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Lithograph of Nick Overmier's Ranch.
From the Alpine Historical Society Collection.
by Albert Simonson
There is an enormous volume of printed matter accessible to students of Alpine/Viejas history. Some is on file in the Alpine Historical Society archives or in the possession of members.
The best source by far is the San Diego Historical Society Archives (website www.sandiegohistory.org). Other important sources are the San Diego City Library (Californian Room) with newspaper microfilm, the San Diego County Recorders Office for deeds, etc., and Board of Supervisor minutes at the County Clerk’s office.
Early homestead and pre-emption filings, early maps and some legal filings can be obtained from National Archives. The Bancroft Library at University of California Berkeley has a large collection. The San Diego Genealogical Society has indexes to land claims, tax records and censuses.
A general and authoritative source is Bancroft’s History of California, 1883, available in the El Cajon Library.
Mission Period
Simonson, A. “Cuyamaca Camping in 1783,” La Prensa, San Diego, May 16, 1997.
Johnson, Mary Elizabeth. “Indian Legends of the Cuyamaca Mountains,” p. 24, 1914, SD Library RCC 398.
Engelhardt, Z. San Diego Mission, p. 349-350, 1920 (Sycuan, Santa Monica aka Lakeside)
Rancho Period
Simonson, A. “The Lost Rancho of Cockney Bill and The Saint.” San Diego Historical Society Archives call number 1NS 1996/1/4. Many citations provided.
Simonson, A. “The Volcan and Viejas Ranchos of Cockney Bill Williams, The Wrangler, San Diego Corral. Volume 32, nos. 3 & 4, 1999.
McDonald, D. “El Valle de las Viejas.” Southern California Rancher, March, 1948. (Note: See History, Newspaper Articles on this website for this article)
Spanish Archives, Book XXV. Alealdes y Jueces de Paz. County Recorder (first recorded land sale)
Cases 36, 52. San Diego Historical Society Archives.
Bio file, Williams. San Diego Historical Society Archives.
Land Case 249 SD, RG 21 District Court Records, National Archives
Expediente 509. Valle de las Viejas y Mesa del Arroz, 1846. National Archives Textual Reference Branch. San Diego Herald. September 5, 1857, 2:6, October 4, 1857, 2:6, October 11, 1856, 2:4, April 25, 1852, 2:3, January 3, 1857, 2:3, June 12, 1858, 2:6, April 25, 1852, September 4, 1858, 2:1, April l3, 1859, 2:3.
1860 Federal Census, San Diego Historical Society Archives.
San Diego Union, June 1, 1900, 6:1-5 (Indians and Oxcart Traffic through Alpine).
Bio files. Osuna, Wm. Williams, San Diego Historical Society Archives.
Haggland. “Don Jose Antonio Aguirre, etc.” Journal of San Diego History, winter 1982 (owner Alpine area 1850 onward), San Diego Historical Society Archives.
San Diego Union. “Historic Lore Surrounds Viejas.” July 26, 1935. (Note: See History, Newspaper Articles on this website for this article)
Pourade. The Silver Dons, 1963 p. 31, 51, 102, 152, 181, 217-229, 255 (Cockney Bill Williams and Viejas “Jackass Mail” Stage Stop). County Library.
San Diego Herald. January 3, 1857, 2:3 (Viejas Sawmill). April 9, 1959 (Osuna Suicide). September 4, 1857 (Marriage Ad).
Daily Union. February 23, 1872, 1:1 (Land Ownership).
Scott, Ed. San Diego County Soldier Pioneers, p. 90-91, 1976 (Oxcart Road).
Petition regarding fear of Mormon and Indian invasion, 1847. State Library, Sacramento, manus. C-B81,188 (Osuna, Pedrorena, et. al.).
Homestead Book 1, pg. 1. San Diego County Recorder (Williams).
Homesteader Period
“Our Hills and Valleys.” San Diego Union, August 11, 1870. (Note: See History, Newspaper Articles on this website for this article)
Map, San Diego County, 1872. San Diego Historical Society Archives.
Homestead Applications, National Archives, numbers 1195 (Overmier), 1338 (Steil), 1787 (Peres), 2258 (Field), 3318 (Anderson), 4121 (Schmidt), 4401 (Love).
San Diego Union, January 1, 1895, 16:6.
Homestead Patents, San Diego County Recorder (microfilm).
Homestead and Pre-emption records: www.glorecords.blm.gov/, Search Land Patents.
Road and Village Origins
Emery, Charles F., Winifred Davidson’s 1938 notes. San Diego Historical Society Archives (origin of “Alpine” name, first store).
DeFrate, Julia. This Was Yesterday. Bancroft Library (describes first village home).
County Board of Supervisor Minutes, July 2, 1872 (Road).
The Daily Union, November 17, 1875, November 24, 1875 (Webb Murder).
Old Survey No. 7 1872, San Diego County Maps and Records.
San Diego Union October 28, 1882, 3:1 & 4, August 9, 1883, 3:2, April 22, 1884, 3:2, April 22, 1885, 3:1-2 (first home at future site of Alpine’s center).
Salley, Harold. History of California Post Offices, El Cajon Library.
City Directory, late 19th Century. San Diego Historical Society Archives (includes East County).
San Diego Herald, October 11, 1856 (Public Road).
Elliott, Wallace, History of …etc., 1883 (drawing of first house in Alpine, San Diego County Library).
San Diego Union, January 1, 1895.
Maps
Velasquez, Joseph. El Reconocimiento del Camino….etc., 1783. Bancroft Library (first explanation of San Diego/Viejas/Cuyamaca map and journal).
Expediente 509. Valle de las Viejas y Mesa del Arroz, 1846. National Archives. Alpine Historical Society
National Archives RG 75 map 171. CA 1855, San Diego Historical Society Archives (Indian Village, Southern California).
Loose maps Alpine Schools folder, San Diego Historical Society Archives, Alpine Historical Society (locates first store and school in village).
Wheeler Survey map and notes, 1875. San Diego County Maps and Records (locates first home in village).
Aerial photos, 1928. San Diego Historical Society Archives, San Diego County Maps and Records.
Homestead map, Alpine. Alpine Historical Society, National Archives.
Homestead map, Viejas. Alpine Historical Society, National Archives.
Wheeler, San Diego County, 1872. San Diego Historical Society Archives.
RG49 Bureau of Land Management Plats, National Archives, Pacific Southwest Region.
Topographic Maps, 1890, 1903. San Diego Historical Society Archives (contours, roads, buildings).
Velasquez map, 1783. San Diego Historical Society Archives, No. M1300C5D2F1.
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