Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana
Encyclopedia
Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana was a 63414 acres (256.6 km²) Spanish land concession
in present day Orange County, California
given by Governor José Joaquín de Arrillaga
in 1810 to Jose Antonio Yorba
and his nephew Pablo Peralta. The grant extended eastward from the Santa Ana River
to the Santa Ana Mountains
, with a length of more than 22 miles.The lands encompass present day Santa Ana, Orange, Villa Park, El Modena, Tustin, Costa Mesa, and a part of Irvine, which was formerly known as Rancho Lomas de Santiago
and was titled to one of the Yorbas.
. This was the only land grant in present day Orange County
given under Spanish Rule
which were rare during this time. This was only two and a half months before the start of the war for Mexican Independence (1810-1821).The surrounding land grants or ranchos were granted by the Mexican government after Mexican independence in 1821.
Jose Antonio Yorba built an elaborate adobe hacienda, El Refugio (the Refuge), located near present day First and Sullivan Streets in west Santa Ana
.
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 Santiago de Santa Ana was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to Bernardo, Teodoro and Ramón Yorba in 1883.
In 1854, the Yorba family sold Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana to José Andrés Sepúlveda
. Sepulveda later lost the land due to bankruptcy caused by fighting to uphold his land claims in court. In 1869, William Spurgeon and Ward Bradford purchased 74.27 acre (0.3005602922 km²) of the ranch to form the city of Santa Ana
, which then became the seat of government for the County in 1889. The ranch further disintegrated with purchases by James Irvine
among others.
, Santa Ana Heights, Orange
, Costa Mesa
, Tustin
, and Olive.
The Rancho Santiago Community College District
is located in Santa Ana and is composed of Santa Ana College
and Santiago Canyon College
in Orange.
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 Orange County, California
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
given by Governor José Joaquín de Arrillaga
José Joaquín de Arrillaga
José Joaquín de Arrillaga was interim governor of Las Californias from 1792 to 1794, governor of Las Californias from 1800 to 1804 and governor of Alta California from 1804 to 1814.-Death:...
in 1810 to Jose Antonio Yorba
José Antonio Yorba
José Antonio Yorba , also known as Don José Antonio Yorba I, was a Spanish soldier and early settler of Spanish California.-Spanish Soldier:...
and his nephew Pablo Peralta. The grant extended eastward from the Santa Ana River
Santa Ana River
The Santa Ana River is the largest river of Southern California in the United States. Its drainage basin spans four counties. It rises in the San Bernardino Mountains and flows past the cities of San Bernardino and Riverside, before cutting through the northern tip of the Santa Ana Mountains and...
to the Santa Ana Mountains
Santa Ana Mountains
The Santa Ana Mountains are a short peninsular mountain range along the coast of Southern California in the United States. They extend for approximately 36 mi southeast of the Los Angeles Basin largely along the border between Orange and Riverside counties.- Geography :The range starts in the...
, with a length of more than 22 miles.The lands encompass present day Santa Ana, Orange, Villa Park, El Modena, Tustin, Costa Mesa, and a part of Irvine, which was formerly known as Rancho Lomas de Santiago
Rancho Lomas de Santiago
Rancho Lomas de Santiago was a Mexican land grant given by Mexican Governor Pío Pico to Teodosio Yorba in 1846. The name means "Hills of St. James"...
and was titled to one of the Yorbas.
History
Juan Pablo Grijalva, a Spanish soldier who traveled to Alta California with the De Anza expedition, was the original petitioner for the lands that became known as the "Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana". He died before the grant was approved and the lands went to his son-in-law, Jose Antonio Yorba and his grandson, Juan Pablo Peralta. On July 1, 1810, land later named Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana was granted to Jose Antonio Yorba and his nephew Pablo Peralta by Governor José Joaquín de Arrillaga on behalf of the Spanish GovernmentSpanish Government
Spain is a constitutional monarchy whose government is defined by the Constitution of Spain. This was approved by a general referendum of the people of Spain in 1978...
. This was the only land grant in present day Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
given under Spanish Rule
New Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...
which were rare during this time. This was only two and a half months before the start of the war for Mexican Independence (1810-1821).The surrounding land grants or ranchos were granted by the Mexican government after Mexican independence in 1821.
Jose Antonio Yorba built an elaborate adobe hacienda, El Refugio (the Refuge), located near present day First and Sullivan Streets in west Santa Ana
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
.
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 Santiago de Santa Ana 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 Bernardo, Teodoro and Ramón Yorba in 1883.
In 1854, the Yorba family sold Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana to José Andrés Sepúlveda
Francisco Xavier Sepulveda
Francisco Xavier Sepúlveda was a Mexican colonial soldier and patriarch of the prominent Spanish Mexican Sepúlveda family in the early days of Las Californias and Alta California in present day Southern California, United States...
. Sepulveda later lost the land due to bankruptcy caused by fighting to uphold his land claims in court. In 1869, William Spurgeon and Ward Bradford purchased 74.27 acre (0.3005602922 km²) of the ranch to form the city of Santa Ana
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
, which then became the seat of government for the County in 1889. The ranch further disintegrated with purchases by James Irvine
James Irvine (landowner)
The Irvine family were agricultural pioneers and prominent landowners in California who gave their name to the city of Irvine, CA.-James Irvine I:James Irvine was born in County Down, Ireland on December 27, 1827, the second to the youngest of nine children...
among others.
Modern development of the Rancho
Besides Santa Ana, other cities and unincorporated communities formed on the old Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana are El ModenaEl Modena, California
El Modena is an area around El Modena High School in the city of Orange, California. It is located near and east of the intersection of Hewes Street and Chapman Avenue...
, Santa Ana Heights, Orange
Orange, California
Southern California is well-known for year-round pleasant weather: - On average, the warmest month is August. - The highest recorded temperature was in 1985. - On average, the coolest month is December. - The lowest recorded temperature was in 1950...
, Costa Mesa
Costa Mesa, California
Costa Mesa is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 109,960 at the 2010 census. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to a primarily suburban and "edge" city with an economy based on retail, commerce, and light...
, Tustin
Tustin, California
-Top employers:According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Tustin had a population of 75,540. The population density was 6,816.7 people per square mile...
, and Olive.
The Rancho Santiago Community College District
Rancho Santiago Community College District
The Rancho Santiago Community College District , one of four community college districts located in Orange County, California, offers associate degrees and adult education certificates through its two colleges: Santa Ana College in Santa Ana and Santiago Canyon College in Orange.The RSCCD serves...
is located in Santa Ana and is composed of Santa Ana College
Santa Ana College
Santa Ana College is a community college located in Santa Ana, California, USA.-History:In 1915, Santa Ana Junior College opened its doors to 25 students as a department of Santa Ana High School. It was the second community college founded in Orange County, behind Fullerton College, and the fourth...
and Santiago Canyon College
Santiago Canyon College
Santiago Canyon College is a two-year community college located at the eastern border of Orange, California at Chapman and Jamboree. It opened in 1985 as the Orange Campus branch to nearby Santa Ana College. In July 1997 the name of the Orange Campus was changed to Santiago Canyon College...
in Orange.