Rancho Temescal
Encyclopedia
Rancho Temescal was a 13339 acres (54 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Ventura County
and Los Angeles County, California
given in 1843 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena
to Francisco Lopez and José Arellanes. The word Temescal is Spanish for "sweat bath" or "sweat lodge." The grant was located in the upper end of the Santa Clara Valley
, in the eastern section of Ventura County, in the upper Santa Clara River Valley
near the base of the Topatopa Mountains
where Piru Creek
and the Santa Clara River
meet. The grant encompassed present day Lake Piru
and town of Piru
.
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 Temescal was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1853. The Land Commission rejected the claim on the grounds that the boundaries were vague, but the United States district court
confirmed the grant. The US appealed the grant to the US Supreme Court, and the Supreme court upheld the grant in 1863., and the grant was patented to (R. de la Cuesta) in 1871.
Ygnacio del Valle
(1808 –1880) of the adjacent Rancho San Francisco
, acquired Rancho Temescal. In 1887, the sons of Ygnacio del Valle sold Rancho Temescal to David C. Cook
from Elgin, Illinois
, who had come west because of poor health. Cook, born in New York
in 1850, was the owner of a publishing business. Cook founded the town of Piru on the rancho.
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 Ventura County
Ventura County, California
Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. It is located on California's Pacific coast. It is often referred to as the Gold Coast, and has a reputation of being one of the safest populated places and one of the most affluent places in the country...
and 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 in 1843 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena
Manuel 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...
to Francisco Lopez and José Arellanes. The word Temescal is Spanish for "sweat bath" or "sweat lodge." The grant was located in the upper end of the Santa Clara Valley
Santa Clara River Valley
The Santa Clara River Valley is a valley that runs from east to west through Ventura County and northwest Los Angeles County, California...
, in the eastern section of Ventura County, in the upper Santa Clara River Valley
Santa Clara River Valley
The Santa Clara River Valley is a valley that runs from east to west through Ventura County and northwest Los Angeles County, California...
near the base of the Topatopa Mountains
Topatopa Mountains
The Topatopa Mountains are a mountain range in Ventura County, California, north of Santa Paula. They are part of the Transverse Ranges of Southern California. The range lies in an east-west direction northeast of the community of Ojai, and west of the Sespe Condor Sanctuary. The ranges reaches an...
where Piru Creek
Piru Creek
Piru Creek is a large stream in northern Los Angeles County and eastern Ventura County, California. It is a tributary of the Santa Clara River, the largest stream system in Southern California that is still relatively natural. It drains an area of about and is about long. The creek is the Santa...
and the Santa Clara River
Santa Clara River (California)
The Santa Clara River is approximately long, located in southern California in the United States. It drains an area of the coastal mountains north of Los Angeles. The Santa Clara is one of the largest river systems along the coast of Southern California and one of only a few remaining river...
meet. The grant encompassed present day Lake Piru
Lake Piru
Lake Piru is an artificial lake located in Los Padres National Forest of Ventura County, California, created by the construction in 1955 of the Santa Felicia Dam on Piru Creek which is a tributary of the Santa Clara River. It is situated downstream from Pyramid Lake and can be accessed from Piru...
and town of Piru
Piru, California
Piru is a small unincorporated census-designated town located in eastern Ventura County, California, in the Santa Clara River Valley near the Santa Clara River and Highway 126, about seven miles east of Fillmore and about west of Interstate 5. The population was 2,063 at the 2010 census, up from...
.
History
Francisco Lopez and José Arellanes were granted three square league Rancho Temescal in 1843. The grant was later transferred to Ramon de la Cuesta and Francisco Gonzales Ciminio.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 Temescal 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 1853. The Land Commission rejected the claim on the grounds that the boundaries were vague, but the United States district court
United States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
confirmed the grant. The US appealed the grant to the US Supreme Court, and the Supreme court upheld the grant in 1863., and the grant was patented to (R. de la Cuesta) in 1871.
Ygnacio del Valle
Ygnacio del Valle
Ygnacio Ramón de Jesus del Valle was a rancher and landowner in the eastern Santa Clara River Valley, California, United States, as well as an alcalde of Los Angeles. His estate, Rancho Camulos, is registered as a National Historic Landmark.- Early life :Del Valle was born in Jalisco, Mexico...
(1808 –1880) of the adjacent Rancho San Francisco
Rancho San Francisco
Rancho San Francisco was a land grant in present day northwestern Los Angeles County and eastern Ventura County, California. It was of by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Antonio del Valle, a Spanish army officer, in recognition for his service to the state of Alta California...
, acquired Rancho Temescal. In 1887, the sons of Ygnacio del Valle sold Rancho Temescal to David C. Cook
David C. Cook
David C. Cook is a nonprofit Christian publisher based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It was established in 1875 and publishes fiction and nonfiction. It uses its profits for global ministry. For many years, it published a Christian comic book, Sunday Pix, with stories about the adventures of...
from Elgin, Illinois
Elgin, Illinois
Elgin is a city in northern Illinois located roughly northwest of Chicago on the Fox River. Most of Elgin lies within Kane County, Illinois, with a portion in Cook County, Illinois...
, who had come west because of poor health. Cook, born in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1850, was the owner of a publishing business. Cook founded the town of Piru on the rancho.