Preservation Preservation work first began at Rancho Los Cerritos when trained Civil Engineer Llewellyn Bixby II made the crucial decision to preserve the Bixby family’s adobe home with an innovative renovation and earthquake retrofit. Now, the preservation work continues…

Renovation of Two-Story Living Room & Other Rooms

The Rancho has been continuously occupied since it was built in 1844 which allows us to tell the personal stories of all the diverse people who have lived and worked here through each time period. The newly renovated rooms tell the story of life in the 1930s, how we lived, worked, and enjoyed life in pre-World War II Southern California. Pictured is the newly restored two-story living room which served as the heart of the home during this era. Once the room is reopened to the public, visitors will learn that Llewellyn Bixby II developed earthquake retrofit standards that are credited with saving the adobe home from the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake and would later be used in building codes throughout the State of California.

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Completed renovation of Two-Story Living Room

Fire Detection & Suppression System

Safeguarding the Rancho’s physical structure is of the utmost importance to ensure this National Historic Landmark is protected and accessible for future generations to experience and enjoy the history and beauty of Southern California. A generous gift from Stephen and Nancy Dudley has allowed for the design and installation of a fire detection system in 2022 as our first step in providing a full fire suppression system for the site.