Robert was born in 1826. Robert Baker was a businessman and landowner originally from Rhode Island. He was the founder of Bakersfield, California and Santa Monica California.
Colonel R. S. Baker, of the Laguna Ranch, is the largest sheep owner in the [San Antonio] township, having about ten thousand head. In the southern portion of the township lies a tract of uncultivated land (two thousand acres), owned by R. Tweedy. This was used as a sheep-walk until quite recently, but the sheep have lately been taken to Arizona, and the land is being broken up for barley. Only about three thousand head remain thereon, and there are a few other small bands in the township, the whole number not exceeding twenty thousand, including those belonging to Colonel Baker. [1]
Baker moved to California in 1849 during the Gold Rush, where he made his money selling supplies to the prospectors. He moved to Los Angeles in 1872 and purchased over 30,000 acres where he raised sheep and cattle. In 1875, he and John P. Jones founded the city of Santa Monica. Second husband of Arcadia Bandini, he and his family moved to Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica and named the city's most impressive hotel, The Arcadia Hotel, in honor of his wife. The Hotel was located at what is now the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel at 1700 Ocean Avenue, near the Santa Monica Pier. The impressive hotel opened in 1887 and in 1909, was torn down. FindAGrave entry.
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Categories: Sheep Ranchers | United States of America, Notables | Notables