Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica facts for kids
Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica was a huge piece of land in what is now Los Angeles County, California. It was about 33,000 acres (134 square kilometers)! In 1839, a Mexican governor named Juan Alvarado gave this land as a special gift, called a Mexican land grant, to Francisco Sepulveda. Francisco was a soldier and lived in Los Angeles. This large rancho included areas we now know as Santa Monica, Brentwood, Mandeville Canyon, and parts of West Los Angeles.
Contents
History of the Rancho
How the Land Was Granted
In 1839, Governor Alvarado gave Francisco Sepulveda the lands known as San Vicente. It also included a grassy area called Santa Monica. However, the exact borders of the land were not very clear. This quickly led to a disagreement about who owned which parts.
In the same year, two other people, Francisco Marquez and Ysidro Reyes, had received a grant for Rancho Boca de Santa Monica. This grant also included the "potrero" (pasture) of Santa Monica. In 1840, Francisco Sepulveda asked Governor Alvarado for help. He wanted to be in "peaceful possession" of his property. He said that Marquez and Reyes were causing trouble and staying on the Santa Monica land with confusing documents.
Changes After the War
After the Mexican–American War ended in 1848, California became part of the United States. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo stated that the existing land grants would still be honored.
Because of a new law called the Land Act of 1851, people who owned land grants had to prove their ownership. So, in 1852, a claim for Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica was filed with the Public Land Commission. Francisco Sepulveda passed away in 1853.
The argument over the rancho's borders continued for a long time. It was finally settled in the United States courts. After many years of legal battles, the Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica grant was officially given to the Sepulveda family in 1881. The rancho was then measured at 30,260 acres (122 square kilometers).
The Sepulveda Adobe
The Sepulveda Adobe was the home of Jose Dolores Sepulveda. He was one of Francisco Sepulveda's sons. This house was likely in the Sawtelle area. It was probably near where Bundy Drive and Wilshire Boulevard meet today. It was also close to some natural springs that explorers found a long time ago. Sadly, the building is no longer there.
New Owners
In 1872, the Sepulveda family sold their Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica property. They sold it to a man named Robert S. Baker. Then, in 1874, Baker sold three-quarters of the land to John Percival Jones. John Percival Jones was a very rich man. He had made his money from the Comstock Lode, which was a famous silver mining area.
