San Deigo Historic Site 425 LA CANADA DE LOS COCHES RANCHO

Six miles east of the El Cajon business district on U. S. 80, is La Canada de Los Coches Rancho, or "The Vale of the Hogs" Ranch.

Only 28.39 acres in area, and the smallest of local land grants made during the Mexican period, this was originally part of El Cajon Ranchoof the San Diego Mission. In 1843 Governor Manuel Micheltorena granted it to Senorita Apolinaria Lorenzana, who held it for the Mission when all church lands were being distributed to land seekers.

Captain Jesse Wilbur Ames, who was baptized in California into the Catholic faith as Jesse Julian Ames, obtained the property in the 1850's.Before he built his Mexican style ranch house on it, the ranch became astop on the San Antonio-San Diego Mail.

Don Juliano Ames, as his neighbors called him, planted a double cactus hedge along the boundaries and raised sheep and cattle. One of the early growers of grain in this part of the country, he erected a flour mill. Heconstructed a dam to assure his water supply, made the best soap south ofLos Angeles, opened a blacksmith shop, made lime for whitewash, and servedthe area in many well-appreciated ways.

His fine adobe home was destroyed years ago, through the activity of vandals following up stories of great wealth being hidden in it.