Skip to content Skip to left sidebar Skip to right sidebar Skip to footer

Pasadena Early Development

Pasadena is a part of the original Mexican land grant named Rancho del Rincon de San Pascual,[20] so named because it was deeded on Easter Sunday to Eulalia Perez de Guillén Mariné of Mission San Gabriel Arcángel. The Rancho comprised the lands of today’s communities of Pasadena, Altadena and South Pasadena.

Before the annexation of California in 1848, the last of the Mexican owners was Manuel Garfias [20] who retained title to the property after statehood in 1850. Garfias sold sections of the property to the first Anglo settlers to come into the area: Dr. Benjamin Eaton, the father of Fred Eaton; and Dr. S. Griffin. Much of the property was purchased by Benjamin Wilson, who established his Lake Vineyard property in the vicinity. Wilson, known as Don Benito to the local Indians,[20] also owned the Rancho Jurupa (Riverside, California) and was mayor of Los Angeles. He was the grandfather of WWII General George S. Patton, Jr. and the namesake of Mount Wilson.