Los Cerritos, Long Beach, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Los Cerritos, California
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|---|---|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County |  Los Angeles |
| City |  Long Beach |
Los Cerritos is a cool neighborhood in Long Beach, California. It's sometimes called Los Cerritos/Virginia Country Club. About 2,000 people live here in 700 homes. The neighborhood started in 1906. It's famous for its big, old houses. These homes have often been used in Hollywood movies and TV shows. In 2007, Los Cerritos was even a finalist in a national competition for "Neighborhood of the Year"!
Contents
Exploring Los Cerritos History
How the Neighborhood Began
Los Cerritos officially started on October 7, 1906. An area of about 330 acres was set aside for new homes. This land was next to the historic Los Cerritos Ranch House. Once streets were built, people started buying the lots to build their houses.
The Story of La Linda Drive
In 1920, an oilman named Thomas Gilchrist bought 10 acres of land. He created a new development called La Linda. This name means "the pretty" in Spanish. La Linda Drive is now one of Long Beach's oldest gated communities. Many of the newer homes built there are quite large.
Famous Architects and Homes
Many famous architects have designed homes in Los Cerritos. For example, in 1929, Kirtland Cutter designed three award-winning houses here. Until 1961, a train line called the Pacific Electric Long Beach Line served the neighborhood.
Amazing Architecture in Los Cerritos
Los Cerritos is home to many unique houses. They were designed by well-known architects. Here are some of them:
- Edward Killingsworth designed his own family home here.
- Greene and Greene created the Jennie A. Reeve House.
- Kirtland Cutter designed the Clock House. This house was built for John Clock, who was president of the United States Golf Association.
- Kirtland Cutter also designed Casa el Sueño.
- Coxhead and Coxhead helped rebuild the Bixby Ranch House on La Linda Drive.
- Other architects include Charles T. McGrew and Sons, Paul Tay, Hugh Gibbs, George Montierth, Kurt Meyer, and Clarence Aldrich.
- Clarence Aldrich designed the Leonie Pray House.
Los Cerritos on the Big Screen
Many homes in Los Cerritos have become movie stars!
- In 1985, a house on Country Club Drive was used as the Bueller family home in the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
- This same house also appeared in Not Another Teen Movie (2001) and Red Dragon (2002). It was even in a Cheerios commercial!
- In 1998, two houses on Cedar Avenue were used in the teen comedy American Pie.
- In August 2000, another home on Country Club Drive was used for the movie Donnie Darko.
Gallery
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Los Cerritos Ranch House after restoration. Photo by Daniel Cathcart, March 8, 1934.
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The Leonie Pray House, built in 1927. It appears in Not Another Teen Movie, Weird Science, and Donnie Darko.
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Northeast view of the Los Cerritos house used in the 1986 comedy film Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
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This house appears in American Pie and American Pie 2.
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This house also appears in American Pie.
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This house appears in the film Donnie Darko and an episode of Joan of Arcadia.
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Jennie A. Reeve House, an American Craftsman style home.
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Bixby Ranch House/Harbottle Residence.
