RANCHO SANTA MARIA DE LOS PENASQUITOS
LAMBERT M. SURHONE, MARIAM T. TENNOE, SUSAN F. HENSSONOW
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Rancho Santa Maria de Los Penasquitos was a 8,486-acre (34.34 km2) Mexican land grant in present day southwestern San Diego County, California given in 1823 to Francisco Maria Ruiz.
The name means "Saint Mary of the Little Cliffs."
It encompassed the present day communities of Mira Mesa, Carmel Valley, and Rancho Penasquitos in northern San Diego city, and was inland from the Torrey Pines State Natural Preserve bluffs.
The Rancho Santa Maria de los Penasquitos was the first Mexican land grant in present day San Diego County.
Ruiz built an adobe home on the rancho, which was north of the Presidio and Mission San Diego de Alcala.
In 1837 Ruiz sold his ranch to Francisco Maria Alvarado - a grandnephew.
After Ruiz died in 1839, Alvarado moved to the ranch, and lived in the adobe home built by Ruiz.
Alvarado married Tomasa Pico (1801 - 1876), and they gave the property to their daughter Maria Estefana Alvarado (1840 - ) when she married Captain George A. Johnson (1823 - ) in 1859.
