Pío Pico

Governor Pío Pico

Courtesy of the Anaheim Heritage Center. 

Quick Facts

Significance:

Early California Afro-Latino Presence

Place of Birth:

Mission San Gabriel, California

Date of Birth:

May 5th, 1801

Place of Death:

Los Angeles California

Date of Death:

September 11, 1894

Place of Burial:

Industry, CA.

Cemetery Name:

Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum

Afro Latinos and the development of early California.

In 1775-1776 Spanish Captain Juan Bautista de Anza led an expedition that, with the aid of Native Americans, brought some 240 men, women, and children on an epic journey from northern Sonora to San Francisco California. Out of the roughly 240 settlers who took part in the Anza expedition, many were Afro-Latinos, or people of mixed-African, Indigenous, and Spanish ancestry.

These Afro-Latinos, as they have come to be called, helped shape the character of California by blazing trails and establishing towns and ranches that grew into major cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, Monterey, and San Jose.  Several amassed considerable fortunes and acquired high-ranking positions in the military and government. 

Some notable examples of Afro-Latinos who played prominent roles in California’s development were Juana Briones, Manuel Nieto, Tiburcio Tapia, and Pío Pico.

The Anza expedition brought Pico’s parents, José Maria Pico and Maria Gutierrez, from Mexico to Alta California as children. Their families settled at Mission San Gabriel and thrived in the military, politics, trade, and property development.

Pío Pico

Pío Pico came from a very well-known Afro Latino family that became one of the most wealthy and powerful in Mexican-era California. In addition to his success in acquiring extensive landholdings including a 133,331 acre land grant, Pico become California’s last governor under Mexican rule.

His adobe home at “El Ranchito” has been completely restored to how it appeared in the 1800’s and can be visited today on a five acre park encompassing historic gardens registered as California Historic Landmark NO. 127. Go to Pío Pico State Historic Park for more details.

In 1869 Pico sold some property and spent $85,000 of the proceeds to build the grand, three-story Pico House Hotel — the most modern in Los Angeles at the time. The still-impressive, 82-bedroom Pico House Hotel stands on L.A.’s downtown central plaza, part of El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument.

This African heritage of early California is often overlooked, so I challenge you to look deeper into history and your past. Where did your ancestors come from?