Larry Strawther In mid November the History Press will publish my new (and first) book, A Brief History of Los Alamitos & Rossmoor. I’m very proud of this work – and not just because some of it is accurate. Anyway, I’ve shamelessly listed 10 reasons why you should think about buying this book when it goes on … Read more
After the Sugar Company moved its refining operations down to the Santa Ana Sugar plant, the factory buildings were home to diverse enterprises. Dr. Ross Pet food was probably the best known, but the factory was also used by Douglas Aircraft, and the warehouse was used to store cotton. One of the more interesting ventures … Read more
CITY GARDEN ACRES, April 30—Funeral services for Mrs. Mary Bower were held at St. Isabel [Isadore?] Church Tueasday afternoon. Interment was at Central Park Memorial. Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Sjostrom spent Sunday in Pasadena, with Mrs. Sjostrom’s aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Furniss. Mr. and Mrs. E.J. Donnell of San Bernardino, spent the … Read more
Eunice Labourdette came to Los Alamitos in 1898 when she married Pete Labourdette, a saloon-owner and winemaker. The Labourdettes had one son and four daughters, who married into the Poe, and Sjostrom familes of Los Alamitos. Press-Telegram, April 14, 1950 Labourdette (Los Alamitos) Eunice D. Labourdette, 78, of 3242 Cerritos died Wednesday in a local … Read more
This obituary ran in the Long Beach Press, January 2, 1915 Death date not given. Born in Vermont Nov. 16, 1851.Married Miss Emma Hall of Barton, Vt., in 1877 and they came to California 20 years ago, living in Los Alamitos for 17 years. He worked for the Los Alamitos Sugar company, becoming sales manager … Read more
LOS ALAMITOS, March 6 —The regular meeting of the Woman’s Club was held at the Church Wednesday, presided over by Mrs. P.R. Campbell, Vice-President. An amendment to the Constitution, providing that there should be no meetings of the club during July and August was passed. The hosteses of the day were Mesdames Bloomquist and Condra, … Read more
Founded in 1897, Laurel School was the only School in the Los Alamitos Community until 1958 when Rossmoor School was opened. This is the staff photo from the 1951 Laurel School photobook. We have all the faculty and principal names, but a few custodians and admin staff remain unknown, We’re sure someone out there can … Read more
In 1938, even before the war in Europe and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Congress had authorized the construction of new naval aviation training facilities and Navy leaders began looking around for a new flat spot for their reserve base. The UnderSecretary of the Navy at this time James Forrestal, who was … Read more
The beginning of the end of the Los Alamitos Sugar Factory began with the release of a report by Orange County officials detailing all the potential hazards of the abandoned facility. With all the negatives laid out, and the place being labeled a “death trap,” the absentee landlord (he apparently lived in Pasadena) had no … Read more
Hugh T. O’Connor is a name that pops up frequently in any study of the City of Los Alamitos from 1900 to 1940. He was first heard from while a store clerk in town for Felts Co., which was the general store in town. He then invested in his own store which was located on … Read more