Alhambra

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CITY OF ALHAMBRA

HISTORY OF ALHAMBRA (1771 TO PRESENT)

Midway in the nineteenth century, many people were drawn to the fabulous land of Alta California, lured by the promise of gold. Some settled in the north; others came over the southern trails and remained in Southern California to acquire great ranchos and smaller acreage planted with oranges and grapes.

SAN GABRIEL MISSION LAND GRANT
The principal part of the land within Alhambra's present boundaries was included in a 1771 grant made to Mission San Gabriel, five years before the birth of our nation. There were no orchards or vineyards in San Gabriel Valley, only dry uncultivated fields broken by arroyos and low-lying hills from the Mission San Gabriel west to the small Indian village called "Yang-na," which later became Los Angeles. According to 1784 records of individual land grants made by the Spanish government, at least a portion of the land on which Alhambra was built was once part of 300,000 acres grant to Manuel Nieto. Confusion in the validity of the Mission grant resulted in years of litigation.