Tejon Ranch is a California landmark, a land of legacy – bigger than life, rich in history, blessed by nature. 175 years after it was founded as a Mexican land grant, Tejon Ranch still has vast stretches of land that remain in their natural state, a product of Tejon Ranch’s ethic of stewardship.
Much of what people see and experience today on Tejon Ranch is what they would have seen hundreds of years ago. This is due to the fact that Tejon Ranch has been intentionally well cared for. And today, it’s also protected by California’s largest and most significant private conservation agreement.
That same stewardship ethic is also a part of all of our operations, from agriculture to real estate development.
We are building on that legacy for the next generation by creating jobs and new communities while still preserving 90% of our pristine land.
To learn more the ranch’s stewardship ethic, listen as Barry Zoeller and Mike Campeau take a look inside the culture of stewardship that permeates every aspect of Tejon, its programs and future development.
Welcome to Episode 14 of the Tejon Ranch History Podcast! End of an era. When Edward F. Beale died in 1893, his death marked the many changes that had occurred at Tejon Ranch during the mid-1800s. He was witness to and participated in many events related to Tejon Ranch and beyond, from fighting in the Mexican/American War, carrying news of the California Gold Rush to Washington, D.C., exploring the unknown Southwest, and serving as California’s Surveyor General. Beale was also an active voice in civil rights. After his passing, the Ranch transitioned and was soon on the path to a new direction. Listen to learn more! http://traffic.libsyn.com/tejonranch/TR_history_podcast_ep_14.m4a
Welcome to Episode 12 of the Tejon Ranch History Podcast! This episode focuses on the trials and tribulations of J.J. Lopez, an early and important resident of Tejon Ranch. Picture this: You’re in the midst of desert with a herd of 16,000 sheep, leading the way to get them through the hot, stifling heat, with a lack of water and food. And there’s no turning back. That’s the scenario Lopez was faced with. Did he make it to Green River, Wyoming as planned? Listen to learn more and find out:
Welcome to Episode 10 of the Tejon Ranch History Podcast! This episode focuses on Edward Fitzgerald Beale and the behind-the-scenes action he took at Tejon Ranch to purchase the land. You might be surprised to learn that he and his family mostly resided in the nation’s capital while the care of the Ranch was assigned to others. Regardless, when he purchased four Mexican land grants that totaled 270,000 acres—real estate roughly equivalent in size to metropolitan Los Angeles— the price for an acre was a whopping 11 cents! Listen to learn more.
http://traffic.libsyn.com/tejonranch/TR_history_podcast_ep_10.m4a
Welcome to Episode Nine of the Tejon Ranch History Podcast. By 1860, Tejon Ranch was the largest settlement in Southern California. However, it would soon become deserted. With the American Civil War starting in 1861, troops were diverted to battlefields across the country. Pleas from Ranch residents and leaders to keep the Ranch guarded were ignored. By 1861, every mule and wagon was loaded up by the U.S. Army and marched out as residents of Tejon Ranch sadly watched. It was a challenging time for the Ranch needless to say and many changes were now on the horizon. Listen to learn more!
http://traffic.libsyn.com/tejonranch/TR_history_podcast_ep_9.m4a
Welcome to Episode Seven of the Tejon Ranch History Podcast. Listen how Tejon Ranch’s founder Edward Fitzgerald Beale returned to the Ranch amidst a movement to construct a wagon road from the eastern U.S. —eventually passed by Congress. And, since Beale had experience in exploring the Southwest, he was considered the ideal choice to survey the new route. The introduction of camels to Tejon Ranch in 1857—and the reaction of Beale and the soldiers—also played an important role. Listen in to learn more!
Welcome to Episode Six of the Tejon Ranch History Podcast. This episode focuses on the waning years of the California gold rush, its positive (and not-so-positive) effects on California, as well as Ranch founder General E.F. Beale’s continuing relationship with local tribes and sometimes tenuous relationship with the Federal government. The big news though: Beale convinces the U.S. Army to establish a military presence in the Tejon region to “keep the peace” between settlers and native Americans and guard a major road though Grapevine Canyon. This will lead to Tejon becoming the third largest settlement in Southern California and set the stage for years to come. Listen in to find out what happens next!
Episode three of our newly launched history podcast is up! Sharing excerpts from the book, Tejon Ranch: Preserving the Legacy of a California Treasure, this episode explores dragoons, San Diego, Californios, San Pasquel, and a battle that wasn’t expected. One name that stands out in this episode? Edward Fitzgerald Beale, the founder of Tejon Ranch. Listen, learn and enjoy!
Welcome to episode two of our new podcast series about the land and legacy of Tejon Ranch. In this episode, Barry Zoeller explores the early beginnings of the Ranch, including Spanish explorers, native Americans, and the natural beauty of the land that played a role in the settling of the Tejon Ranch.
Hope you enjoy this podcast about the legacy of Tejon Ranch as it’s tied to the history California.
Episodes are excerpts from the book, Tejon Ranch: Preserving the Legacy of a California Treasure.
Listen to our new podcast and discover Tejon Ranch’s history
We’re excited to launch our new podcast series about the history of Tejon Ranch. You might not know it but Tejon Ranch played a huge (and sometimes colorful) role in the founding of California. From Spanish explorers to Russian fur traders to gold miners to Kit Carson, we’ll explore the way it was in early California and share excerpts from the book, Tejon Ranch: Preserving the Legacy of a California Treasure.
Listen, learn—and enjoy!
