Mexican American Art Since 1848 (MAAS1848)

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  Rancho La Liebre, Near Fairmont

  title Rancho La Liebre, Near Fairmont 

  description Rancho La Liebre was a 48,800-acre rancho granted to Jose´ Mari´a Flores on April 21, 1846 by then-Governor Pi´o Pico. Flores was the commander and chief of the Mexican forces in California during the Mexican-American War. The ranch was so named because of the abundance of jackrabbits in the area ("liebre" means rabbit), and was mostly comprised of mountainous terrain. In 1855, Edward Beale purchased Rancho La Liebre from Flores for a mere three cents an acre. It was the first of the four Mexican Land Grants that Beale would acquire to create the present Tejon Ranch. It was on this property that Beale built an adobe home for his wife, which he named La Casa del Rancho La Liebre or Rancho La Liebre Adobe. The sturdy and roomy adobe served as the administrative headquarters for the nearly 270,000 acres of ranch land that expanded over both Los Angeles and Kern Counties. Beale, along with Robert S. Baker (one of the future founders of Santa Monica), ran sheep on the property with their flocks growing to over 100,000 head. The rancho is now a part of the Tejon Ranch.  Title supplied by cataloger.  View of a single story adobe showing a wrap-around porch, several thin posts holding up the roof, and two chimneys peeking out from it. It is unknown if this is Rancho La Liebre Adobe, built by Edward Beale in Bear Canyon; or if it is La Casa de Miguel Orti´z, located at 13980 Elizabeth Lake Road, situated on land given to him by Beale, which was part of Rancho La Liebre. 

  artist/creator Unknown 

  subject Beale, Edward  Adobe Houses--California  Dwellings--California  Flores, Jose´ Mari´A  Ranches--California  Rancho La Liebre (Calif.) 

  contributor Digital Public Library of America (DPLA)