People, Past and Present

Photo: I. Anderson, © 2006, Center for Biological Diversity Tejon’s rich resources provided native peoples with abundance. Mortar rocks like these from the southern Sierras are common on Tejon, and numerous culturally-significant heritage sites are found on Tejon as well.

Tejon Ranch serves up California history in all of its varied and living colors—it’s a time capsule of sorts for the extraordinary changes that have taken place over the last few centuries.

Often referred to as “the oldest working ranch in California,” Tejon Ranch is made up of four ranchos, land grants originally issued by the Mexican government. Many adobe structures and other ranching artifacts from the Californio and Mexicano periods have survived the passing of centuries and remain on the ranch.

But before there were land grants, there was the land. What we now know as Tejon Ranch was once a landscape indistinguishable from the rich cultures associated with a number of southern California’s Native American communities. Tejon Ranch harbors sacred places essential for maintaining and revitalizing tribal cultures. Sacred sites and historic villages are located throughout the property, including areas currently slated for development. Protecting Tejon would offer visitors a window into the past, and would afford native peoples a future that includes traditional practices on their homelands.

A Native American adobe and orchard on Tejon Ranch Photo: Carleton E. Watkins, around 1888