Rancho Los Alamitos celebrates Disability Pride Month and strives to make our 7 1/2 acre site as accessible as possible. Wheelchairs and accessible route maps are available for all guests. | | A copy of our "No Stairs" map is available in the Visitor Center. | | Join us at Rancho Los Alamitos to immerse yourself in the world of vintage jewelry. While enjoying light refreshments, learn about the jewelry belonging to the last ranching residents of Rancho Los Alamitos (c.1920-1950). Learn what to look for when collecting vintage jewelry. Reserve time in advance to have your own vintage jewelry evaluated by a licensed jewelry appraiser. Browse the creations of local jewelry artisans and purchase pieces that may one day become cherished heirlooms for your own family. | | |
Program Timeline for General Admission:
- 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Check out jewelry artisans, tour the house, and enjoy refreshments. Arrive any time during this time frame.
- Local jewelry artisans: Scin Jewelry, Tesoro Handmade, Lisette Thierry, Jivita Jewelry, Lynn Lane, Lazaro Arvizu Jr., and more!
- 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM: Diane Caldwell Chesler’s presentation on vintage jewelry
Add-on Offering:
- 15-minute verbal evaluation of personal jewelry with Diane Caldwell Chesler GIA GG, CM
One-on-one limited appointments with Diane Caldwell Chesler are available to book at the link above. For an additional fee of $20, these 15-minute sessions involve a verbal evaluation of one personal jewelry piece. This is not an appraisal. Evaluation sessions must be booked in advance. Select an appointment time when purchasing a general event ticket.
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Grab your lawn chairs or blankets and pack a picnic dinner! Join us for a night with family and friends amid our lush historic grounds. We're excited to announce that jazz fusion band, Krooked Fingerz, will perform on Sunday, August 24.
Free parking for each concert is at CSULB Lot G13, located on the corner of Atherton Street and Palo Verde Ave. We will have a free shuttle service running up to and from the Rancho. We will not have on-site parking at the Rancho. Doors open and the shuttle service begins at 4:30 pm, and the event will end at 7:00 pm. We will stop the shuttle service from the Lot G13 at 6:30 pm. When the event concludes, we will have the shuttle running continuously from the Rancho back to the parking lot.
RSVP's are required. We can't wait to see you!
| | Cover Image by Millicent Harvey Photography | | |
There are many untold stories in our built environment. This talk is based on the new book, California Eden: Heritage Landscapes of the Golden State, co-edited by Dr. Christine Edstrom O'Hara and Susan Chamberlin. The speaker, Dr. O’Hara, will look at the history of the state through the lens of cultural landscapes, in other words, landscapes that have been shaped by humans who have left their imprints on the natural world. The talk will examine how the California landscape was transformed by the Indigenous peoples, Spanish colonizers, settlers, nurserymen and women, among others, based on essays in the book. From the estate Green Gables, to Cypress Lawn Cemetery in San Mateo County, to the Japanese American gardens of San Diego, the essays speak to design as well as the challenges of historic preservation of these-often ephemeral places.
Doors will open at 5:30 PM, and the lecture will start at 6:00 PM. Details are subject to change.
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Thursday, August 14th, 1:30 PM - 4:00 PM
LAST ONE OF THE SEASON!
Free admission; no reservations required.
Families are invited to get creative at Rancho Los Alamitos! Drop in for a craft project and join in on storytelling. Crafts and stories are inspired by the environment around the Rancho.
All ages are welcome, while supplies last.
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Member Happy Hour: Sunday, August 24th, 4:30-5:15 PM
Join us in the Secret Garden prior to the August Summer Concert for a drink and a bite!
RSVP here
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Joanne Tajima joined the RLA volunteer team after retiring from a long teaching career, and has been a steady school field trip docent for ten years. Joanne also volunteers in the museum store, and on the docent, hospitality, and community outreach teams.
After a tour back in 2015, Joanne was overtaken by the beauty of the property and felt transferred to another world. She wanted to be a part of the Rancho and share it with others, and, indeed, one of her favorite aspects about volunteering here is sharing the colorful California history, especially the indigenous (Tongva) history and their influences today.
Joanne has made lifelong friends at the Rancho, and aside from spending time with them, she loves traveling with her husband and babysitting her grandchildren.
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Primal Alchemy, in partnership with Rancho Los Alamitos & Rancho Los Cerritos, in honor of the foods and celebrations of Indigenous Peoples of this Land, present the Native American Feast Summer Full Moon Series.
Featuring foods and preparations utilized in the regional celebrations of the summer moons. Multi-course dinner served family style. Wine and beer available for purchase.
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- $175 per ticket / $330 for both dinner events
- $1,650 for a table of 10 / $3,200 for a table of 10 for both dinner events
A portion of the proceeds benefit both Ranchos.
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Did you know that August is “National Make a Will Month”?
It’s the perfect time to be reminded of the importance of drafting or updating your will to ensure your final wishes are executed as you intended. Thankfully, this does not need to be a lengthy or costly project. Rancho Los Alamitos has the resources to help you get started.
Learn more about creating a will
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The Mission of Rancho Los Alamitos Historic Ranch & Gardens: Educating and engaging visitors by sharing our rich history, compelling stories, and authentic connections to California's past.
We are open Wednesday - Sunday, 1:00 - 5:00 PM. Free Admission.
Located within the gated community of Bixby Hill, accessed via the guard gate at Anaheim Rd. & Palo Verde Ave.
| | Rancho Los Alamitos is located on the ancestral and unceded land of the Tongva/Gabrielino people, who cared for this land for thousands of years and continue to do so today. The Rancho sits atop the village of Puvuun’nga - “the gathering place” - the sacred site of creation for the Tongva/Gabrielino peoples. Learn more by visiting gabrielinotribe.org. | | | | |
