About us

Watson Land Company’s rich history reaches back more than 200 years to the Rancho San Pedro, the first land grant given to a private citizen in California.

In 1784, king Carlos III of Spain granted the 75,000 acre Rancho San Pedro tract to Spanish soldier Juan José Dominguez. Today’s communities of San Pedro, Harbor City, Wilmington,…

The Rancho passed from Juan José Dominguez in 1809 to his nephew Cristóbal Dominguez, who in turn willed the land to his three sons in 1822. The eldest son, Manuel Dominguez, is credited with the development of the Rancho. He built the Dominguez Rancho Adobe as the Rancho headquarters above the Los Angeles River floodplain…

Manuel Dominguez was married to María Engracia Cota, the daughter of Rancho Los Cerritos’ owner Guillermoa Cota. upon Manuel’s death in 1882 and the passing of his wife one year later, the Rancho San Pedro lands were partitioned among his six surviving children—all daughters.

Manuel’s daughter Maria Dolores Dominguez married lawyer James Alexander Watson in 1855. Their marriage marked the first step of the creation of Watson Land Company.

Southern California rancheros struggled in the mid-1800s. In 1848, Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe and ceded California to the United States. This gave the U.S. government authority over the Mexican rancheros. With California threatening their property rights, owners were forced to pay exorbitant legal fees to defend their titles. Many were forced to mortgage…

Manuel Dominguez was not untouched by these hardships. In 1855 he offered his share of Rancho San Pedro as collateral to secure a $12,000 loan from Benjamin Richardson. Dominguez, unlike many other unlucky rancheros who lost their land to foreclosure, was able to repay the loan 10 months later. Dominguez supplemented his cattle business with…

Manuel Dominguez’s success in obtaining a U.S. land patent marked his dedication to the Rancho San Pedro. By the time of his death, the Rancho’s original 75,000 acres had been reduced to 27,500 acres as a result of sales and concessions. In 1885 a court-ordered partition divided the land between his six daughters. The Watson…

Over the years, the company strengthened its financial foundation with a combination of sales and leases of the land. But even as it sought to increase its income, the directors of Watson Land Company remained dedicated to holding on to the land.

The Rancho San Pedro became a part of aviation history in 1910 thanks to Dr. Gregorio Del Amo, husband of Susana Dominguez. While the aviation industry was still in its infancy, Glenn Curtiss and other prominent aviators sought to draw attention to aviation’s vast potential. They chose Dominguez Hill as the ideal spot for an…

The Los Angeles Times hailed the meet as one of the greatest public spectacles of its time. This was the first opportunity for people on the West Coast to see an airplane in flight. Aviation pioneers such as William Boeing attended and were inspired to develop the aviation industry in Southern California, all as a…

Rancho San Pedro dairy operations, 1902 (The Rancho San Pedro by Gillingham)

In 1922, California was estimated to be producing a quarter of the world’s oil supply, and the lands of Rancho San Pedro were highly sought after by oil companies looking to drill for oil and build refineries. The Watsons capitalized on the oil frenzy, selling tracts of the Rancho to become debt free and financially…

During the two decades of the 1950s and 1960s, Los Angeles County underwent significant population and industrial growth; the landscape was dramatically transformed from a rural to an urban area. In response to Southern California’s economic boom, Watson Land Company shifted its focus to real estate development. Watson’s goal was to provide high quality buildings…

In 1966, Watson Land Company undertook the construction of a highly efficient water system to serve the Watson Industrial Center location. The water system would not only serve the needs of Watson Industrial Center, but could also supply up to an additional 5,000 gallons of water per minute for fire fighters. To install the mile-long…

As part of a dedication ceremony for the Watson Industrial Center in may of 1966, President William T. Huston of Watson Land Company and Los Angeles County Supervisor Burton Chace placed bronze seals of the Watson Industrial Center and the County of Los Angeles in a street side monument. Taking place on the 182nd anniversary…

Watson Industrial Center grew three times faster than projected in its first year of operations. First to lease from Watson were the Cormier Chevrolet Company and the La Fleur Corporation, an affiliate of Douglas Aircraft Company. Watson Land Company continued to develop land to add to the industrial center as the demand for industrial space…

Originally named Watson Office Plaza in 1982, Watson Corporate Center evolved from its conception as a low rise office park into a 113 acre masterplanned industrial center. The center features Watson’s Legacy Building SeriesSM and LEED certified construction, which together set the center apart as a highly sustainable, architecturally innovative development. The flexible building designs…

With over 2 million square feet of buildings, Watson Corporate Center is home to a compatible mix of manufacturing, distribution, and corporate office facilities. The center is both highly customizable and environmentally friendly, as a result of Watson’s forward thinking designs and sustainable development practices.

Dominguez Technology Center is a 438 acre masterplanned center located in Carson and Rancho Dominguez, California. The center is situated on the land that served as the site for the 1910 International Aviation meet. The interior streets of Dominguez Technology Center were named in honor of the aviation pioneers who participated in that historic event.

Until the development of Dominguez Technology Center, the land was a significant production site for Dominguez Energy, an oil production company formed by Watson Land Company and its partners. Over 200 oil wells were plugged and sealed to make way for the streets, curbs, infrastructure, and buildings in Dominguez Technology Center.

Watson Land Company owns and manages 20 Legacy Buildings that it has developed in Dominguez Technology Center, with nearly 3 million square feet of total space.

In 2005, Watson rolled out a comprehensive renovation program, updating the storefronts and improving functionality throughout the Watson South Bay portfolio of over 11 million square feet.

Adopting many Legacy BuildingSM features, renovation designs were developed for buildings that were 30 and 40 years old, introducing modern architectural features and elements of green design that didn’t…

As part of the renovation program, functional improvements include replacing outdated fire sprinkler systems, increasing truck loading doors, and expanding the turning radius to boost parking capacity and improve maneuvering.

Watson Land Company has continued to expand its portfolio since its first industrial development almost 50 years ago. With a commitment to grow with its customers, Watson has successfully entered new markets through land and building acquisitions, with a focus on developing Legacy Building Series℠ within large, masterplanned industrial centers.

In 2004, Watson Land Company began the construction of Watson Commerce Center Fontana as part of its growth strategy beyond the original Rancho San Pedro land. With the strong success of its Legacy Building Series℠ in the South Bay area, Watson brought its brand of industrial development and customer service to the Inland empire area…

Development of the Nature’s Best distribution facility launched the 1.4 million square foot Watson Commerce Center Chino in 2007. Nature’s Best chose the 400,000 square foot speculative building to accommodate high cube storage of refrigerated and dry food products. Watson modified the building during the construction process to increase the warehouse clearance height to 36…

Kenco Logistics was the first customer at Watson Commerce Center Redlands in 2009. The masterplanned center totalled over 2.5 million square feet upon full build out. All buildings have been designed and constructed for LEED certification. Features such as extensive use of clerestory windows and abundant warehouse skylights not only reduce utility costs but also…

With close to 4 million square feet of finished buildings in the Inland Empire and additional land inventory sufficient to accommodate many more buildings, Watson continues to successfully diversify its holdings well beyond the Rancho San Pedro. Watson is constantly introducing its unique brand to a whole new customer base.

Rooted in California’s first Spanish land grant, Watson Land Company has evolved from its agricultural beginnings to become a premier developer, owner, and manager of masterplanned industrial centers. now, Watson’s commitment to its historical roots remains firm as it maintains its tradition of putting its customers and communities it serves first.

With a vision of developing industrial buildings within a masterplanned setting, Watson began to design and construct one of the first masterplanned industrial centers 50 years ago on the Rancho San Pedro land grant. This spirit of innovation has remained a hallmark of Watson’s development as reflected in its introduction of the Legacy Building Series℠…

Watson’s corporate headquarters exemplifies the company’s focus on innovation and the environment. Completed in 2010, the building was awarded LEED Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council, the highest level of achievement in sustainable development.

Watson was the first developer in Southern California to design and construct speculative industrial buildings in accordance with the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED guidelines. With several million square feet of LEED certified industrial buildings developed, Watson has delivered on its original mission to be a good steward of the Rancho San Pedro land grant…

Watson moves forward with the purchase of the West Hills Business Center in Pennsylvania.

Watson Land Company partners with Jaindl Land Company to bring the same quality of product and services to their clients on the East Coast.