Rancho Sausal Redondo facts for kids

Antonio Ygnacio Ávila, a member of the Ávila family of California, was granted Rancho Sausal Redondo in 1837.

Rancho Sausal Redondo was a huge piece of land, about 22,458 acres (which is about 91 square kilometers), in what is now Los Angeles County, California. It was like a giant ranch! In 1837, the Mexican government gave this land as a grant to a man named Antonio Ygnacio Ávila. The name "Sausal Redondo" means "Round Willow-grove Ranch." Today, this area includes many cities you might know, like Playa Del Rey, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Lawndale, Hermosa Beach, Inglewood, Hawthorne, and Redondo Beach.

The Story of Rancho Sausal Redondo

How the Rancho Began

Antonio Ygnacio Ávila (born in 1781, died in 1858) was an important person from the Ávila family of California. He married Rosa Maria Ruiz in 1804.

In 1822, Antonio Ávila got special permission from the Mexican government. This allowed him to use about 25,000 acres of land for grazing his animals. This land later became Rancho Sausal Redondo.

On May 20, 1837, Governor Juan Alvarado officially gave Antonio Ávila the land grant for Rancho Sausal Redondo. This made the land legally his.

Changes After the War

After the Mexican–American War, California became part of the United States. This happened in 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This treaty said that land grants given by the Mexican government would still be valid.

To make sure the land grants were official under U.S. law, a new rule was made in 1851. Antonio Ávila filed a claim for Rancho Sausal Redondo in 1852. The U.S. government officially recognized his ownership in 1855.

New Owners of the Rancho

Antonio Ygnacio Ávila passed away in 1858. His family then had to sell the ranch in 1868 to cover legal costs. The ranch was bought by Sir Robert Burnett, a man from Scotland.

Sir Robert Burnett used the land for raising sheep and cattle. He also owned another nearby ranch called Rancho Aguaje de la Centinela. He combined both areas, bringing much of the original land grant back together. It took until 1873 for the ownership to be fully clear. A U.S. court confirmed Burnett's purchase after a challenge from one of Ávila's heirs.

In 1873, Robert Burnett leased the land to Daniel Freeman and went back to Scotland. Daniel Freeman moved to the ranch with his family. He raised more animals and planted citrus trees.

However, a big drought in 1875 hurt the livestock business. So, Freeman started "dry farming," which means growing crops without much water. In 1885, Daniel Freeman bought the rest of Rancho Sausal Redondo. He was the last person to own the entire Rancho Sausal Redondo.

Historic Places of the Rancho

• Centinela Adobe – This was Burnett's ranch house located in Inglewood.