Archives for September 2013

Destruction of squatter homes

On Saturday evening that December 1, 1849 a meeting was held in Sacramento where much indignation was expressed toward the actions of city officials in the destruction of squatter homes. The opposition held a so called “law and order” meeting the following Tuesday. A speaker stand was made of dry goods boxes piled against the side of a saloon and bowling alley on K Street called “The Gem” and the crowd was large. Resolutions were presented saying the squatters acted lawlessly and in order to … [Read more...]

Early Sacramento and John Sutter

Early Sacramento was laid out on a Mexican land grant given to John Sutter by Governor Alvarado on June 18th, 1841. With the discovery of gold in January 1848 great crowds of miners converged at the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers where John Sutter’s fort was located. The embarcadero along the Sacramento River became a lively place and a town was laid out and took the name of the river, Sacramento. At first it was a town of tents, travelers and merchandise on the way to the … [Read more...]

Many squatters across California

Because of the many squatters across various parts of California, including cattle thieves and other freebooters who took property from the old ranchos and the comparatively small number of land and cattle owners, there grew almost from the beginning a large squatter interest which organized itself in various places into leagues and associations and influenced to a considerable extent the political, judicial and legislative history of California. With the absence of settled land titles actual … [Read more...]

Gold rush squatters

In spite of the extremely low land prices in the early gold rush days after the War with Mexico there were a great number of people known as squatters who unlawfully and forcibly took over land in all parts of California covered by Spanish or Mexican land grants, and nearly all land considered desirable was claimed to be within one of these grants. Most of the early emigrants, and particularly the squatters, came from the then western states of America. They had long looked at any unoccupied … [Read more...]