Rancho Las Camaritas was an Alta California 18.57 acres (8 Hectare or 300 square Vara) land grant to José de Jesús Noé on January 21, 1840 by Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado. Millions of acres of California land was given at no charge to men between 1784 and 1846 by the Spanish (1784–1810) or Mexican governments (1819–1846) mostly for military service to raise cattle on. About 300 of the 800 Land grants were sizable varying from a few thousand to 1.5 million acres – see List of ranchos of California for the larger grants. Following the Mexican–American War, the land grants were challenged with most of them falling into American hands. Only one land grant has remained undeveloped (see Rancho Legacy). Las Camaritas' ownership was disputed in court by the U.S. government from 1856 until 1882