Rancho Los Alamos
Encyclopedia
Rancho Los Alamos was a 48803 acres (197.5 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Santa Barbara County, California
given in 1839 by Governor Juan Alvarado to José Antonio de la Guerra, a son of José de la Guerra y Noriega
. Los Alamos is Spanish for "the cottonwoods" and describes Fremont Cottonwood (Populus fremontii)
trees lining the banks of the San Antonio Creek.
, Jose Antonio de la Guerra was granted title to Rancho Los Alamos in the Los Alamos Valley. Concepcion Ortega, who married Jose de la Guerra, came to live at the adobe ranch house.
With the cession
of California to the United States following the Mexican-American War, the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
provided that the land grants would be honored. As required by the Land Act of 1851, a claim for Rancho Los Alamos was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the land grant was patented
to de la Guerra in 1872.
In 1876, San Francisco financier Thomas Bell along with his son John S. Bell, and James B. Shaw, purchased acreage from Rancho Los Alamos and the neighboring Rancho La Laguna
. Both families allocated a half square mile from each of their new ranches to create the Los Alamos
town site with "Centennial Street" as the central thoroughfare.
Ranchos of California
The Spanish, and later the Méxican government encouraged settlement of territory now known as California by the establishment of large land grants called ranchos, from which the English ranch is derived. Devoted to raising cattle and sheep, the owners of the ranchos attempted to pattern themselves...
in present day Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, on the Pacific coast. As of 2010 the county had a population of 423,895. The county seat is Santa Barbara and the largest city is Santa Maria.-History:...
given in 1839 by Governor Juan Alvarado to José Antonio de la Guerra, a son of José de la Guerra y Noriega
José de la Guerra y Noriega
José Antonio de la Guerra y Noriega was a soldier and early settler of California.-Biography:José de la Guerra was born 1779 at Novales, Cantabria, Spain. As a boy he wished to be a friar...
. Los Alamos is Spanish for "the cottonwoods" and describes Fremont Cottonwood (Populus fremontii)
Populus fremontii
Populus fremontii, the Fremont cottonwood or Alamo cottonwood, is a cottonwood poplar native to western North America, in California and east to Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico, and south into Sonora in northwestern Mexico...
trees lining the banks of the San Antonio Creek.
History
In 1839, during Mexico's rule of Alta CaliforniaAlta California
Alta California was a province and territory in the Viceroyalty of New Spain and later a territory and department in independent Mexico. The territory was created in 1769 out of the northern part of the former province of Las Californias, and consisted of the modern American states of California,...
, Jose Antonio de la Guerra was granted title to Rancho Los Alamos in the Los Alamos Valley. Concepcion Ortega, who married Jose de la Guerra, came to live at the adobe ranch house.
With the cession
Mexican Cession
The Mexican Cession of 1848 is a historical name in the United States for the region of the present day southwestern United States that Mexico ceded to the U.S...
of California to the United States following the Mexican-American War, the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is the peace treaty, largely dictated by the United States to the interim government of a militarily occupied Mexico City, that ended the Mexican-American War on February 2, 1848...
provided that the land grants would be honored. As required by the Land Act of 1851, a claim for Rancho Los Alamos was filed with the Public Land Commission
Public Land Commission
The Public Land Commission, a former agency of the United States government, was created following the admission of California as a state in 1850 . The Commission's purpose was to determine the validity of prior Spanish and Mexican land grants in California.California Senator William M...
in 1852, and the land grant was patented
Land patent
A land patent is a land grant made patent by the sovereign lord over the land in question. To make a such a grant “patent”, such a sovereign lord must document the land grant, securely sign and seal the document and openly publish the same to the public for all to see...
to de la Guerra in 1872.
In 1876, San Francisco financier Thomas Bell along with his son John S. Bell, and James B. Shaw, purchased acreage from Rancho Los Alamos and the neighboring Rancho La Laguna
Rancho La Laguna (Gutierrez)
Rancho La Laguna was a Mexican land grant in present day Santa Barbara County, California given in 1845 by Governor Pio Pico to Octaviano Gutierrez. The name means "the Lake". The grant extended along the Santa Ynez Valley east of present day Los Alamos....
. Both families allocated a half square mile from each of their new ranches to create the Los Alamos
Los Alamos, California
Los Alamos is a census-designated place in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Although located in the Los Alamos Valley, the town of Los Alamos is usually considered to be a part of the Santa Ynez Valley community...
town site with "Centennial Street" as the central thoroughfare.
Historic sites of the Rancho
- Los Alamos Ranch HouseLos Alamos Ranch HouseThe Los Alamos Ranch House is a historic adobe house from the mid-19th century, located near Los Alamos in northern Santa Barbara County, California...
. A one story adobe ranch house established about 1840 and designated a National Historic LandmarkNational Historic LandmarkA National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1970.