It was a coastal gathering place for native tribes, a sacred land for ceremonies and rituals – and the place they called home.
Now, after years of disputes, the 6.2-acre Bolsa Chica Mesa is back under Indigenous stewardship, marking a historic moment as the first-ever land return to tribal communities in Orange County.
Tribal community leaders announced the return of Bolsa Chica Mesa last week, following the land transfer to the Acjachemen Tongva Land Conservancy, or ATLC, formed three years ago with the intention of taking the land back to use as a historical site for ceremonies and education.
The land above the Bolsa Chica wetlands was once slated for development until ancient artifacts were unearthed. The site is believed to have been the home some 9,500 years ago for the Acjachemen and Tongva tribes.
“We just want to preserve it,” said ATLC treasurer Tina Calderon. “Our intention is to educate people, to let them use it in a respectful way. First of all, we need to get all of the local tribes on the land and do a ceremony and pray for the land.”
The land transfer officially happened in July, but was announced last week. ATLC’s stewardship of the property stems from a 2016 negotiation between the California Coastal Commission, the city of Huntington Beach and Signal Landmark, the developer and landowner of the Windward Property next to the Bolsa Chica Mesa, for some parcels be donated to a qualifying nonprofit in order to permit development on the remaining 2.5 acres, according to Calderon. The Goodell Family Trust was also part of the property donation.
“If they weren’t able to build on it, they had to give it to somebody and that had to be a conservancy,” Calderon said. “We’re very grateful that they chose the people that descend from the land.”
The donation should also address problems with the property being used as ramps by bike riders.
“A known ancient village site will now be returned to the historic stewardship of…
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