P. ___ Tarride operated a saloon, winery and grocery in what would become the city of Los Alamitos. He is listed in the 1899-1900 City index published in the Orange County Directory. In late 1899/early 1900 the holdings were taken over by J. Pierre (Pete) LaBourdette, according to Walter Case, whose column “Did You Know That…?” ran in the “Long Beach Sun” from 1932-1943. Labourdette had property which was right on the county line, and the part that was in Los Angeles county (present Long Beach) was the site of his saloon.
When Orange County was formed from Los Angeles County in 1889, the dividing line was placed in the approximate middle of Coyote Creek, which at that time divided the two counties. We say approximate because much of the time, the creek was virtually dry for most of the year — at least on the surface. So straight lines were made to approximate the creek path. To protect the sugar factory from Coyote Creek’s frequent winter flooding, dirt levees were built, leaving Labourdette’s property southeast of the levee but still outside the legal boundaries of Los Alamitos.
Under Labourdette’s ownership the saloon would gain a dubious reputation as a hangout for clientele who were not exactly pillars of the community. And at times Labourdette himself would be suspected of murder — as pointed out by Long Beach historian Claudine Burnette in her book, Murderous Intent? Long Beach – 1880′s to 1920.