Tiburcio Vasquez:
Agua Dulce's resident Bandido
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By the early 1850s, one of the California’s most notorious figures had come to the nearby Santa Clarita Valley to rustle horses. A young, charismatic, educated, bilingual Californio named Tiburcio Vásquez would come to be a namesake for many of Agua Dulce’s features. Alongside Joaquin Murietta, Vásquez is considered one of California’s most infamous criminals of the 19th century.
Often considered a man of creativity and charisma, he was also athletic, being a skilled horseman and outdoorsman. His criminal career spanned across California, from his hometown of Monterey, to the edges of the Mojave Desert in the south. It is unknown how much time he spent in the Agua Dulce area, but as evidenced in his first arrest in 1856 near Newhall (less than fifteen miles from Agua Dulce), he became familiarized with the rugged high desert terrain early on in his career. |
Painted portrait of Tiburcio Vasquez, courtesy Santa Clarita Valley Historial Society.
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Portrait of Tiburcio Vasquez, courtesy Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society.
After being sent to San Quentin prison, Vásquez led multiple successful escapes which left nearly 20 convicts dead, increasing his less than illustrious reputation. After his release, Vásquez not only continued his criminal career, but became a powerful leader for others, mainly horse thieves. Under his watch, multiple bands aided in horse theft, transferring the stolen animals into various regions to the north and south of Agua Dulce. By keeping the fastest individuals for themselves, and by quickly transferring horses out of their regions and into a new area, likelihood of interception by law enforcement was greatly decreased.
It is no surprise that Vásquez and his team, led in the Agua Dulce area by Clodovio Chavez, utilized the massive sandstone rocks located in the heart of today’s Agua Dulce, as a hideout, property transfer and storage facility, and meeting place. The massive sandstone formations provided excellent protection for Vásquez’s cohorts, while plentiful fresh water and vegetation ensured the health of the horses with minimal effort.
It is no surprise that Vásquez and his team, led in the Agua Dulce area by Clodovio Chavez, utilized the massive sandstone rocks located in the heart of today’s Agua Dulce, as a hideout, property transfer and storage facility, and meeting place. The massive sandstone formations provided excellent protection for Vásquez’s cohorts, while plentiful fresh water and vegetation ensured the health of the horses with minimal effort.
The small population of Anglo citizens living in the area provided for very limited exposure. The rocks were also ideal in that they were unpatrolled public lands, which had come into possession of the United States government after American victory over Mexico in 1848. There were not many settlers in the area during the 1850s, with an early 160-acre homestead being granted near the Rocks to Bertha Wilkins in November of 1862. The 1860s and 1870s saw a relatively slow and small influx of settlers, most of who settled in Mint Canyon that was nestled just at the base of the small Sierra Pelona Mountain range, which came to serve as the northern border of Agua Dulce.
While it is unknown how often Vásquez visited the rocks that would bear his name, his last visit came in February of 1874 when he and Chavez fled after robbing a Los Angeles stagecoach, triggering a manhunt for Vásquez and his crew. An exhaustive search led to authorities believing he had returned north to the Monterey area, though Vásquez had only traveled a few miles, near the Newhall and Chatsworth areas. Having so many allies throughout the area (whether in people he had helped, or were afraid of retaliation), Vasquez was always briefed on where law enforcement was and where they would look for him.
While it is unknown how often Vásquez visited the rocks that would bear his name, his last visit came in February of 1874 when he and Chavez fled after robbing a Los Angeles stagecoach, triggering a manhunt for Vásquez and his crew. An exhaustive search led to authorities believing he had returned north to the Monterey area, though Vásquez had only traveled a few miles, near the Newhall and Chatsworth areas. Having so many allies throughout the area (whether in people he had helped, or were afraid of retaliation), Vasquez was always briefed on where law enforcement was and where they would look for him.
Invitation to the hanging of Tiburcio Vasquez, dated March 16, 1875. Courtesy California Historical Society
Vasquez is remember in different ways, by some as a "Mexican Robin Hood", robbing from the undeserving and helping those who deserved it, while standing up for injustice in the law. Others, however, gravitate towards a more sinister story, one of gambling, womanizing, cruelty, greed, and even incest. He served as an inspiration for the character of Zorro, along with other notable historic characters like Murietta. To this day, various local features, including roads, a canyon, and the Acton-Agua Dulce area’s high school bear his name. Most prominent of his namesakes, though, is the popular 1000+ acre Vasquez Rocks County Natural Area Park, owned and run by Los Angeles County’s Department of Parks and Recreation. Even to this day visitors ask where Vasquez's treasure was buried, giving young and old alike a hint of wonderment as to whether it was ever there or not.
After Vasquez’s capture, Agua Dulce again lay in wait to see action, which came in the form of a few sparse miners, still searching for the next big California jackpot.
After Vasquez’s capture, Agua Dulce again lay in wait to see action, which came in the form of a few sparse miners, still searching for the next big California jackpot.
Note: For online archival images of original newspapers of Vasquez's career, capture, and execution, see http://www.scvhistory.com/scvhistory/aguadulce.htm.