October 1905 – Blind Pigs, Sunken Beverages

A “Blind Pig” was an old slang term for a dive (or lower-class drinking establishment if you will) that sold alcoholic beverages illegally.  The operator such as a saloon or bar would charge customers to see an attraction (such as a “blind pig”) and then serve a “complimentary” alcoholic beverage, thus circumventing the various laws … Read more

DEC 1916 – MAY 1917 – Many improvements to Los Alamitos Sugar Factory and town

Los Alamitos sugar factory General Manager E.C. Hamilton, who assumed control of the factory in 1914, continued to update and modernize the Los Alamitos factory and the town seem to get into the act as well.   The war in Europe no doubt had some affect on the price of beets and its availability.  Government quotas … Read more

August 1903 — Exciting Cattle Drive From Los Angeles County Foothills to Los Alamitos

printed in LA Times, August 11, 1903 and Covina Argus, Saturday, August 15 In these days when the fertile valleys of Southern California are cut up into small holdings and the large ranches are fast disappearing, the casual observer is apt to think that the business of cattle raising in Los Angeles County is a … Read more

Local Mythbusting: Was the Rossmoor Wall built from the bricks of the demolished Los Alamitos Sugar Factory?

One of the most persistent local myths is that the original wall surrounding Rossmoor was built from the bricks of the demolished Los Alamitos Sugar Factory. While a nice story with some pleasant symmetry, this, unfortunately, seems to be untrue.  The wall was built by Ross Cortese’s Frematic Development Company in 1956 and 1957 during … Read more

1910 – Dec. 10 – Los Alamitos Sugar Factory Barbecue

Local oldtimers have cited that the Los Alamitos Sugar Factory would kick off its annual campaign — the opening of the factory to take in the just-harvested sugar beet crop — with a big barbecue picnic and celebration.  This would usually occur in mid July to early August, depending on that year’s crop.  But the … Read more

Then and Now: Dutch Haven

Dutch Haven was the first Los Alamitos subdivision built after Rossmoor went in across Los Alamitos Boulevard.  I’m not sure if it was the same developer, but previously another Dutch Haven subdivision was built in the La Palma area (see photo to right) — which of course was populated by many dairy farmers of Dutch … Read more