Bust of Soledad Ortega de Argüello

Bust of Soledad Ortega de Argüello
Artist	Ray Lorenzata[1]
Year	1976[1]
Medium	Bronze
Subject	María Soledad Ortega de Argüello
Location	Argüello Plaza, Redwood City, California

The Bust of Soledad Ortega de Argüello is a bronze monument in Argüello Plaza, in Redwood City, California, honoring María Soledad Ortega de Argüello, a Californio ranchera whose vast Californian rancho, known as Rancho de las Pulgas, encompassed the present-day cities of San Mateo, Belmont, San Carlos, Redwood City, Atherton and Menlo Park.^[2]

In 1976, the city government of Redwood City renamed a plaza at the intersection of Broadway and Argüello Street, near Redwood City station, as Argüello Plaza, as part of the United States Bicentennial celebrations.^[2] The Comite Cívico Patriótico del Condado de San Mateo (Spanish for "Patriotic Civic Committee of San Mateo County"), under the leadership of president Ángel Acosta, erected a bronze bust honoring Soledad Ortega de Argüello in that plaza, designed by sculptor Ray Lorenzata.^[1]

It was documented in the 1992 California Save Outdoor Sculpture survey.^[1]

The Spanish inscription on the monument reads:

SOLEDAD O.
DE ARGUËLLO
1797     1874

SHE                           DONADORA
DONATED                 DE 59,000
59,000 ACRES          ACRES PARA
OF LAND FOR          BENEFICIO DE
THE BENEFIT           LA COMUNIDAD.
OF ALL THE
PEOPLE

COMITE CÍVICO PATRIÓTICO
DEL CONDADO DE SAN MATEO
PRESIDENTE
ÁNGEL ACOSTA

• Historical Marker Database - Bust of Soledad O. de Argüello