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Irvine Ranch History
The Legend of Hangman’s Tree For years, a monument marking the site of one of Orange County's most notorious killings was hidden under a thick blanket of mustard plants and other weeds not far from the Foothill toll road. It wasn’t until the 2007 Santiago fire blazed across Loma Ridge and the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains that the monument was re-discovered, revealing the long-lost legend of the Hangman’s Tree – a story already known to longtime area residents and historians. According to most accounts, criminals were hung there. Erected by an equestrian group in 1967, the plaque on the monument reads: "Under this tree, General Andres Pico hung two banditos of the Flores Gang in 1857." In the small, hidden canyon are seven ancient sycamore trees that look like they would have made the perfect impromptu gallows to dispense of the two outlaws. "The story of the Hangman’s Tree is truly unique and makes Orange County’s history even more intriguing," says IRC Docent Mike Bornia, who led the first guided hike to the site. "I enjoy taking people to the area, telling them the legend, and letting them experience history firsthand." The mid-19th Century lynching of Francisco Ardillero and Juan Catabo, led by the brother of California's last Mexican governor, is a footnote in a larger story of the notorious outlaw Juan Flores. The Flores Gang blazed a trail of robberies extending from Los Angeles to San Juan Capistrano before fatefully ambushing Los Angeles County Sheriff James Barton, killing him and three others. The "Barton Massacre" and the hunt for Flores himself, who eventually was captured and hung in front of several thousand spectators in downtown Los Angeles, became the stuff of legends. Through the years Orange County's hanging tree has been routinely misidentified as being along Santiago Canyon Road near the turnoff to Modjeska Canyon. Nearby, a sign on a locked gate proclaims the misnomer "Hangman's Tree Canyon." "The legend of Juan Flores has been told for years," says Dave Raetz, IRC’s director of public programs. "The Hangman's Tree monument provides a connection to reality for the story, differentiating fact from fiction. By getting people to experience the tree and monument firsthand, we hope that the tales and local history of the area continue to spread from generation to generation." Docent-led hikes to Orange County's Hangman's Tree will resume later this summer after a pair of red-tailed hawks is finished nesting in one of the sycamores. The hikes will appear on the Activities Page of the website. In the meantime, be sure to sign up for one of the many other adventures in the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks by visiting http://www.irvineranchwildlands.org/activities/index.asp. 
A rusty fence protects the Hangman's Tree monument in Loma Ridge.
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