Rancho Posolmi facts for kids
Rancho Posolmi, also called Ranch Yñigo, was a large piece of land in what is now Santa Clara County, California. It was a 1,696-acre (6.86 km2) land grant given by the Mexican government in 1844. Governor Manuel Micheltorena gave this land to Lupe Yñigo. The name "Posolmi" comes from a village of the Ohlone people. Today, part of this land is where Moffett Field is located in Sunnyvale.
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The Story of Rancho Posolmi
Lupe Yñigo and the Land Grant
Lupe Yñigo (1781-1864) was an Ohlone man. He was an important leader, or alcalde, at Mission Santa Clara. In 1844, he received this large land grant. He kept more than 800 acres (3 km2) of the land until he passed away in 1864. Lupe Yñigo was one of the last Ohlone people to have strong ties to Mission Santa Clara.
California Becomes Part of the U.S.
After the Mexican–American War, California became part of the United States in 1848. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, which said that the U.S. would respect the land grants given by Mexico.
To make sure these land claims were fair, the U.S. government passed the Land Act of 1851. This law required people to prove they owned their land. In 1852, a claim for Rancho Posolmi was filed with the Public Land Commission. Finally, in 1881, the ownership of the land was officially given to Thomas Campbell, Robert Walkinshaw, and Lupe Yñigo.
Rancho Posolmi Becomes Moffett Field
Many years later, in July 1931, about 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) of the original Rancho Posolmi land was sold. Several landowners sold it to communities in the Bay Area. These communities then sold the land to the U.S. Navy for just $1. This was done to make the deal very appealing to the Navy. The land was then used to build an air base, which later became known as Moffett Field. This sale was organized by a local real estate agent named Laura Thane Whipple.
