Stryker Sonoma is lucky to be located in the beautiful and budding Alexander Valley. Our beautiful location has been known for decades for its beauty, landscape and grapes. Cyrus Alexander, whom the valley was named after, once referred to Alexander Valley as “the brightest and best spot in the world.” Cyrus was a poor ex fur trapper from Illinois. After numerous failures in Santa Fe he knew he had to make a change. In 1833 Cyrus Alexander headed west, and landed in San Diego. Poor with no promise of a job, he began selling his services but nothing ever stuck. After 7 years of odd jobs all over the San Diego area he met Captain Fitch. Captain Fitch was a wealthy San Diego trader, who hunted sea lions and otter. Fitch hired Alexander to work for him once he heard of his skills and previous occupations. In 1840, Cyrus was sent on a mission to Northern California on behalf of Fitch to find unclaimed land north of San Francisco to be used for cattle ranching. After striking out in both Napa Valley and Russian River Valley he finally rode into a valley unknown and unclaimed. Cyrus found this area to be plentiful with the Russian river flowing through it and plenty of tall grasses for the cattle and stock to graze on. Upon arrival Cyrus met a remnant of early settlers in the valley, the Digger Indians. Cyrus was able to negotiate an agreement with the native Americans that he would hire them to man the fields and tend to the cattle in exchange Cyrus would hunt for them. The relationship between them was mutual and turned out to truly benefit both parties. Alexander called the newly acquired 48,800 acres of land “Rancho Sotoyome” in honor of the Indians who were helping them prepare the land for the cattle it would soon be a new home too.
Once Fitch heard word form Cyrus he began filing for a northern grant. By 1844 he was granted eleven-league parcels of land; though Cyrus had been cultivating and working off the land for almost a year by that time. In return for all his hard work Cyrus received an 8,800-acre parcel which was titled Alexander Valley in September 1847. Captain Fitch came to see the property several times but Alexander was the one who oversaw it on a daily basis. He hired several groups of Indians to work for him and was soon joined by former Rocky Mountain trappers as well and began to create networks and bonds with surrounding landowners. After only a short 5 years working under Captain Fitch, Cyrus left his company and put all his effort into his 8,800 acre grant. Along with help of the local labor he built a large adobe house near a prominent spring. He and new wife, Rufina retired in their new home happily in the place Cyrus loved most.
In 1865, at the ripe age of 60 Cyrus suffered a stroke that would eventually kill him. His status was reduced to overseeing the ranch but he would not let his inabilities hold him back. After many years of battling disease and hardship Cyrus died on the ranch on December 27, 1872. His children remained to preserve the land until the 1960’s when it was sold to the Wetzel Family. Cyrus was a man who loved the Valley at first site. He worked hard and devoted even his worst days to making sure he captured the true beauty that was Alexander Valley. One can still see today even in it’s evolution how majestic and breath taking the Alexander Valley has been and always will be. ~ AnneMarie
0 comments:
Post a Comment