de Orestimba creek.

Changes After the Mexican-American War

Big changes happened in California after the Mexican–American War. This war ended in 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This treaty meant that California became part of the United States.

One important part of the treaty was that the United States agreed to respect the land grants given by the Mexican government. This was good news for people like Sebastián Núñez.

Proving Land Ownership

To make sure these land grants were official under U.S. law, a new process was created. The California Land Act of 1851 required landowners to prove their claims. So, in 1852, Sebastián Núñez filed a claim for Rancho Orestimba with the Public Land Commission. This commission was set up to review all the old Mexican land grants.

After a review, the grant was officially confirmed to Sebastián Núñez in 1863. This official document is called a patent. It meant that the United States government recognized his ownership of the land.