LIFE IN CALIFORNIA IN THE 1800s RANCHO LAS SALINAS EDUCATIONAL FILM 58914

This color film about Rancho Las Salinas (once located in the present day Monterey Bay area) was made in 1949. It is narrated from the standpoint of Don Solis, who explains how he surveyed and laid out his ranch, tilled the soil with wooden plows, raised and herded cattle, and traded tallow and hides. As the film explains, this ranch was part of the Mexican land grant of four-square-leagues (17,713.6 acres) given in 1839 to Gabriel Espinosa by Mexican governor Nicolas Gutierrez to help settle the land they called Alta California, which was shortened to simply California. The film opens with a band and Flamenco dancers outside of a hacienda (:08). Dressed in vintage clothing, (:31) the story begins with Gabriel seeing the land for the first time (:38). To measure the boundary lines, a vaquero (cowboy) begins by tying the rope to the shaft of a lance (1:09), as is the other end of the rope to another shaft. The lance is put next to a skull (1:32) to mark one corner. The rider goes the distance of the rope and puts the lance in before returning to mark out the other three sides. A map shows the layout of the future ranch, which is submitted to the Governor for approval (1:58). Poles are used to build a large corral to hold the cattle (2:51-3:21). Oxen (3:37) plowed the first fields of corn with hand-crafted tools (3:51-4:25). An Indian turns cow hides into a riata, which is a very strong lariat. The entire complexity of making this braided rope is shown (4:35-10:00). A colt (10:13) prances. Rodeos were held in May. The men rounded up the wild cattle to the rodeo area, branding the calves (10:42-14:44). He kept count by making a notch on a tally stick for every ten branded (14:46). Hides from older cattle are staked on the ground to dry and the hair and meat removed (15:20-16:34). Tallow from rendered animal fat is poured into holes and hardened for later use as lard or candles (16:35-17:00). These two products were sold to merchants who arrived by ship, who also delivered items previously ordered; the value of each is assessed by weight (17:15-20:15). A fiesta celebrates this activity (20:41-21:17).
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFi...

[@javierguzman4077]

Anybody interested in rancho life, recommend the book Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Daña...

[@threeicys]

Fantastic look at California History!

[@mikegene1581]

Rosario moreno vilador with joins santo with vilador in his first season as a senior fellow at a high school and a high level graduate school of engineering and a sophomore from the state college

[@elijahvincent985]

There's an alternative Black-and-White copy of this film airing on the Lone Star Network! Whiny People will complain nowadays about the cow branding being "too cruel and inhumane." Think back in the 1800's. While there was White Paint at the time, it could not be used to label as the cow would lick it and die by poisoning from the chemicals. You obviously cannot use a pencil or marker (yes, there were some markers then, too) as they would be invisible from a distance. As harsh and painful as branding can be, it is definitely necessary as it is an important means to track the animals on the Ranch. Yes, I do feel bad for the bull, as it does go through a little strong pain, but a branding to them is identical in the pain factor as tattoo needles are to us... This is a beautiful short documentary about a time in California that, sadly, may never return, in terms of this lifestyle. Long live Film and the Preservation society that keeps history like this alive and well! (To the Cancel Culture Mob, You are the Danger to Society.)

[@franciscojosecano2217]

commo me encanta esos trajes de los bucaros de la serrania de morena identicos a los bandoleros a los trajes de el barquero de cantillana o el tempranillo entre otros ANDALUCES curros en America cion su musica de tres por cuatros en fandango buleria y sevillanas verdiales siguirilla de sevilla la cultura de los tartesos de tarsis los antepasados de la fenicios los griegos y los romanos

[@malindadenlinger882]

This is a very useful video of the life of a ranchero. Thank you!!

[@PeriscopeFilm]

Glad it was helpful! It is wonderful when an older educational film like this gets a new life on RUclips --

[@suleskos.2743]

I grew up in Salinas, which is the valley by Monterey Bay. It is known as the "Salad Bowl Capital of the World", and very likely where your lettuce comes from. My dad worked for the "Andy Boy" brand back in the seventies. It was a great place to grow up, a real ag town. But, the weather that makes it so good for row crops also makes it not so great for living, fairly cold and overcast. My best friend still lives there, and although there is still ag land of course, it's grown exponentially to the detriment of of agriculture. Still, it's biggest claim to fame, outside of the author John Steinbeck, ("Of Mice and Men" fame), and the Salinas Rodeo, which happens to be 110 years old this year.

[@disgruntledpedant2755]

I heard the salinas rodeo discrimjnates against mexicans, such that mexicans built their own facilities and hold their own rodeo every year.

[@based_yeoman9138]

Great video, thanks for sharing!

[@literallynothinghere9089]

Thanks so much

[@DUBEE43]

The simple life, nice

[@markymarq256]

Idk how I landed on this page lol

[@urica97]

All the ranchers were spanish?

[@michaljezek2664]

Yes. Californios are people of Spanish decent.

[@jamesalvarez1455]

@@michaljezek2664 most of them were mestizo. I mean just look at photos of them. according to Anglo settlers, they had said that even though all the Californios had identified as purely Spanish few were actually.

[@michaljezek2664]

@@jamesalvarez1455 Hmm Northern part of Mexico or New Spain were settled mostly by Europeans (Spanish, Germans, French etc..) Most of natives lived in Central Mexico.

[@jamesalvarez1455]

@@michaljezek2664 almost zero French in Mexico. Number of German settlers in Northern Mexico is so small it’s almost negligible. However genome of Northern Mexicans is a little irrelevant here because Californios were not an extension of Northern Mexico but rather under a banner of New Spain and had come after getting land grants from the central government in the capital of Mexico City. Vast majority of people from central Mexico, all of Mexico for that, are Mestizo meaning mixed American-Indian and Spanish. Contrary to popular belief, New Spain did not have a caste system in where only Spanish-descendants were only allowed in their army. I mean just look at the first mayor of Los Angeles his name was “Pio Pico” . He was wealthy, elite, and in New Spain aristocracy and was mixed African, Native, and Spanish.

[@slrdf1758]

@@jamesalvarez1455 Most of the old ranchers like José Antonio Yorba and Esteban Munrás were from Peninsular Spain. And the rest were either outsiders from Mexico (who varied in heritages), or Californios who had Spanish parents or grandparents. And either way, those mestizos would’ve still been Spaniards according to Spanish law

[@chs82ndab]

Rancho Solis not Rancho Las Salinas.