September 18, 1941 – Ten Arrested in big Seal Beach Gambling Raid behind Garden of Allah

A big event which actually had quite an effect on Seal Beach was a September 18, 1941 gambling raid which resulted in the arrest of at least ten men and the detainment of over eighty customers.  Orange County sheriff’s deputies used a sledge hammer to break into a gambling den (behind a facade made to … Read more

Jacob Stern, owner of City Garden Acres (Apartment Row)

Anyone who looks at Los Alamitos property maps around 1920 comes across the name “J. Stern and Sons” as owners of the land of what is now called Apartment Row. After emigrating from Germany, Stern partnered with a cousin, __ Goodman, to start a small store, Stern & Goodman, in Fullerton. From there the pair … Read more

OBIT: Henry E. Lucas Funeral Held; Veteran Resident of Area

This ran in the Long Beach Press-Telegram on Jan. 13, 1960.  Henryu Lucas was one of the very first employees of the Los Alamitos Sugar Factory and he ascted as a watchman at the plant through the company’s final days.  After it was sold, he continued as the plant’s watchman for the new owners, at … Read more

OBIT: Eunice D. Labourdette (1872-1950), 52-year resident of Los Alamitos

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

OBIT: Alfred W. Jones (1851-Dec. 1914), longtime sugar factory sales manager, ambassador

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

OBIT: Alfred W. Jones (1851-Dec. 1914), longtime sugar factory sales manager, ambassador

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

Early Los Alamitos Recollections (1898-1904): Nellie Butterfield

Nellie Butterfield and her brother Harry left two of the earliest first person remembrances of life in early Los Alamitos.  While some details differ4 (Nellie says the family came in 1898, Harry says it was 1897 and Harry is probably right) overall, they provide a consistent record of how things were in the young town.   … Read more

BIO: Elmer Orval Hooker

HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY – Samuel Armour (1920) Biographies ELMER ORVAL HOOKER. — Prominent among the interesting pioneers of Orange County who have contributed something worth while toward the development of the section in which they have lived and toiled, must be mentioned Mr. and Mrs. Elmer O. Hooker, identified in an enviable way with … Read more

obit – Death Takes Clark J. Bonner, Sr.

Clark J. Bonner was a nephew of William A. Clark and J. Ross Clark, the builders of the Los Alamitos Sugar Factory.  When J. Ross Clark died in 1927, Bonner who had been a successful businessman in his own right, assumed control of J. Ross Clark’s financial interests.  He already controlled the financial interests of … Read more