Pellissier Ranch (Colton, California)

Antoine Pellissier was born in the French Alps on May 2, 1869 and came to Los Angeles in 1885 at the age of 16. He became involved in the Los Angeles wine and dairy industries, owning over 800 acres of vineyards in Cucamonga and Monte Vista alone in addition to his dairy operations.

He moved to Riverside in 1903 and immediately started a livestock operation, followed by purchasing part of the Bandini Donation claim and building a winery in 1905. What started out as 26 acres of property eventually grew to over 500 acres in the Riverside area alone, and he later added another 500 acres in the Imperial Valley to his holdings.

During WWI, he served as an interpreter between the American and French armies at Camp de Souge.

This area was once part of La Placita de los Trujillo, sister settlement to Agua Mansa across the river. The Bandini Donation claim was part of Juan Bandini's Rancho Jurupa and donated to settlers from New Mexico. La Placita was settled in 1843 and was considered a Riverside community until 1926.

The City of Colton annexed the land in 1991. The 1,448 acre former ranch is scheduled to be redeveloped into an "urban village".

books.google.com/books?id=uWwUAAAAYAAJ
www.insidetheie.com/Aqua-Mansa