Rancho de los Palos Verdes

This eventually became the basis for the Sepulveda family's contested claim to the Rancho de los Palos Verdes.

In 1834, a judicial decree was made by Governor Jose Figueroa which was intended to settle the dispute between the Dominquez and Sepulveda families.

[3] With the cession of California to the United States following the Mexican–American War, the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo provided that the land grants would be honored.

The first Spanish sailor and soldier to come into contact with the Indigenous population on the Palos verdes Peninsula was Juan Cabrillo.

“Dressed for the occasion in broad-brimmed hats, jackets of bright colored cloth, flaring pantaloons slit below the knees, with red sashes wound around their waist, and brilliant serapes draped over their shoulders, they were a dashing pair”[10] The brothers thought that their troubles were through when it came to land disputes when Governor Figueroa laid out the Arbitration decree of 1834.

In 1839 the Domínguez family “Dominguez submitted another petition for our land and we have been ordered to leave.”[8] On February 2, 1848, Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed between the United States and Mexico which officially ended the Mexican–American War that began in 1846.

He is described as saying “ it seemed like an empire a beautiful empire with miles of sea coast gleaming crescent beaches picturesque rolling hills and occasionally more picturesque canyons”[17] His original dream for what the land would become was “He saw an artisans village built against the cliffs at point Vicente with docks for waterborne commerce”[18] In 1913 months after he purchased the land he became ill and his doctor suggested he move to the countryside for a while.

They had purchased the land for the purpose of mining the eventually failed to mine anything of substance so they hired architects to further build the land “Palos verdes estates had incorporated in 1939 and just prior to the great building boom in the late 1950s and early 1960s the cities of Rolling Hills and Rolling Hills estates both incorporated in 1957.”[19] In Rancho Palos verdes there is a park in dedication to Frank A Vanderlip and his vision for the peninsula all those years ago.

The park sits on “0.48 acres of land and has unobstructed views of the ocean.”[20] The house that Frank Vanderlip built for him and his family still stands in its original condition.

“The Tuscan-style architecture and furnishings were inspired by his several trips to Europe, including a cruise through the Mediterranean with his wife.”[21] The Palos Verdes Project was started in 1922 by a group of men who wanted to revitalize Frank Vanderlips dream which had been put on hold due to illness and World War One.

Vanderlip managed to find the best to develop the area this included the famed landscape artists the Olmsted Brothers as well as E.G Lewis who would promote the land.

"[22] Vanderlip wanted to only hire respectable men that had many recommendations E.G Lewis had initially fit this description although he soon become in involved in mail fraud and other practices which meant that he was eventually released from his position as promoter of the project.

The land that was to be developed first was the Malaga cove area to entice people to buy the land they had “ On Sunday afternoons to watch stunt flying and Spanish dancing while they enjoyed their free lunch and coffee”[23] The first building to be built was La Venta inn which was to be a place wherein Vanderlip imagined he could entertain his friends and could be a place where businessmen held their meetings and entertained their guest.

It was originally called Clubhouse 764 but it was changed to La Venta inn which translates to “The Sale” which perfectly embodies what was supposed to happen in the building.

E.J Lewis the original promoter of the peninsula had created estimates to how much the project would cost “ He estimated the cost of the city, excepting the construction of private homes at 30,000,000$ the estimate included parklands, schools, public building, club, golf links, flying fields, a yacht harbor, 125 miles of paved boulevards and trust funds of 5,000,000 for building loans and 4,000,000 for transportation.”[8] The board of trustees were divided on this they would end up pulling their support which meant the project would fall apart.

His son is quoted with having said when looking at the amazing views that the land possessed “ How often are men given such an almost untouched great area…May we who are now responsible place parks and open spaces, roads, not for racing but to look at the beauty, and may the generations whoo follow keep this in their minds and plans”[24]