The Great Halloween Train Wreck of 1974
Fifty-one years ago, on Halloween night in 1974, La Mirada residents experienced an unforgettable disaster. As children went door to door trick-or-treating, a Santa Fe freight train derailed—sending tankers crashing and erupting into flames near the neighborhoods of Bluefield, Stage, Lorca, San Ardo, Jalon, and...
A Neighborhood Affair: La Mirada’s Early Independence Day Celebrations
Before the large annual fireworks event officially began at La Mirada Regional Park, there were many other hyperlocal Independence Day celebrations in the La Mirada area, like the Green Hills Parade of today. In the early 20th century, ranch hands at founder Andrew McNally’s Windermere...
Historic West Coast Home of La Mirada Founder Destroyed by Eaton Fire
By Mark Mutz On Wednesday, Jan 8th, 2025, the Andrew McNally House in Altadena was destroyed by the Eaton Fire (the Eaton Fire started on Tue, Jan 7th, at about 6:18 PM). The Andrew McNally House was the home of La Mirada-founder Andrew McNally (March 4th, 1836...
This Day in History: La Mirada Drive-In Opened 70 Years Ago
On November 5th, 1953 the La Mirada Drive-In Theatre opened with Wings of the Hawk and Golden Blade playing and forever established itself in La Mirada pop culture history that continues to this day. A dairy and orange orchard occupied the land that was purchased...
Fiesta de Artes-The Legendary La Mirada Festival of the Arts
A PORTRAIT OF THE LA MIRADA FIESTA de ARTES by Cathy Moses IN THE BEGINNING... It wasn't long after La Mirada became a city in 1960 that their celebration of the arts began. By that time the beautiful rolling hills studded with olive orchards of...
This Day in La Mirada History-Arlie F. Hutchinson
Arlie F. Hutchinson passed away this day October 24 in 1953. The Arlie F. Hutchinson Middle School (formerly Hutchinson Intermediate School), opened its doors September 21, 1956 and commemorates a La Mirada pioneer-an ordinary fellow-who nonetheless placed his mark in the annals of La Mirada...
The rediscovery of Andrew McNally’s Windermere Ranch olive crusher
Considered the Crown Jewel of La Mirada History Campo~Although the Dichiara family was based in La Mirada for only around 20 years, they will forever hold an integral part of its history. La Mirada city founder Andrew McNally created and built his olive oil empire,...
The History of Independence Day and Fireworks in La Mirada
Re-posted from 2013The 4th of July has been celebrated in La Mirada for over 120 of our Nation’s 237 years of existence. It could be longer; this is just what we have learned from documents found during research. In the late nineteenth century, ranch hands...
3rd Annual La Mirada Blog Fest to Showcase La Mirada Talent
A celebration of the La Mirada Community and its Heritage; Art Exhibit Added This Year; Last Year as Blog FestLa Mirada~The 3rd Annual La Mirada Blog Fest will take place Saturday August 18th, 2012 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at La Mirada Regional Park,...
One of a Kind History Book for La Mirada Scheduled for Release in 2013
Deadline to for entries extended to September 1st, 2012 La Miradans Glen Cantrell, Raymond Fernandez, Morgan Hurley and Tony Aiello are right now working on the first ever of its kind history book along with many, many La Mirada folks who Authors for new "real...