Guachama Rancheria


Guachama Rancheria was the place the Guachama Native Californians lived. The villages, or as the Spanish called them, Rancheria, were located what is now Loma Linda, California. Guachama Rancheria was designated a California Historic Landmark on March 29, 1933. A marker was placed at 25894 Mission Road, Loma Linda, California to designate were the villages were. Translated, "Guachama" means a "place where there is plenty to eat". There were fresh springs and creeks in the area, thus providing ample food. Nearby was the Jumuba rancheria, another group of villages, that also start mission farming and cattle ranching. In 1772 Spanish exploration of the area started. Mission San Gabriel started to look at what is now the Loma Linda and Redlands lands in 1810, as a place to start a mission outpost. Father Francisco Dumetz came to the area and started Rancho San Bernardino on May 20, 1810 as an outpost of the Mission San Gabriel. Rancho San Bernardino became the headquarters of farming and cattle ranching in the area. The Guachama were taught to farm and care for cattle. Zanja trenches were made to bring water to more farm land. Guachama Rancheria from this time was called San Bernardino. In 1819 it was officially renamed San Bernardino Rancho of the Mission San Gabriel. Due to flooding from San Timoteo Creek, the mission was moved to higher ground in 1830. The Guachama were probably a branch of the Tongva/Gabrieleno tribes. Some ruins remain at the site.
's "bell wall" was designed after the campanario at Mission San Antonio de Pala
In 1842, Mexico Governor Juan B. Alvarado gave a Mexican land grant to José del Carmen Lugo, José María Lugo, Vicente Lugo, and Diego Sepulveda. The grant covered of what today is part of the San Bernardino valley, San Bernardino, Fontana, Rialto, Redlands and Colton.

Markers

Marker at the site reads: