Los Angeles: A 19th-Century Estate Hidden in the City

🍂 Many autumn moments are serene. Yellow leaves still clinging to the branches of old trees in the estate, the soft light of afternoon spreading like a gentle wash of pale green over the rolling lawns. It’s the perfect time for a reflective stroll or some calming solitude. 🍁✨ 🪾 More than just a historic site, this place is a quiet sanctuary filled with diverse plants—Australian fig, Italian cypress, citrus trees, persimmon trees, avocado trees, powderpuff flowers, sycamores, cacti… Time spent among these green companions is always soothing and beautiful. Did you know some of these trees are over a century old? 🌳💚 🛕 Rancho Los Cerritos • This two-story Monterey-style adobe home and garden, built in 1844, is one of the earliest surviving two-story Adobe structures in Southern California. Monterey style blends Spanish colonial, Mexican ranch, and American rustic influences—a true architectural treasure! • Originally the ranch headquarters for merchant John Temple, it was later renovated and expanded by the Bixby family, one of the major landowning families in 19th-century Southern California. Today, it operates as a public historical museum and garden and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970 (alongside other LA icons like the Watts Towers and Gamble House). • Visitors can explore the history of daily life and ranching economy in California through its Spanish, Mexican, and American periods. For example, in the 1840s, John Temple raised up to 15,000 cattle here. Later, under Jotham Bixby, it became a sheep ranch with as many as 30,000 sheep! Long before Spanish colonization, this land was home to the Tongva people for generations. • The estate offers guided tours (reservations recommended) and occasionally hosts activities like bird watching. • You can also explore the rooms and balcony on the second floor—each filled with stories. • Don’t miss the massive historic wooden water tank in the garden. And in the backyard, the persimmons are fully ripe now (so tempting to pick one… but look, don’t touch! 😉) Have you visited any hidden historical gems like this lately? What’s your favorite peaceful spot in LA? Share below—we’d love to know! 👇🍂 🎫 Free admission (reservation required) 📍 Rancho Los Cerritos #LosAngeles #California #HiddenGems #HistoricEstate #AutumnVibes #GardenLovers #CaliforniaHistory #ExploreLA #TravelDiary