Rancho Tía Juana facts for kids

Rancho Tía Juana, also called Ti Juan, was a huge area of land in what is now Mexico and the United States. It was given as a special gift, known as a land grant, by Governor José María de Echeandía on March 4, 1829. The land was given to Santiago Arguello.

This large ranch covered about 26,019.53 acres. Today, this area includes parts of Tijuana in Baja California, Mexico. It also stretches into parts of San Ysidro and the Tijuana River Valley, San Diego in San Diego County, California, in the United States.

Where Was Rancho Tía Juana Located?

The land of Rancho Tía Juana had clear borders. To its south, it was next to another very large ranch called Rancho El Rosario. Rancho El Rosario was also a land grant, given in 1827 to Don José Manuel Machado. He was one of the first soldiers stationed at the Presidio of San Diego, which was like an old fort.

The main house of Rancho Tía Juana was located just south of where the border crossing between Mexico and the United States is today.

What Does "Tijuana" Mean?

The name "Tijuana" comes from an old name for a local settlement. This settlement belonged to the Kumeyaay people, who were the native people living in that area for a very long time.