How the settlers homesteaded in Laguna

Gene Felder

Many wonder why settlers could homestead in Laguna Beach, a

relatively small triangle of land that was not included in the

Mexican land grants.

Merle and Mabel Ramsey, in their book “The First 100 Years in

Laguna Beach 1876 - 1976” (page 4 and 5), give the answer. It is

because, at the time, there was a family living here.

There has been a mystery of why the land surrounding Laguna Beach

was given by Mexico as land grants, while the area of Laguna Beach

remained government land and was subject to homestead.

When (California) Gov. (Juan B.) Alvarado granted Rancho San

Joaquin (now Irvine), to Jose Sepulveda and Rancho Niguel to Juan

Avila (in 1842) the land between the two grants west to the ocean was

not included. Research revealed that it was not granted at that time

as it was inhabited by the Acunna family and Ysidoro Olivaries with

his two sons. There is no date as to their arrival.

The Acunnas later migrated to EI Toro. Olivaries worked for 70

years on the Rawson Ranch (the Moulton Ranch later) and broke horses

to ride until he was 90. During this time he built a home and

homesteaded 50 acres (missed in survey) between the Irvine and the

Moulton ranches. Born in San Diego in 1826, Ysidoro Olivaries died in

1933 at the age of 107 in the Orange County Hospital. He willed his

land to the Daguerre family. The land now belongs to Leisure

World-Laguna Hills.”

* GENE FELDER is the president of the Laguna Beach Historical

Society.