March 20, 2007 > Rancho Higuera Adobe Rancho Higuera Adobe By
Vidya Pradhan If you take the time to drive down winding Curtner
Road in the Mission area of southern Fremont, you will come
across a piece of history that dates back to the Spanish-Mexican
era. Tucked away on a small hill, surrounded by peacefully
grazing horses and wild turkeys is the Rancho Higuera Adobe,
built in the early 1800s. After the secularization of mission
holdings in California by the Mexican government, Mission San
Jose's vast lands were carved into huge ranchos which were then
granted to "Californianos" who were allies of the Spanish and
Mexican governments. In 1839, one such grantee was Fulgencio
Francisco Higuera. Fulgencio received more than 9,000 acres in a
parcel of land called "Rancho del Agua Caliente," meaning "Hot
Springs Ranch." The name came from the natural hot springs
bubbling from deep inside the hills. The springs were popular
with the Ohlones, the padres, and everyone else in the area.
Eventually, the town of Warm Sp