|
Long ago the land was occupied by the Juanenos and Gabrielinos Indians. They were hunters and gatherers and did not plant crops. Then the Spanish Missions took over. Later, when Mexico won its independence from Spain, the Mexican government gave out "land grants." One of those land grants went to Pio Pico, who later became Governor of Alta, California.
In those days, for an Englishman to own land in California, he had to swear allegiance to Mexico, convert to Catholicism and marry a Mexican citizen.
These John Foster did. In 1837 he changed his name to Don Juan Forster and married Ysidora Pico, Pio's sister. By 1864 Forster had bought out the Pico Brothers. It was Don Jun Forster who actually acquired Rancho Mission Viejo in San Juan Capistrano.
In 1870 the farmers got a law passed requiring California ranchers to "fence in" their stock. Forster had to spend $40,000 just for wire and posts. Trains between San Francisco and San Diego had to open a gate where the tracks entered the ranch and close the gate behind them. The train crew had to go through the same process where the train left the ranch. After his death, Forster's heirs decided to sell the ranch.
About 1850, two Irishmen, James Flood, Sr. and Richard O'Neill, Sr., arrived in San Francisco. Flood ran a bar.
O'Neill ran a small meat market, which meant he was more than a butcher; he knew everything about marketing beef. |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
Tony Mosio,
Rancho Mission Viejo President, welcoming the trail riders. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Accomodations, singles & doubles. |
|
|
|
|
|
Annual Trail Ride / 2003 Ride 
