Artifacts preserve memories of Orange’s history as a rancho

Gathered around a table in the Orange History Center, a group of history lovers passed around a horseshoe, a saddle frame and a spur – new artifacts in the center’s collection representing the days when much of modern Orange County was the sprawling Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana.

It was owned by Juan Pablo Grijalva (There is dispute by others that he had a partner).

The three artifacts were donated to the History Center by Eddie Grijalva, a sixth-generation relative of Juan Pablo and a history researcher. Grijalva spent years fighting to have his ancestor’s role in Orange County history recognized, and he said the artifacts are part of cementing a legacy.

“I didn’t understand what legacy meant, I had no idea,” Eddie Grijalva said. “But I started to read more and thought, ‘Oh, you’re not going to live forever,’” Grijalva said. “It’d be nice if, when I’m gone, people can remember and say, ‘Hey, Eddie Grijalva wasn’t that bad. He left us something.’”

Juan Pablo Grijalva was a Spanish officer in California who retired from service to the Spanish Empire and founded Rancho Las Flores in 1795. A few years later, Grijalva’s first rancho was taken from him by the Mission San Luis Rey for agricultural use – today the land makes up Camp Pendleton.

Unperturbed, Grijalva traveled to modern Orange – just beyond the influence of nearby missions – and in 1801 established a new rancho, the 83,000-acre Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana.

Building an adobe just north of El Modena, Grijalva lived on his massive rancho, which stretched from today’s Anaheim Hills all the way to Costa Mesa and into parts of Newport Beach.

Grijalva died in 1806, and his rancho was split up into thousands of parcels by 1869.

Grijalva’s legacy faded into obscurity behind the more recognized names of Yorba and Peralta – the families that took over the rancho after Grijalva’s death.

Eddie Grijalva wasn’t OK with that. He’s dug up material, both in print and in dirt, that proved his ancestor’s involvement in the county’s history – and people have taken notice.

Today, his family heritage is recognized with historic plaques and as the namesake of Orange’s Grijalva Park.

The three artifacts given to the History Center were found at the old sites of Rancho Las Flores and Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana after being left behind in the early 1800s. In particular, the spur was left behind at the original adobe site in what is now Orange.

Lizeth Ramirez, archivist and reference librarian at the History Center, said the artifacts “bring to life” the California Rancho era and will be on display for the public soon – likely in October.