Rancho de Cuatro Rodador
Stretched out over the North ridgeline of the Alamo valley, Rancho de Cuatro Rodador was first settled by the Mendoza family in 1837. Petarno Mendoza, wife Myria and son Exantal built a small adobe dwelling and raised cattle on the land. The parents passed away in 1851 and title to the Rancho was lost at the gambling table to the Alvarez family. Zettanso Alvarez, along with wife Megan and son Yottalo moved onto the ranch and continued the cattle-raising tradition. Ownership of the rancho passed to their son in 1912. Yottalo Alvarez, wife Terasal and daughter Centina improved the home and outbuildings, but life on the isolated ranch was much like it had been in the previous century. Sadly, the 4th generation to occupy the ranch failed to keep the property together. Megansa Alvarez eventually sold the property to developers and Rancho de Cuatro Rodador was eventually covered with roads and mansions.
Rancho de Poco Bokke
Nestled in a series of vallys West of Alamo, the 121 acre Rancho de Poco Bokke (Little Dutchman Ranch) was first occupied by the Bautista family. Petarmo Bautista and wife Millicent had a large herd of Spanish goats on the holding, as they were better suited to the steep brush-covered hillsides. In 1859, the property was inherited by the eldest son. Hector Baustista and wife Deciria lived there until the floods of 1863 took both the buildings and the wife. Remarried that same year, Hector and wife Zettalia were joined by a daughter, Attonia. They replaced the destroyed dwellings with a longer two-storied adobe which was on the California State register of historic places until it burned to the ground during WWII.
When the last Bautista died without heirs, the rancho passed into the hands of the Rodriguez family, with 3 different family groups spending time on the sun-dappled hills of the rancho. First came Exander and Nanoma Rodriguez, then the twin brothers Exavier and Exalbio, and finally their twin cousins, Myria-lynn and Myria-ann. Upon their death the property was deeded to the newly formed East Bay Parks district and is now open space.
The cache page coordinates take you to the single track road that once led to these ranches. Finding a guide into the past is up to you.
The 15 digit checksum of the correct coordinates is 64.