In the years that followed the east part of the rancho progressed rapidly while thousands of acres in the hills from Point Firmin to Redondo were retained in a few ownerships and the land used only for farming. Few people ever saw the rugged coast of Palos Verdes, although Malaga Cove, Rocky Point, Point Vicente, Long Point, Portuguese Point and Portuguese Bend were all known to fishermen. In 1913 for a consideration of nearly $2,000,000 the western part of the rancho was conveyed to Jay Lawler and Frank A. Vanderlip, then of New York. Palos Verdes Estates was conceived in 1922 to develop this part of the property and to make a world-famous community of homes. The rancho of the Sepulvedas is a perfect setting for this effort. [Illustration: _Verdugo Ranch House, Rancho San Rafael—the First of the Grants_] Mission San Gabriel Arcangel In all California no land has been the scene of such triumphs and defeats, such prosperity and poverty, such alternating fair fortune and dire misfortune as the lands of the Mission San Gabriel Arcangel. The Mission San Gabriel was founded September 4th, 1771, by Father Junipero Serra and land set apart for the Mission included nearly the entire San Gabriel Valley. There was the usual struggle to establish the Mission and convert the Indians. The first Mission buildings were destroyed and the old mill—yet standing—built at a great expenditure of toil and thought was a total failure. But within a few short years after the founding Mission San Gabriel took its place as the Queen of the Missions and the most prosperous of all. The title of the Mission Fathers to the lands had not been confirmed by written grant from Carlos III, King of Spain, and the governors of California under Mexico took advantage of this to grant ranchos within the valley borders. In the northwest part Rancho San Pascual was granted to become the princely estate of Don Manuel Garfias and later the sites of Pasadena and South Pasadena. Farther east Rancho Santa Anita was created and eventually became the property of E. J. (Lucky) Baldwin. Beyond that rancho were Ranchos San Francisquito and La Puente. Along the south hills of the valley Ranchos La Merced, Potrero Grande and Potrero Chico were granted. By the severing of such large tracts of land the property of the Mission San Gabriel diminished from tens of thousands of acres to thousands of acres and then to hundreds.