Rancho San Dieguito
Encyclopedia
Rancho San Dieguito was a 8824 acres (35.7 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day San Diego County, California
given in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico
to Juan María Osuna
. The rancho was renamed Rancho Santa Fe
.
. Osuna played an important role in the establishment of the pueblo of San Diego (population 150) and was elected alcalde
. In addition, Juan Osuna became a Justice of the Peace and was administrator of the San Diego Mission. As Mayor, one of Juan Maria Osuna's powers included the approval of petitions for land and he quiet naturally approved his own application for the San Dieguito grant. In 1845, Governor Pio Pico awarded him full title to the two square league Rancho San Dieguito.
In 1806, Osuna married Maria Juliana Josepha Lopez (1791-1871). Osuna built an adobe home on the ranch for himself and his wife, and gave an existing adobe to his son, Leandro. Osuna was considered a fine alcalde but was also a gambling man and lost some of his land to pay off bad debts. Leandro Osuna took possession of the ranch in 1851 when his father died. A veteran of the Battle of San Pasqual
in 1846, Leandro died in 1859; he was thirty-seven years old. The care of Rancho San Diequito fell to Juan Osuna's widow, Juliana Lopez de Osuna.
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 San Dieguito was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to Juliana Lopez de Osuna in 1871.
The Osuna heirs in 1906 sold the Rancho San Dieguito land grant to the Santa Fe Land Improvement Company, a subsidiary of Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Company. The railway began planting groves of eucalyptus trees which they planned to harvest for new railroad ties. The eucalyptus wood was too soft, splitting when the spikes were hammered into it. Looking to recoup their losses on the failed timber venture, the Santa Fe Land Improvement Company began the development of a planned community of gentlemen's ranches with a thematic unity of architectural style and an ambiance evocative of the Spanish and Rancho eras.
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 San Diego County, California
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
given in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico
Pío Pico
Pío de Jesús Pico was the last Governor of Alta California under Mexican rule.-Origins:...
to Juan María Osuna
Juan María Osuna
Juan María Osuna was an early settler of San Diego, California-Life:Juan María Osuna was born 1785 in California to Juan Hismerio Osuna and Maria Alvarado. He was a soldier and corporal of the San Diego Company and settled in San Diego...
. The rancho was renamed Rancho Santa Fe
Rancho Santa Fe, California
Rancho Santa Fe known locally as ″The Ranch″, is one of the most exclusive and affluent communities in Southern California. It is also a census-designated place in San Diego County, California and an unincorporated bedroom community of San Diego County...
.
History
Juan Maria Osuna, son of one of the "leather-jacket soldiers", also became a soldier and for many years served at the Presidio of San DiegoPresidio of San Diego
El Presidio Reál de San Diego is an historical fort established on May 14, 1769, by Commandant Pedro Fages for Spain. It was the first permanent European settlement on the Pacific Coast of the United States. As the first of the presidios and Spanish missions in California, it was the base of...
. Osuna played an important role in the establishment of the pueblo of San Diego (population 150) and was elected alcalde
Alcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
. In addition, Juan Osuna became a Justice of the Peace and was administrator of the San Diego Mission. As Mayor, one of Juan Maria Osuna's powers included the approval of petitions for land and he quiet naturally approved his own application for the San Dieguito grant. In 1845, Governor Pio Pico awarded him full title to the two square league Rancho San Dieguito.
In 1806, Osuna married Maria Juliana Josepha Lopez (1791-1871). Osuna built an adobe home on the ranch for himself and his wife, and gave an existing adobe to his son, Leandro. Osuna was considered a fine alcalde but was also a gambling man and lost some of his land to pay off bad debts. Leandro Osuna took possession of the ranch in 1851 when his father died. A veteran of the Battle of San Pasqual
Battle of San Pasqual
The Battle of San Pasqual, also spelled San Pascual, was a military encounter that occurred during the Mexican-American War in what is now the San Pasqual Valley community of the city of San Diego, California. On December 6 and December 7, 1846, General Stephen W...
in 1846, Leandro died in 1859; he was thirty-seven years old. The care of Rancho San Diequito fell to Juan Osuna's widow, Juliana Lopez de Osuna.
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 San Dieguito 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
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 Juliana Lopez de Osuna in 1871.
The Osuna heirs in 1906 sold the Rancho San Dieguito land grant to the Santa Fe Land Improvement Company, a subsidiary of Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
Company. The railway began planting groves of eucalyptus trees which they planned to harvest for new railroad ties. The eucalyptus wood was too soft, splitting when the spikes were hammered into it. Looking to recoup their losses on the failed timber venture, the Santa Fe Land Improvement Company began the development of a planned community of gentlemen's ranches with a thematic unity of architectural style and an ambiance evocative of the Spanish and Rancho eras.
Historic sites of the Rancho
- Juan María Osuna Adobe. The first Juan María Osuna adobe is one of the oldest in California.
- Leandro Osuna Adobe. A.H. Barlow, a La Jolla businessman, purchased the historic Leandro Osuna Adobe in 1924, saving it from destruction. Several years later, Lilian Rice completed its rehabilitation, and it remains on a knoll overlooking the San Dieguito River valley.