bio – 1984, Porfidia Franco de Lopez, 100 years old, 70-year resident of Los Alamitos

This was originally published Wednesday, October 31, 1984, News-Enterprise, Page 11, when the city was celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Rancho Los Alamitos [which was technically incorrect, since it was Ranchos Los Nietos which received a Spanish grant in 1784; Alamitos wasn’t formed until Nietos was divided in the 1830’s. But why let details … Read more

BIO: Karl V. Bennis – longtime Los Al Sugar Factory officer, Anza-Borrego Desert booster

One of the leading citizens of Los Alamitos in the first decades of this century Karl Vucassovich Bennis had a long history with the Los Alamitos Sugar Factory. Born in Maine in 1875, Bennis came to California in 1897, and settled in Orange County a few years later. Before coming to Los Alamitos he had … Read more

Huguette Clark – daughter of Los Alamitos founder, dies at 104

On May 24,  2011, Huguette Clark, one of the world’s richest women and subject of many TV reports last fall,  died at the age of 104. Worth over an estimated half billion dollars, she grew up in New York’s Gilded Age, among the Guggenheims, Astors, Rockefellers and Vanderbilts.  When she died, she hadn’t been seen … Read more

Bio: Michael F. Reagan

Michael Reagan was one of the earliest workers to come to the new town of Los Alamitos when it was formed in 1896.   After working to help build the factory he started drilling wells for water and soon took over operations of the town’s water company.  Main Street was later renamed for Reagan.    Reagan’s … Read more

Early Los Alamitos Recollections: Harry Butterfield

Harry Butterfield was one of Los Alamitos’ earliest residents.  He was born in Wilsonville, Nebraska and arrived with his family in 1897, while, the sugar factory was still under construction, and lived here about 7 years. [ref] GENEALOGY OF THE DESCENDANTS OF JOHN WHITE OF Wenham and Lancaster, MASSACHUSETTS. 1638- I90l, p. WILLIAM T. Butterfield … Read more

Obit: Perry Green (1895-1952), Los Alamitos realtor in 1920s, father of Lura Labourdette

This obituary is from the Long Beach Independent, May 15, 1952.  Perry Green came to Los Alamitos in the mid 1920s and became a local real estate agent.  Some Los Al histories list his name as “Rush” Green, but this obituary says Perry Green.  According to his daughter, Lura, one of the areas he promoted … Read more

OBIT: 1996 – Garland Stephens – early Rossmoor leader, attorney for Frank & Millie Vessels

This obituary below appeared in the North County Times (San Diego County), February 23, 2006.  Garland Stephens was a very involved personality in the Los Alamitos-Rossmoor area.  He apparently became more involved with the Race Track affairs after the death of Frank Vessels, Sr. in 1963.  He was very involved with the track during the … Read more

OBIT: “Los Alamitos had a treasure in Jim Bell” (OC Reg. Sep 4, 1998)

OBITUARY: With a high school diploma and determination, he helped built the city’s infrastructure — then was its first mayor. By ROBIN HINCH Orange County Register When Jim Bell moved his family to Farquhar Avenue in Los Alamitos in 1943, there was only one stop sign in town and only two paved roads — Los … Read more