Seventeen thousand six hundred and two acres of California’s most fertile land, bordered by a large river, divided by two smaller ones and with a billion dollar oil pool beneath—the Rancho Santa Gertrudes sold under the hammer for $3.40 an acre.

The rancho was a part of the great Manuel Nieto grant made by the King of Spain through the Spanish Governor, Pedro Fages. The Nieto grant was divided among his heirs and Antonio Maria Nieto received the part designated as the Rancho Santa Gertrudes and in 1834 the Mexican Governor, Jose Figueroa, confirmed the title to Dona Josefa Cota, widow of Antonio Maria Nieto.

Later the rancho was conveyed to Lemuel Carpenter, born a Missourian, but for many years a resident of California when it was a part of Mexico. For awhile Carpenter and his beautiful wife, Maria de Los Angeles Dominguez de Carpenter, lived happily on the rancho. They prospered under Mexico but failed under the United States and on November 14, 1859, the rancho was sold by the Sheriff. One week before the day of the sale Carpenter committed suicide.

John G. Downey and James P. McFarland, doing business as Downey, McFarland & Company, were the purchasers at the sale, paying $60,000 for the entire rancho. Both of these men were famous characters in California history. Downey became the Civil War Governor of the State and McFarland a leading State Senator. Together they opened the first drug store in Los Angeles, and Downey, with Alvinza Hayward, organized the first bank.

In 1865 the rancho was leased for twenty-five years to the Los Angeles Pioneer Oil Company for exploration and development of oil. But, although the oil company diligently explored, no oil could be found and the lease was finally abandoned.

The Town of Downey was started in 1873 with a boom and predictions were freely given that the new city would soon outdistance its sleepy neighbor, Los Angeles.

Toward the east boundary of the rancho the Town of Fulton Sulphur Springs and Health Resort was platted. But few lots were sold until 1886 when the Santa Fe Railway built its line through the town, bought up all the lots and replatted them into smaller ones, planned a big hotel and renamed the town Santa Fe Springs. How foolish the silver-tongued land auctioneers made the purchasers appear when they bought lots, then at $200 apiece. How foolish would the same auctioneers look today if they could see their town of Santa Fe Springs—a city of derricks—a bonanza of “Black Gold.”