Rancho Los Alamitos

The Rancho Los Alamitos has attracted visitors for years, from the original Native American residents, to Manuel Nieto in the last 18th century who retired to the area after receiving 300,000 acres worth of the land in a land grant. Throughout the years the Rancho changed ownership, at one time being sold in part for less than two cents per acre. The last private owners of the ranc were Fred and Florence Bixby. Following Florence's death in 1961, the family donated the home, gardens, out buildings and furnishings to the City of Long Beach. Today, the home and rancho are a testament to Southern California history. It reflects the Native American culture, the gold rush, the discovery of oil, the transition from agrarian to urban culture and the World Wars. The rancho is open for tours Wednesday through Sunday in the afternoon. Visitors can tour the area for free and there is limited parking in the area on the everyday basis. Special events may diminish or eliminate parking availability. Visitors are encouraged to dress comfortably for their tours since they will be indoors and out. The rancho offers a variety of educational programs designed for children and adults featuring themes like agricultural and domestic demonstrations, Native American, Hispanic and Japanese history, landscape design and an annual Christmas program.