The organizing theme of Romancing Orange County centers on the evolution of land ownership and use in Southern California after Mexico replaced the missions with ranchos, and follows through to the present day. The contributing authors created a shared fictional family and rancho, and then wrote stories about individuals from different generations living on the land.
A Short History of El Ocaso
In 1842, for his brave military service, Mexico granted Rafael Ramon Galtero y Vicente a rancho in what would become south Orange County, California. He brought his wife, Yoana, and their young sons, Joaquin and Cisco, to establish a cattle ranch. He named the rancho El Ocaso because they could watch the sun set over the Pacific Ocean from the home he built. A sizable 50,000 acres, the roughly rectangular-shaped rancho stretched from the beaches of what is now south Orange County, up into the hills, canyons, and valleys lying to the east.
During the next several years, Yoana gave birth to four more children. Rafael, his sons, and a few nephews ran cattle over the vast rancho for decades. During the Civil War, the rancho supplied beef to Fort Tejon.
In the 1860s, Galtero’s sons Joaquin, Cisco, Anaias, and Pedro helped manage the large estate, taking on various leadership roles. As their children were born and grew, those sons continued to work on the estate as a team. Neighboring ranchos divided into parcels and new cities incorporated on former rancho lands, but the Galteros kept their legacy in the family, largely by dividing it between the male heirs, who remained unified protectors of the family legacy for three generations, carrying the Galtero name and blood forward. Though they did not inherit land, the daughters were gifted with financial dowries when they married.
As droughts and other events eventually devastated the Galtero ranching operation, the various descendants repurposed the land for agriculture. They devoted large tracts to vineyards, but those efforts failed in just two short decades when disease devastated the grape vines.
Next, the sons cultivated the richest land tracts to grow oranges, collectively selling their fruit under the El Ocaso name. Meanwhile, much of the land remained undeveloped, even as limited sections were sold off, and/or ceded for civil projects, like county and city roads, flood control, urban housing and/or small business development.
Over time, ranchos in the north end of Orange County disappeared, their land incorporated into towns during the late 1800s and early 1900s. El Ocaso remained largely intact under the family’s ownership until the late 1900s.
Not until the end of the twentieth century did development significantly decrease the remaining land ownership under the Galtero name. By 2024, much of the remaining land had been bequeathed to, transferred, or inherited by the great and great-great grandchildren, who sold or further developed it.
While the Galtero descendants continue to own significant real estate in Orange County, they are scattered throughout the region. The original homestead has been repeatedly enlarged and remodeled and finally turned into a hotel. Today, it’s a luxury resort high in the hills above the sea.
We hope you’ll enjoy the individual stories as they recount various romantic encounters from across the Galtero generations.