Rancho San Jose de Buenos Ayres
Encyclopedia
Rancho San Jose de Buenos Ayres was a 4438 acres (18 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Los Angeles County, California
given by Governor Micheltorena in 1843 to Maximo Alanis. The area that was given to Alanis now occupies Westwood
, UCLA, Holmby Hills, and Bel Air, Los Angeles. The ranch extended from what is now Sepulveda Boulevard to Beverly Hills.
(1842 - 1845) gave Jose Maximo Alanis (in all likelihood this is Alanis’ son) a one square league grant of land. Jose Maximo Alanis utilized the land as a ranch until he sold it to Benjamin “Don Benito” Wilson in 1858.
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 was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to Benjamin D. Wilson and W. T. B. Sanford in 1866.
Rancho San Jose de Buenos Ayres was sold to John Wolfskill in 1884. Wolfskill secured a judgment against the Los Angeles and Santa Monica Land and Water Company and the Los Angeles and Pacific Railroad. The railroad had a “right of way” through Rancho San Jose de Buenos Ayres that was thirty feet wide and had set up eight hundred lots for the town of Sunset. In February, 1891, Wolfskill was awarded $293,000 due to him for the railroads confiscation of the ranch. The ranch was returned to Wolfskill, but it wasn’t worked or utilized for agriculture. When Wolfskill died, the land was left to his heirs. In 1919 the Wolfskill heirs sold the Rancho to Arthur Letts
, the founder of the Broadway Department Store chain.
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 Micheltorena in 1843 to Maximo Alanis. The area that was given to Alanis now occupies Westwood
Westwood, Los Angeles, California
Westwood is a neighborhood on the Westside of Los Angeles, California, United States. It is the home of the University of California, Los Angeles .-History:...
, UCLA, Holmby Hills, and Bel Air, Los Angeles. The ranch extended from what is now Sepulveda Boulevard to Beverly Hills.
History
Maximo Alanis became the first property owner when he moved to the area in the 1820’s. By 1843 the Mexican governor, Manuel MicheltorenaManuel Micheltorena
Manuel Micheltorena was a Brigadier General of the Mexican Army, Adjutant-General of the same, Governor, Commandant-General and Inspector of the Department of the California...
(1842 - 1845) gave Jose Maximo Alanis (in all likelihood this is Alanis’ son) a one square league grant of land. Jose Maximo Alanis utilized the land as a ranch until he sold it to Benjamin “Don Benito” Wilson in 1858.
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 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 Benjamin D. Wilson and W. T. B. Sanford in 1866.
Rancho San Jose de Buenos Ayres was sold to John Wolfskill in 1884. Wolfskill secured a judgment against the Los Angeles and Santa Monica Land and Water Company and the Los Angeles and Pacific Railroad. The railroad had a “right of way” through Rancho San Jose de Buenos Ayres that was thirty feet wide and had set up eight hundred lots for the town of Sunset. In February, 1891, Wolfskill was awarded $293,000 due to him for the railroads confiscation of the ranch. The ranch was returned to Wolfskill, but it wasn’t worked or utilized for agriculture. When Wolfskill died, the land was left to his heirs. In 1919 the Wolfskill heirs sold the Rancho to Arthur Letts
Arthur Letts
Arthur Letts, Sr. was the underfunded immigrant from England who made his name, fortune, and mark in Los Angeles, California in the early years of the 20th century...
, the founder of the Broadway Department Store chain.