Cordero Family history
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    • Mariano Cordero
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    • 1880 Las Cruces
    • 1880 Santa Barbara
    • 1900 Santa Barbara
  • DNA Project

RANCHO LAS CRUCES


Miguel Cordero occupied what became Rancho Las Cruces in the early 1830s after retiring from military service. His family remained in the property through the early 1900s and built a number of adobe houses, one of which still stands and is a California State Historical Landmark (# 36). Las Cruces became an important stage coach stop over the years and was the home of the famous Chumash man, Fernando Librado (pictured below).
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The Las Cruces Adobe about 1904 with Fernando Librado (Chumash) standing in the center of the group sporting overalls and a white beard. 
Fernando lived at Las Cruces on and off for at least 35 years prior to his death in 1915.

*Special thanks to Suzi Calderon Bellman for acquiring an excellent copy of the photograph!*
The Trail to Fernando, 1982

DOCUMENTS

Historical Documents

Outrages, 1856
Desordenes en Santa Barbara, 1856 (column 2)
The first article is from the San Francisco Bulletin (24 June 1856); it describes violent acts at Rancho Las Cruces and  the arrest of two of the perpetrators. 

The second article (in Spanish), from Los Angeles newspaper Clamor Publico (12 July 1856),  describes a series of crimes at Rancho Las Cruces in Santa Barbara. 

See the 1856 Census extraction at the bottom of this webpage for more information about who lived at Rancho Las Cruces  in 1856.
In the Matter of rancho las Cruces, 1876 Part I
In the Matter of rancho las Cruces, 1876 Part II
Senate Report, 1878
Hollister v. Cordero, 1888

Modern Documents

Las Cruces land Grant, 1964
Las Cruces Hotel Ruins, 1975
A History of the Las Cruces Adobe, 1976
Chevron asked to put new school at crossroads, 1986
Landmark 36, 1995

Maps

Rancho Las Cruces Diseno
Rancho Las Cruces Diseno (B/W)
transportation Routes 1760 -1915

Cattle Brand

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IMAGES

Las Cruces School

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Las Cruces School, unknown date

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Las Cruces School in 1900 

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Las Cruces School in 1900 with Names 

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Back of above photograph

Rancho Las Cruces, 1856 Census


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  • Home
  • History
    • Mariano Cordero
    • Rancho Las Cruces
    • Other Cordero Ranchos
    • Adobes
    • Military
  • Databases
  • Maps
    • 1880 Las Cruces
    • 1880 Santa Barbara
    • 1900 Santa Barbara
  • DNA Project