rancho los alamitos

Rancho Los Alamitos

300,000 acre Los Coyotes Land Grant awarded in

1790

Adobe house built around 1800 as

shelter for vacqueros and livestock. Over

time, original structure evolved into

large, comfortable ranch house.

Divisions of Los Coyotes

1790: Spanish Crown grants Manuel Nieto the right to use the 300,000 acre tract.

1796: Nieto’s holdings are reduced to 167,000 acres after Mission San Gabriel is granted upper portion of land.

1833: Los Coyotes is divided into five great ranchos and distributed among Nieto’s heirs.

Garden DevelopmentJohn and Susan Bixby moved on site in 1878, transformed crumbling adobe into Victorian house and planted the Old Garden.Fred and Florence Bixby expanded the Ranch House in 1920’s and 30’s and built the four-acre hilltop garden.7.5 acre Rancho donated to the City of Long Beach in 1968.

Landscape designers, including Olmstead brothers, created a series of “outdoor rooms” away from dusty

working ranch

Livestock includes poultry and working horses

Visitor Center

Logistics

• April 30, 2014• Drive or carpool to arrive by 10:45 a.m.• Tours in groups of ten led by Master Gardener• Two tours: – 7.5 acres of gardens – House and working ranch

• Catered lunch served in shady garden

Schedule

• Arrive by 10:45• 11:00 Garden tour led by Master Gardener

with option to last 90 minutes• 12:00 Lunch• 1:00 Tour of house and working ranch led by

Docent• If we get more than 10 people, we will have

two simultaneous tours swapping after lunch

Nearby attractions• Rancho Los Cerritas: sister, but smaller rancho

4600 Virginia Road, Long Beach 90807www.RanchoLosCerritos.org

• H & H Nursery: large selection of organics, fruit trees

6620 Lakewood Boulevard, Lakewood 90712www.hhnursery.com

• Rolling Greens: modern boutique with various eating options

3315 Hyland Avenue, Costa Mesa