Rancho Santa Maria de Los Peñasquitos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rancho Santa Maria de Los Peñasquitos |
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Johnson-Taylor Adobe in 2017
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| General information | |
| Coordinates | 32°56′17″N 117°07′37″W / 32.938°N 117.127°W |
| Construction started | 1824 |
Rancho Santa Maria de Los Peñasquitos was a huge piece of land, about 8,486 acres (34.34 km²), given out by the Mexican government in 1823. It was located in what is now southwestern San Diego County, California. The land was given to a man named Francisco María Ruiz. Its name means "Saint Mary of the Little Cliffs." Today, this area includes parts of Mira Mesa, Carmel Valley, and Rancho Peñasquitos in northern San Diego. It's also located inland from the beautiful bluffs of the Torrey Pines State Natural Preserve.
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A Look Back at Rancho History
The Rancho Santa Maria de los Peñasquitos was the very first land grant given by Mexico in what is now San Diego County. Francisco María Ruiz built an adobe home on this ranch in 1824. This home was north of the Presidio (a Spanish fort) and Mission San Diego de Alcalá (a Spanish mission). It was also close to an old Kumeyaay village called Awil Nyawa. The ranch house was later made bigger.
Changes in Ownership
In 1837, Ruiz sold his ranch to his grandnephew, Francisco María Alvarado. After Ruiz passed away in 1839, Alvarado moved to the ranch. He lived in the adobe home that Ruiz had built. Alvarado married Tomasa Pico. They later gave the property to their daughter, Maria Estéfana Alvarado. She received it when she married Captain George Alonzo Johnson in 1859.
After the Mexican-American War, California became part of the United States in 1848. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo said that existing land grants would still be honored. So, in 1852, a claim for Rancho Los Peñasquitos was filed with the U.S. government. Captain Johnson inherited the ranch. The U.S. government officially granted him the land in 1876.
A Stop on the Road
The rancho was also an important stop for travelers. It was on the wagon road that went from San Diego to Warner's Ranch. This route passed through San Pasqual and Santa Ysabel Asistencia. From 1857 to 1860, the rancho served as a station for the San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line coaches. This mail line traveled 125 miles between San Diego and Carrizo Creek Station. Passengers could get meals at the rancho, often served by the lady of the house. Rancho Peñasquitos was about 20 miles from San Diego. The next stop was 16 miles away at San Pasqual.
Captain Johnson sold the rancho in 1880 to Colonel Jacob Shell Taylor. Colonel Taylor was the person who founded Del Mar. Later, Charles F. Mohnike owned the ranch in 1910. In 1921, George Sawday and Oliver Sexon bought the ranch. They used it to raise cattle. Finally, real estate developer Irvin J. Kahn bought Rancho Peñasquitos in 1962.
Historic Sites of the Rancho
The Rancho de Los Peñasquitos is a historic adobe ranch home. It was built in 1823. Today, you can find it in the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve in San Diego, California. The San Diego County Parks & Recreation department offers tours of the home on weekends. This area is also important for its archeological sites. Scientists have found artifacts showing that indigenous people lived here for over six thousand years.
Nature in the Preserve
The Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve protects the natural environment of the former rancho lands. It is home to more than 500 different plant species. Many of these are rare or found only in California. These native plants grow in the coastal sage scrub ecosystem.
In the 1880s, this area had many riparian forests (forests along rivers) and oak woodlands. At that time, a California state survey suggested protecting the trees and woodland plant communities. This was to stop more erosion and flooding, which had already happened because of deforestation (cutting down trees). Today, the park is still buying more land and working on restoration projects.
One special tree found only in this area is the Torrey Pine. It is the rarest native pine tree in the United States. It is an endangered species and only a small group of them grow on the mainland. You can see them in Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve and the nearby coastal strip.
See also
- California coastal sage and chaparral ecoregion
- List of Ranchos of California
- National Register of Historic Places listings in San Diego County, California
- Ranchos of California
