Rancho Las Juntas
Rancho Las Juntas was a Mexican land grant in present day Contra Costa County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to William Welch. The name Las Juntas translates as "the Crossroads". The grant was located between Ygnacio Martinez’ Rancho El Pinole and Salvio Pacheco’s Rancho Monte del Diablo, and included northwestern Walnut Creek, all of Pleasant Hill, and the eastern portion of Martinez. The original borders of the claim were defined as the straits to the north, "Las Juntas" (a junction of streams) to the south, the Walnut creek to the east, the Reliz ridge to the west, and, to the northwest, the Alhambra creek. History William Welch (1798–1846) was born in Ireland, jumped ship in Northern California in 1821, and went to Los Angeles. After two years, he went north to the Pueblo of San Jose where he became a naturalized citizen (land case documents identify him as Guillermo Welch). He married in 1826, Maria Antonia Galindo, daughter of Juan Crisostomo Galindo of the Pueblo of San José. Her brother, Francisco Galindo married Maria Dolores Manuela Pacheco of Rancho Monte del Diablo, and later became one of the founders of Concord. The three square league Rancho Las