Around 1872 John Cheda immigrated wherein 1880 he married his wife Nancy Gross. The two of them lived on the Boysen ranch (west of Stenner Glen, below Highland) until 1899 when they moved to the Johnson Ranch with their eight
children.

John Cheda then purchased the former Chapman place along with 160 acres
northward to the steel railway bridge along Stenner Creek. He continued to
purchase land up to an additional 300 acres in between the railroad tracks and highway one from 1907 to 1912.

The last purchase of 103 acres in 1912, covered the area from the Dies land to Highway 1.

Cheda Ranch roamed over 466 acres and included water rights to the creek
nearby. 

John's son Ernie developed an irrigation system between 1927 and 1932. This started from Stenner creek above the trestle by hand dug ditches and flumes to a hold reservoir and then made its way down to the pastures. The land was operated as a dairy of about 40 heifers, while dry cows grazed on the foothills, and small areas of land were dedicated to hay and bean cultivation.

In 1945 land was divided again and apportioned to heirs.

In 1950-51 Cal poly litigated for condemnation of Cheda, Peterson and Serrano ranches.

1951, Cal Poly purchased 366 acres of the Cheda Ranch for the purpose of
aiding dairy students with a place to have hands on experiences, a result of the severely outgrown facilities on the campus.

In 1952 Cal Poly acquired the remaining acreage of Cheda Ranch.

In 1964, Cal Poly was granted ownership of an additional adjacent 32.5 acres. This land had recently been under the ownership of the State of California Department of Corrections.

After the final purchases of the Cheda Ranch were made, the grand total acreage to this day is 495.5 acres.

Sources
http://polyland.calpoly.edu/topics/history/landhist.html
http://polyland.calpoly.edu/overview/Archives/nieto/acquisitions.html
http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/lb/main/crm/oralhistories/nmcisaacft.html