3 - The Bowery_PUBLIC COMMENT_RAMSEY

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5.0 Environmental Setting 5.3 Cultural/Historical Resources Avion Project SEIR Page 5.3-3 technique. Most were a plain brown utility ware called Tizon Brownware, but some were decorated (Meighan 1954; May 1976, 1978). c. Spanish/Mexican/American Periods The Spanish Period (1769–1821) represents a time of European exploration and settlement. Military and naval forces along with a religious contingent founded the San Diego Presidio, the pueblo of San Diego, and the San Diego Mission in 1769 (Rolle 1998). Native American culture in the coastal strip of California rapidly deteriorated despite repeated attempts to revolt against the Spanish invaders (Cook 1976). One of the hallmarks of the Spanish colonial scheme was the rancho system. In an attempt to encourage settlement and development of the colonies, large land grants were made to meritorious or well-connected individuals. In 1821, Mexico declared its independence from Spain. During the Mexican Period (1822–1848), the mission system was secularized by the Mexican government and these lands allowed for the dramatic expansion of the rancho system. The southern California economy became increasingly based on cattle ranching. San Bernardo Rancho, approximately 0.64 mile to the north, is the closest rancho to the project. San Bernardo Rancho, 17,763 acres in size, was comprised of two land grants given to Joseph F. Snook in 1842 and 1845 (Pourade 1969). Snook, a British sea captain, married Maria Antonia Alvarado, daughter of Don Juan Bautista Alvarado. Don Juan owned Rancho Rincon del Diablo, the rancho just east of San Bernardo (Pourade 1969). A second rancho, Los Peñasquitos Rancho, is approximately 0.7 mile to the south. Los Peñasquitos Rancho was awarded to Captain Francisco María Ruiz for meritorious service in 1823 (Pourade 1969). Los Peñasquitos Rancho comprised 8,486 acres, stretching from Soledad Canyon, near the Pacific Ocean, to within feet of the west end of the project, at the current intersection of Interstate 15 and Poway Road. Captain Ruiz built an adobe near Soledad Canyon and raised cattle on the rancho, but lived in Old Town. He transferred ownership of the rancho to Don Francisco María Alvarado, a prominent member of the San Diego community, in 1837 (Pourade 1969). Don Alvarado lived on the rancho, continuing to raise cattle. Ownership then passed to Captain George Johnson through his marriage to Don Francisco’s daughter, Tomasa (Pourade 1969). The Mexican Period ended when Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on February 2, 1848, concluding the Mexican–American War (1846–1848; Rolle 1998). The Battle of San Pasqual, fought during the Mexican–American War, was fought in the San Pasqual Valley, approximately nine miles northeast of the project. The battle was fought on December 6 and December 7, 1846, between American forces led by General Stephen W. Kearny and a smaller contingent of local Californios and Mexican Lancers, led by Captain Leonardo Cota and Major Andrés Pico. The American forces lost the battle and spent the next night at the Rancho San Bernardo ranch house. The great influx of Americans and Europeans resulting from the California Gold Rush in 1848–49 eliminated many remaining vestiges of Native American culture. California became a state in 1850. The American homestead system encouraged settlement beyond the coastal plain into areas where Indians had retreated to avoid the worst of Spanish and Mexican influences (Carrico 1987; Cook 1976). A rural community cultural pattern existed in San Diego County from approximately 1870 to