Loading ...
The School News asked all the schools to submit a few paragraphs on the history and meaning behind the name of the school. What a great topic for Los Cerritos! So here’s what we submitted…
What’s in a name? You might be surprised!
With a truly rich history and roots that go back much farther than even the Spanish and Early Mexican era, Los Cerritos surely takes it’s name from the beginning of those ranching times. Manuel Nieto was granted 300,000 acres in 1784 and they called a section of those lands the Rancho Los Cerritos or Ranch of the Little Hills. Nieto’s daughter received the 27,000 acre ranch and had a good life with her family, cattle and crops.
The Rancho Los Cerritos still maintains the Monterey-style adobe built by Temple in 1844 as his cattle business headquarters. The business of the ranch went from cattle to sheep with the Bixby’s and the adobe became a bustling residence for the large family.
Native Americans lived on the lands as early as 2000-3000 BC. We know more about the Tongva who were there until 1769. Then the Spanish settle, the Missions, Mexican rule, California becomes a U.S. territory. All this history and terroire starts to make sense around 4th grade! And boy does our 4th grade squeeze the most out of every drop of that amazing past. They put together a “Rancho Days” event that made several folks a little misty when describing how great a Day it was! From old-fashioned games & butter churning to steer roping contests & square dancing, a fine time was had by all. The kids could even be seen (square) dancing around school for weeks!
What a lucky group of students we have. They can walk to the Rancho Los Cerritos, the newly created Dominguez Gap wetlands, our Dana Branch Library. They absorb the history from the ground the school is built on every day when they walk through the orchards. The past fills them as they put their hands in the dirt working the little farm on campus. They feel the pride of those who lived off these lands many years ago when they grow and prepare their own food, from their own gardens. The ambiance and history, families, staff and community are what is in the name, Los Cerritos Elementary. It just sings.
Filed under: 
