Secluded in the City｜Discovering a Centuries-Old Hidden Estate in LA

Another super under-the-radar spot in LA that hasn’t been fully explored online is here! Today we’re introducing the 23rd installment of the Los Angeles 100 series—Rancho Los Alamitos, where you can fully immerse yourself in the authentic farm life of 200 years ago. 😍🌾 Located in Long Beach, Rancho Los Alamitos dates all the way back to 1790. After multiple subdivisions, the remaining 7.5-acre estate is now a free museum and park. It features barns and stables that serve as museums, multiple gardens, a ranch house, and even a tennis court! 🐎🏛️🌷 The land and buildings were donated to the City of Long Beach in the 1960s by the children of rancher Fred Bixby, turning it into a public museum. The main building, the Ranch House, was originally built in 1804 as a simple four-room adobe structure. Over time, it was expanded with additional rooms and a second story, eventually growing into a large farmhouse. It includes a living room with a billiard table, a dining room, a Christmas room, bedrooms, servants' quarters, and more. The interior has been preserved exactly as it was when the Bixby family lived there from 1878 to 1968. 🎱🏠✨ Before becoming a ranch, this land was used as nomadic grounds by the indigenous Tongva tribe. After the Spanish occupation of California, it became part of the Los Coyotes Ranch, owned by Juan Jose Nieto. In 1833, it was transferred to then-Governor Jose Figueroa, and in 1842, it was sold to Abel Stearns. 🧭🌍 Stearns was orphaned at 12 and sailed on merchant ships along South American routes—he even traveled to China! When his ship docked in California, he decided to settle there. He made a fortune trading cattle and eventually purchased the ranch. Due to natural disasters, Stearns could no longer maintain the property by 1865. After passing through several owners, the ranch was finally bought by carpenter John Bixby in 1878. After John's death, his children divided the approximately 106-square-kilometer ranch. His son Fred Bixby inherited the 3,600-acre (15 km²) portion that included the Ranch House. 🐄💼 The Bixby family initially operated the ranch by raising cattle, producing dairy, and growing sugar beets. After oil was discovered in 1921, it brought even greater wealth to the family. Fred was the last private owner of the ranch. During his lifetime, he donated much of the land to the city for urban development. The remaining 7.5-acre ranch was donated by his children in 1968 and is now a public museum. The museum offers 45-minute free guided tours that take visitors inside the Ranch House (though photography is not allowed). The farm still keeps horses, sheep, chickens, ducks, and other animals today! 🐓🐏🐴 Besides the historic buildings, the ranch also features multiple beautiful gardens, allowing visitors to fully experience what farm life was like 200 years ago. 🌿🌼🧺 #WeekendGetaway #EscapeTheCity #LosAngeles