 |
| Landmark #829 | Merced County | Visited: February 21, 2015 | Plaque? YES! 🙂 |
| What is it? | A plaque hovering over the waters of San Luis Reservoir! |
| What makes it historical? | THE GUIDE SAYS: On June 21, 1805, on his first exploratory journey into the San Joaquin Valley, Lieutenant Gabriel Moraga traversed and recorded this pass. Since then it has been trail, toll road, stagecoach road, and freeway-the principal route between the coastal areas to the west and the great valley and mountains to the east.
OTHER TIDBITS: The plaque doesn’t even say who Señor Pacheco was! Francisco Perez Pacheco was a carriage maker from Guadalajara who came to California after the birth of his first child and became owner of Ranchos Ausaymas y San Felipe, Bolsa de San Felipe, and San Justo! Rancho San Luis Gonzaga, which encompasses Pacheco Pass, originally went to his son, Juan, but when Juan died, his land holdings came back to his father! Many folks say that this pass is haunted by the ghosts of massacred Native Americans, victims of highway robbers, and even folks who died in car accidents in modern times! There have even been rumors of half-human, half-bird people lingering by the side of the road at night! Spooky! |
| How can I Help the Helpers? | HERE’S HOW:
|
| Where is this place? | LISTED DIRECTIONS: Romero Overlook, San Luis Reservoir 31770 W Hwy 152 (P.M. 8.0) 15 mi W of Los Banos, CA 95322 ANNOTATIONS: From Los Angeles: ~277mi (446km) — 4.7hrs |
| When should I go? | Whenever the mood strikes you! |