Rancho Tequepis facts for kids
Rancho Tequepis was a large piece of land in California, given out by the Mexican government. It was about 8,919-acre (36.09 km2) (that's like 36 square kilometers!) in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley in what is now Santa Barbara County, California. This land stretched along the Santa Ynez River, near where Cachuma Creek joins it. Today, a big part of this historic ranch is covered by the waters of Lake Cachuma, which was created in 1953.
The land was given in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico to a person named Joaquin Villa. Governors are like the leaders of a state or territory.
History of Rancho Tequepis
After the Mexican–American War, California became part of the United States. This change was agreed upon in 1848 with a special agreement called the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This treaty said that the land grants given by the Mexican government, like Rancho Tequepis, would still be recognized by the new United States government.
Claiming the Land
To make sure these land grants were official under U.S. law, a new rule called the Land Act of 1851 was created. This act required people to prove they owned their land. So, in 1852, a claim for Rancho Tequepis was made to a group called the Public Land Commission. This commission checked all the land claims.
Official Ownership
Finally, in 1869, the ownership of Rancho Tequepis was officially confirmed. The land was given a "patent," which is like a special document proving ownership. It was given to Antonio Maria Villa, who was Joaquin Villa's son. Antonio Maria Villa lived from 1829 to 1899.
New Owners
A few years later, in 1868, a man named William Pierce bought Rancho Tequepis from the Villa family. William Pierce was a big landowner in the area. He also owned two other ranches nearby: Rancho San Marcos and Rancho Nojoqui.
