Rancho Providencia
Encyclopedia
Rancho La Providencia was a 4064 acres (16.4 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Los Angeles County, California
given by governor Juan B. Alvarado in 1843 to Vincente de la Osa. The majority of Rancho Providencia land north of the modern channel of the Los Angeles River
is now part of Burbank
. The street grid change along Burbank Boulevard marks the northwestern boundary of the rancho grant. The Walt Disney Studios
, Warner Bros. Studios, NBC Studios
Burbank, Providence High School
, and Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center
are all within the former boundaries of Rancho Providencia. The Burbank Equestrian Center and portions of the Rancho south of the river are now part of the city of Los Angeles
.
In 1834, Vicente de la Ossa (January 6, 1808 - 1861) was elected as Los Angeles councilman and served in this capacity for two years. In 1843, he was granted the one square league Rancho Providencia located northwest of the pueblo
. In 1849 de la Ossa sold Rancho La Providencia to David W. Alexander, and bought an approximate third of Rancho Los Encinos
.
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 Providencia was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented David W. Alexander and Francis Mellus
in 1872.
In 1867, Alexander sold Rancho Providencia to David Burbank, a dentist and entrepreneur from Los Angeles. Burbank had also acquired Rancho Cahuenga
, a 388 acres (2 km²) inholding within the boundaries of Rancho Providencia. Burbank also purchased 4607 acres (19 km²) of Rancho San Rafael
from Jonathan R. Scott in 1867. Burbank combined his properties into a nearly 9000 acres (36.4 km²) cattle ranch.
Burbank sold his holdings in 1886 to Los Angeles land speculators who formed the "Providencia Land, Water & Development Company", with Burbank as one of the directors. The land was surveyed and a business district was laid out, surrounded by residential lots. The outlying area was divided into small farms. They named the town Burbank and opened the tract for sale on May 1, 1887. The City of Burbank was incorporated in 1911.
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 Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
given by governor Juan B. Alvarado in 1843 to Vincente de la Osa. The majority of Rancho Providencia land north of the modern channel of the Los Angeles River
Los Angeles River
The Los Angeles River is a river that starts in the San Fernando Valley, in the Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains, and flows through Los Angeles County, California, from Canoga Park in the western end of the San Fernando Valley, nearly southeast to its mouth in Long Beach...
is now part of Burbank
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
. The street grid change along Burbank Boulevard marks the northwestern boundary of the rancho grant. The Walt Disney Studios
Walt Disney Studios (Burbank)
The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, United States, serve as the international headquarters for media conglomerate The Walt Disney Company. The Walt Disney Studio's house offices for each of the company's divisions along with creative spaces designed for movie production. The Walt Disney...
, Warner Bros. Studios, NBC Studios
NBC Studios
The NBC Studios in New York, New York is located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, the historic GE Building houses the headquarters of the NBC television network, its parent General Electric, and NBC's flagship station WNBC , as well as cable news channel MSNBC.When NBC Universal relocated,...
Burbank, Providence High School
Providence High School (Burbank, California)
Providence High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Burbank, California. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles. It was established in 1955 by the Sisters of Providence....
, and Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center
Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center
Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center is a hospital in Burbank, California, USA. The hospital has 431 beds, and is part of Providence Health & Services. Its address is 501 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91505...
are all within the former boundaries of Rancho Providencia. The Burbank Equestrian Center and portions of the Rancho south of the river are now part of the city of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
History
Pueblo de Los Angeles
El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles was the Spanish civilian pueblo founded in 1781, which by the 20th century became the American metropolis of Los Angeles....
. In 1849 de la Ossa sold Rancho La Providencia to David W. Alexander, and bought an approximate third of Rancho Los Encinos
Rancho Los Encinos
Rancho Los Encinos was a Spanish grazing concession, and later Mexican land granted cattle and sheep rancho and travelers way-station on the El Camino Real in the San Fernando Valley, in present day Encino, Los Angeles County, California...
.
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 Providencia 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 grant was patented David W. Alexander and Francis Mellus
Francis Mellus
Francis Mellus , brother of Henry Mellus, was a Los Angeles County Supervisor and a successful California business man....
in 1872.
In 1867, Alexander sold Rancho Providencia to David Burbank, a dentist and entrepreneur from Los Angeles. Burbank had also acquired Rancho Cahuenga
Rancho Cahuenga
Rancho Cahuenga was a Mexican land grant in the San Fernando Valley, in present day Los Angeles County, California given in 1843 by governor Manuel Micheltorena to José Miguel Triunfo. Rancho Cahuenga is now a part of the city of Burbank, with the Los Angeles River channel running through it...
, a 388 acres (2 km²) inholding within the boundaries of Rancho Providencia. Burbank also purchased 4607 acres (19 km²) of Rancho San Rafael
Rancho San Rafael
Rancho San Rafael was a Spanish land grant bordering the Los Angeles River and the Arroyo Seco in present day Los Angeles County, California, given in 1784 to Jose Maria Verdugo. The rancho includes the present day cities of Glendale, Eagle Rock, La Cañada, Montrose, and Verdugo City...
from Jonathan R. Scott in 1867. Burbank combined his properties into a nearly 9000 acres (36.4 km²) cattle ranch.
Burbank sold his holdings in 1886 to Los Angeles land speculators who formed the "Providencia Land, Water & Development Company", with Burbank as one of the directors. The land was surveyed and a business district was laid out, surrounded by residential lots. The outlying area was divided into small farms. They named the town Burbank and opened the tract for sale on May 1, 1887. The City of Burbank was incorporated in 1911.
See also
- Battle of ProvidenciaBattle of ProvidenciaBattle of Providencia took place in 1845 on Rancho Providencia in the San Fernando Valley of southern California....
- Providencia RanchProvidencia RanchProvidencia Ranch, part of 'Providencia Land and Water Development Company' property, was a piece of land in California, USA that was used as a filming location for some early motion pictures; most notably for battle scenes in the silent classic about the American Civil War, The Birth of a Nation...
- History of the San Fernando Valley to 1915History of the San Fernando Valley to 1915The history of the San Fernando Valley from its exploration by the 1769 Portola expedition to the annexation of much of it by the City of Los Angeles in 1915 is a story of booms and busts, as cattle ranching, sheep ranching, large-scale wheat farming, and fruit orchards flourished and faded...
- Ranchos of CaliforniaRanchos of CaliforniaThe 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...
- List of Ranchos of California