San Pablo Tutors

About San Pablo

Rancho San Pablo is an historic rancho created by land grants in former Mexican California. The community dates as far back as the early 1800’s when the Castro Family, in this instance, received over 20,000 acres in a Spanish land grant.

It was home to Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado, who was the first native-born governor of the State of California. Alvarado was a “Californio”, a term reserved to describe Spanish-speaking inhabitants of Alta California. Alta California was originally claimed as part of New Spain (until 1821), later of Mexico. Following on from the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) the area was then annexed by the United States. “Californio(s)” was a broad term used to describe both the descendants of European settlers from Spain and Mexico, settlers from other European countries, ‘Mestizos’ (those with mixed racial or ethnic history, often American Indian and European descent), and was also used to describe Native Americans who adopted Spanish Culture and converted to Christianity. Some Americans fell under the banner of “Californios” due to their early arrival, marriage to “Californios,” and due to their adoption of Spanish culture and religion.

In stark contrast to our government today, and before the United States triumph at the Mexican-American War, Spanish and later Mexican officials happily encouraged people to settle in California. San Pablo tutors say that those who resided as far away as Peru and Chile, as well as other people from other parts of Latin America were welcomed into the region. San Pablo’s housing for Californios were either “missions” (religious housing), “presidios” (protected housing) or “pueblos” (villages of communal adobe housing) that were established in the 18th and 19th centuries. Along the famous “El Camino Real”, 21 Roman Catholic Missions were erected. “Adobes” are homes made from sand, clay, water and usually straw and dung to hold the bricks together. Individual bricks are made and left to dry out in the sun before being placed on top of one another to create the building structure. Alvarado’s adobe house, which is located in Monterey, at the very end of Alvarado Street, is preserved as a California Historical Landmark.

Alvarado according to San Pablo tutors did not want to participate in the California Gold Rush, and made agriculture and business his life focus. He was a two-time Governor of Alta California from 1836-37 and 1842-45. His wife was one of the Castro daughters, Martina Castro. After participating in the Bear Flag Revolt (1846) and Mexican-American War; Alvarado retired to his wife’s family estate at Rancho San Pablo in 1848. One of his unsuccessful business ideas was the "Union Hotel", which he opened in 1960; sadly he did not see much success in business.