Rancho Santa Rita (Pacheco)
Encyclopedia
Rancho Santa Rita was a 8894 acres (36 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Alameda County, California
given in 1839 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Dolores Pacheco. The rancho included present day Pleasanton
.
grant on the north and the Rancho Valle de San Jose
grant on the south, Rancho Santa Rita was given to San Jose
alcalde
Jose Dolores Pacheco. Pacheco was an absentee landowner. In 1844, his majordomo (ranch manager), Francisco Solano Alviso, probably built the little adobe that stands on Foothill Road overlooking the valley.
A claim for Rancho Santa Rita was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852 and grant was patented to John Yountz, administrator of the estate of José Dolores Pacheco in 1865.
In 1853, Rancho Santa Rita was sold to Augustin Alviso, grantee of Rancho Potrero de los Cerritos
, by the heirs of Jose Delores Pacheco - Juana Pacheco and Salvio Pacheco. In 1854, Samuel B. Martin and West J. Martin purchased Rancho Santa Rita. They sold the ranch in 1865, and moved to Oakland
.
In 1865 William M. Mendenhall came to the valley, and in 1868 purchased 650 acres (2.6 km²) of the Rancho Santa Rita grant. During the period of the railroad boom in the late 1860's, Rancho Santa Rita was sub divided into fifteen farms. The farms were "small" tracts of about 300 acres (1.2 km²) to 3750 acres (15.2 km²). The larger land owners consisted of J.W. Dougherty, 750 acres (3 km²); Abdijah Baker, 2078 acres (8.4 km²); and William Knox, 360 acres (1.5 km²). In 1869 J.W. Kottinger and J.A. Neal each laid out and plotted a subdivision for a new town called Alisal, situated about five miles south of Dublin
. By 1878 the village was an unincorporated town of about 500 people. Like Livermore
, Pleasanton attained its size and importance with coming of the Union Pacific Railroad
.
In the early 1880's, Count Valensin purchased 140 acre (0.5665604 km²), Maas Suders purchased a strip of land from the Mendenhall's 650 acres (2.6 km²), and Samuel Hewlett purchased 1600 acres (6.5 km²). In 1894 the remainder of Rancho Santa Rita was offered for sale by Lagrance and Company of Oakland. In 1921 what was left of the Mexican grant was sold to Asa Mendenhall.
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 Alameda County, California
Alameda County, California
Alameda County is a county in the U.S. state of California. It occupies most of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,510,271, making it the 7th most populous county in the state...
given in 1839 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Dolores Pacheco. The rancho included present day Pleasanton
Pleasanton, California
Pleasanton is a city in Alameda County, California, incorporated in 1894. It is a suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area located about east of Oakland, and west of Livermore. The population was 70,285 at the 2010 census. In 2005 and 2007, Pleasanton was ranked the wealthiest middle-sized city in...
.
History
Extending east from Foothill Road, with the Rancho San RamonRancho San Ramon (Amador)
Rancho San Ramon was a Mexican land grant in present day Contra Costa County, California given in 1834 by Governor Jose Figueroa to Jose Maria Amador....
grant on the north and the Rancho Valle de San Jose
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...
grant on the south, Rancho Santa Rita was given to San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
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...
Jose Dolores Pacheco. Pacheco was an absentee landowner. In 1844, his majordomo (ranch manager), Francisco Solano Alviso, probably built the little adobe that stands on Foothill Road overlooking the valley.
A claim for Rancho Santa Rita 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 grant was patented to John Yountz, administrator of the estate of José Dolores Pacheco in 1865.
In 1853, Rancho Santa Rita was sold to Augustin Alviso, grantee of Rancho Potrero de los Cerritos
Rancho Potrero de los Cerritos
Rancho Potrero de los Cerritos was a Mexican land grant in present day Alameda County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Augustin Alviso and Tomás Pacheco. The name means "pasture of the little hills" and included the Coyote Hills...
, by the heirs of Jose Delores Pacheco - Juana Pacheco and Salvio Pacheco. In 1854, Samuel B. Martin and West J. Martin purchased Rancho Santa Rita. They sold the ranch in 1865, and moved to Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
.
In 1865 William M. Mendenhall came to the valley, and in 1868 purchased 650 acres (2.6 km²) of the Rancho Santa Rita grant. During the period of the railroad boom in the late 1860's, Rancho Santa Rita was sub divided into fifteen farms. The farms were "small" tracts of about 300 acres (1.2 km²) to 3750 acres (15.2 km²). The larger land owners consisted of J.W. Dougherty, 750 acres (3 km²); Abdijah Baker, 2078 acres (8.4 km²); and William Knox, 360 acres (1.5 km²). In 1869 J.W. Kottinger and J.A. Neal each laid out and plotted a subdivision for a new town called Alisal, situated about five miles south of Dublin
Dublin, California
Dublin is a suburban city of the East Bay region of Alameda County, California, United States. Located along the north side of Interstate 580 at the intersection with Interstate 680, roughly east of Hayward, west of Livermore and north of San Jose, it was named after the city of Dublin in...
. By 1878 the village was an unincorporated town of about 500 people. Like Livermore
Livermore, California
Livermore is a city in Alameda County. The population as of 2010 was 80,968. Livermore is located on the eastern edge of California's San Francisco Bay Area....
, Pleasanton attained its size and importance with coming of the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
.
In the early 1880's, Count Valensin purchased 140 acre (0.5665604 km²), Maas Suders purchased a strip of land from the Mendenhall's 650 acres (2.6 km²), and Samuel Hewlett purchased 1600 acres (6.5 km²). In 1894 the remainder of Rancho Santa Rita was offered for sale by Lagrance and Company of Oakland. In 1921 what was left of the Mexican grant was sold to Asa Mendenhall.
Historic sites of the Rancho
- Francisco Solano Alviso Adobe (Pleasanton) built by Francisco Alviso, son of Pacheco's mayordomo (ranch manager), Francisco Solano Alviso, in 1854.
- The adobe, constructed by Jose Dolores Pacheco, is no longer standing.
- Alviso Adobe Community ParkAlviso Adobe Community ParkThe Alviso Adobe Community Park is a park in the city of Pleasanton, California, United States. It is built around an adobe house constructed in 1854 by Francisco Alviso, a rare surviving example of an early American adobe that was continuously in use until 1969...