Rancho San Ramon Community Park - San Ramon, CA - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

"Rancho San Ramon Community Park was once part of the 20,000 acre Rancho San Ramon Spanish land grant owned by Jose Maria Amador, a soldier and mission administrator. After receiving the grant in 1834, Amador, now a Californio ranchero, ran a bustling rancho here based on the hide and tallow trade. Renowned for his hospitality and horsemanship , he employed 150 workers and produced saddles, furniture, shoes, farm tolls and wagons. Married three times he produced 27 children, outliving each of his wives.

Life on the Rancho Amador's rancho, for which the Amador Rancho Center is named, was a lively place where strangers were welcomed and life revolved around family, horsemanship, and church much like San Ramon's community centers today. Religious ceremonies brought families together for feast days and holidays, with weddings sometimes lasting many days and nights. The Oakland Tribune reported that "To pick up from the ground a Mexican silver coin at a full gallop, four times out of five, was not considered an extraordinary feat."

With the Mexican-American War in 1846, the American army occupied much of the Spanish ranchos. Amador was able to avoid the takeover of his land but the war spelled the end to the California's way of life. With the Gold Rush, American miners and settlers began to encroach on his rancho and were unwilling to recognize Mexican ownership. He was forced to sell off portions, eventually selling 10,000 acres, in 1853, to James Witt Dougherty and a partner. Amador died in poverty like many Californias, a predicament due in part to gambling, being defrauded, and perhaps his own overly generous nature. He wished to be remembered as follows, "It is my wish that my reputation should be preserved and that it be said Amador wronged no man." This park and facility have been named in memoriam.

Dougherty Valley
James Win Dougherty and his family moved into Amador's adobe house, living there until an 1863 earthquake demolished it. His land grew to 17,000 acres and he was the largest and richest landowner in the area. The Dougherty family leased land to ranchers and farmers and retained ownership of parts of it well into the 20th century. Most of the land is now developed into the San Ramon communities known today as Windemere• Gale Ranch and Windmere."

Group that erected the marker: City of San Ramon Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: 1998 Rancho Park Loop San Ramon, CA USA URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: Not listed

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