Early History of Norwalk
Norwalk is a city located in Los Angeles County in Southern California. The city was incorporated in 1957 and is estimated to have a population of at least 106,000. Its surrounding cities include Downey, La Mirada, Buena Park, Cerritos, Bellflower, and Santa Fe Springs. Norwalk was originally founded in the 1760s on land under Spanish rule and was populated with settlers and missions. Norwalk was part of Rancho Los Nietos, a Spanish land grant given to the Spanish soldier, Manuel Nieto. The property is historically known as one of the first and largest pieces of Spanish land in the early days of California. Rancho Los Nietos was eventually divided into six smaller ranchos that comprises most of modern-day Los Angeles and Orange County cities.
The Partition of Rancho Los Nietos
The six smaller ranchos include Rancho Los Alamitos, which covers present day eastern Long Beach, Rossmoor, Los Alamitos, Cypress, Stanton, Seal Beach, and Garden Grove. Rancho Las Bolsas include the cities of Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Fountain Valley, Westminster, as well as the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. Rancho Los Cerritos includes cities such as Cerritos and Long Beach, whereas Rancho Los Coyotes includes Cerritos, La Mirada, and Buena Park. Rancho San Gertrudes includes the LA County cities of Downey and Santa Fe Springs. The sixth and last of the ranchos, Rancho Palo Alto is the smallest of the partitions. Rancho Palo Alto includes the Coyote Hills and the Arroyo de los Coyotes, but for the most part, remains unknown in size.
How Norwalk Gained Its Name
Most of the families that first populated Norwalk eventually become dairy farmers or sugar beet farmers. Norwalk gets its name from when the Anaheim Branch Railroad crossed the “North Walk” for the first time in history. The name Norwalk was recorded as part of the historical event. Norwalk is still a significant area for trains and public transit. The city is known for its Metrolink transit station where commuters can travel all over Los Angeles County and Orange County regions.
Today, modern day Norwalk is known as the home of the Los Angeles County Registrar and Recorder office. The Registrar’s office is responsible for the the region’s voter registration, voter files in the federal, state, and local elections. The Recorder office is specifically in charge of legal documents that determine property ownership, as well as birth certificates, and marriage and death certificates Norwalk also has many local government establishments such as the Southeast District of the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
The D.D. Johnston-Hargitt House Museum
Norwalk is also known to be the home of the historical D.D. Johnston-Hargitt House Museum. The home belonged to the D.D. Johnston family, one of the first families to settle in the Norwalk region in the 1800s. The historical home was built in 1891 and is a marker of the era’s unique style of architecture called the Eastlake Movement. This American style of architecture, named after British architect and furniture crafter Charles Eastlake, featured the use of elements such as spindles, intricate wood details in ornamentation, and oversized porch posts. Johnston helped create the first industry in the city, a dairy factory that later influenced and shaped Norwalk to become an established dairy center. Today, the D.D. Johnston-Hargitt Home is a nationally-registered landmark and houses many of the family’s heirlooms and memorabilia of the time.
To read more about Norwalk, visit Title Loans Norwalk’s page on the city’s activities and history. If you’re in need of quick cash, Title Loans Norwalk can help you get the loan you need in record time. Give us a call today at (626) 465-7418 and get your loan approved today in just 15 minutes!