Map of Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe, 1781

This 1 June 1781 map of Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe, is the first known map of what is today San José, California. “Rubrica” indicates this map is not the original. The original would have a rubric (fancy signature looping) under Moraga’s name. The original would have been officially copied, with the “original copies” being filed in San Jose and likely Monterey and/or Mexico City. The original likely was sent back to Spain. The original and other copies are not known to exist.

This map represents the original site of the pueblo from November 1777 to approximately 1791. Therefore, the lands depicted are approximately between Guadalupe Freeway, Hedding Street, North First Street and Hobson Street. The pueblo proper is seen as a square at the top of the map, marked with a cross. Within that square would have been the solares (town lots). The outlying suertes (farm lots) are seen as the 21 squares with names in them. These lots were irrigated by the Guadalupe River, which fed into the farm lots via the main water ditch, seen at the upper right side.

"Report that shows the plots of land distributed to the settlers of the Pueblo San José; with the designation as to who owns each plot and whose homes flank one another; this is so the Governor will be informed. The distribution of the demarcated lands was done by me, the lieutenant and commander of the Presidio of San Francisco in accordance with the order from the Governor and they were submitted for his consideration on April 23, 1781. All of the land that remains in this measurement [survey] has not yet been allotted.

San Francisco, June 1 of the same year
Joseph Moraga (Rubric)"