Rancho Los Alamitos, 1948. Courtesy Rancho Los Alamitos Historic Ranch and Gardens.

history

Rancho Los Alamitos is a small fragment of land that has been occupied continuously since 500 AD. Today, the remaining 7.5 acres are a symbol of the evolution of Southern California. Almost every era and major event in the history of Southern California has left an indelible mark on the rancho and can be witnessed through the lives of its occupants.

Rancho Los Alamitos sits on land once occupied by the Tongva-Gabrielino Native American people. Around 500 A.D., and for more than a thousand years, it was the area of Povuu’nga or “Gathering Place,” a scared ceremonial and trading center of the Tongva people. The site was a small part of their 1500 square-mile territory that covered most of present-day Los Angeles and Orange Counties. The ranch remains a revered place among the Tongva today.