Historic Maps and Photos of Lagunita
Table of Contents
- Map of Rancho Rincon de San Francisquito
- Palo Alto Stock Farm Map and Photos
- Historic Filling and Boating of Lagunita
Map of Rancho Rincon de San Francisquito
Lagunita is located near the border of two Ranchos from the Mexican Land Grant Era: Rancho San Francisquito and Rancho Rincon de San Francisquito. Most likely, the area that ultimately became Lagunita was located in the Rancho Rincon de San Francisquito, which was granted to José Peña in 1841.
This map from 1862 shows Rancho Rincon de San Francisquito, and includes an aguajito, which is a small watering hole, and a house labeled as Peña’s. According to archeological evidence, the aguajito is likely the water body that became Lagunita.
Surrounding the aguajito are many trails that cattle used to travel downward to drink water at the Eye of the Horse. The Eye of the Horse is likely a dark colored body of water, which could be the name of the aguajito, or it could be another place where the cattle were watered.
Near the top of the map, above the aguajito, is the Arrastradero Road of the Mission of Santa Clara (not the same as today’s Arastradero Road). Just above Arrastradero Road is San Francisquito Creek, which runs in a similar location today.
The borders of Rancho Rincon de San Francisquito are defined by the other nearby landholdings. At the top is the house of Antonio Buelna of Rancho San Francisquito. To the right is the house of Mariano Castro, which would be near Mountain View today. Below that is the house of Secondino Robles, which would be near Alma and Ferne today. At the bottom of the map is the House of Gorgonio of Rancho de la Purísima Concepción. Gorgonio was a Native American person who was baptized into the mission and was the original grantee of Rancho de la Purísima Concepción. By the late 1800s, this land holding belonged to Juana Briones. On the left side of the map is Rancho San Emidio in the Cañada del Corte de Madera, which was granted to Máximo Martínez.
Thank you to Marco Ramos Barajas from Stanford’s Heritage Services for translating and deciphering this map.
This map is courtesy of the University of California Berkeley Library Digital Collections. For more about this map of Rincon de San Francisquito, please see the library’s record.
Palo Alto Stock Farm Map and Photos
The Palo Alto Stock Farm was the Stanford’s horse farm. It was open from 1876 to 1903, and the map below shows its location next to Lagunita. In fact, if you read our interpretive sign next to Elliott Program Center, titled “How do people interact with Lagunita?” you are facing the old Governer’s Corner, which was the location of the Stock Farm.
Image credit: Stanford University Libraries, Special Collections & University Archives
Image credit: Stanford University Libraries, Special Collections & University Archives
Image credit: Stanford University Libraries, Special Collections & University Archives
Many of the horse handlers and trainers at the Palo Alto Stock Farm were African American men. These men were formerly enslaved horse handlers and trainers, and were now fleeing the U.S. South after the Civil War.
Learn more about the African American men who worked at the Palo Alto Stock Farm through the autobiography of Sam McDonald, Stock Farm employee (and later Stanford University employee). His autobiography is titled Sam McDonald’s Farm.
Image credit: Stanford University Libraries, Special Collections & University Archives
The Stanfords employed many Chinese laborers on the Stock Farm. These laborers helped construct and maintain both the Stock Farm and the University, which included digging out Lagunita’s basin.
Learn more about the Chinese laborers employed at Stanford through the Arboretum Chinese Labor Quarters Project conducted by Stanford Heritage Services.
Historic Filling and Boating of Lagunita
Image credit: Stanford University Libraries, Special Collections & University Archives
Stanford University allowed aquatic recreation at Lagunita from 1893 to 2000. On rainy years during this period, water diverted from local creeks was used to fill Lagunita to the top of the dam. The practice of maintaining a high water level in Lagunita was very water consuming because the basin is extremely porous and water rapidly drains through the soil.
Image credit: Stanford University Libraries, Special Collections & University Archives
Many people have misconceptions that Lagunita was filled every year or all year round during this period of sanctioned aquatic recreation. However, just as it is today, Lagunita was always dry in the summer through early fall. Also similarly, there wasn’t enough water to fill the basin every year, thus aquatic recreation wasn’t possible every year during this time period.