Spanish Explorers claimed California in the 1500's but it wasn't until 1769 that King Carlos III of Spain mandated colonization. In 1781, a nearby settlement began as "El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles". Spanish citizens used the plains and hillsides of the pueblo to graze their cattle, as it was designated as public land, although the title to “Alta California” rested with the king of Spain. However, in the early 1800’s, the King found himself unable to pay his soldiers and therefore began granting excusive usage rights to portions of this land as payment for their services, although he still retained the titles to the land.

The earliest records of official use of the land that Castle Heights now occupies indicate that it was part of a vast area of land called Corral Viejo del Rincón. A small corner of to the south of this land was called Rancho Rincón de los Bueyes, the Spanish translation of which is “Corner of the Oxen”. This land became known as such due to the presence of a large ravine at the south corner of the grant, which served as a natural corral and so it was, indeed, the corner used to corral and protect the livestock.

Joaquin Higuera was the alcalde (mayor or magistrate) of the pueblo in the early 1800’s and on December 5 th, 1821, his son, Bernardo Higuera and a friend, Cornelio Lopez, petitioned military commander José de la Guerra y Noriega for one of these land grants through the letter that follows:

"To the Snr. CapN
Bernardo Higuera and Cornelio Lopez, citizens of the Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los Angeles, and under the command of our honor, with the greatest respect and submission before your Excellency, appear and say that, possessing at the present time a number of cattle and not having any place so as properly to be able to keep them with a grazing ground of sufficient extent . . . . Therefore ask and beseech your extreme clemency to be pleased to grant to them the tract within this vicinity called Corral Viejo del Rincon so as that they may be able to place a corral for herding the said cattle unless it does some injury to the neighboring residents — a favor they expect from your extreme goodness and for which they will recognize themselves very grateful.  May God preserve you many years."

On December 7 th, 1821, Noriega made an entry in the margin of the petition that read: