Occupying the heart of the historic Rancho Santa Anita, The Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden is a unique 127 acre historical museum and botanic garden located in the city of Arcadia. Home to plant collections from all over the world, including many rare and endangered species, the Arboretum also houses outdoor historical landmarks representative of the major phases of California history. The Arboretum is also an animal sanctuary. In addition to The Arboretum’s famous peafowl, visitors will see species of resident and migratory birds, aquatic creatures, as

well as numerous species of small reptiles and mammals.

With Spring in full effect I decided to check this botanical heaven out and commune with nature for a while.  It was a wonderful blend of Historic California and the natural beauty of the world.  The site's modern history began in 1875 when Elias Jackson "Lucky" Baldwin purchased Rancho Santa Anita and constructed its buildings and grounds. The arboretum itself began in 1947 with California and Los Angeles jointly purchasing 111 to create an arboretum around the Baldwin site. By 1949, the first greenhouse had been constructed and the site's plants inventoried. In 1951, the first 1,000 trees were planted, and in 1956 the arboretum was opened to the public. Ongoing construction of ggardens and greenhouses took place during the 1950s and 1960s, and in 1975-1976 the Tropical Greenhouse was opened and the Prehistoric and Jungle Garden completed. Construction and renovation of both greenhouses and gardens has continued to this day. Numerous movies were filmed at the arboretum including portions of two Jurassic Park movies and Anaconda. The arboretum's plants are grouped by geography with gardens for South American, Mediterranean, South African, Australian and Asiatic-North American plants. Other displays include the Aquatic Garden, Meadowbrook, Demonstration Home Gardens, Garden for All Seasons, Prehistoric and Jungle Garden, Native Oaks, Herb Garden, and the Palm and Bamboo collection. In addition, the arboretum is home to a flock of some 200 peafowl, which are descendants of original birds imported by Baldwin from India in about 1880 (the peafowl is a symbol of the city of Arcadia). Peafowl can also be found throughout neighborhoods surrounding the arboretum.

There is tram ride for an additional $3 to take you around the 2 mile highway.  But I decided to walk the entire thing visiting the various georgraphical locations.  Near the end of my walking tour I came across some of the original historic sites pertaining to pre-historic times and the Baldwin time. The first was the Baldwin Coach House.  Lucky Baldwin housed his private carriages plus those of his guests in this opulent barn. Baldwin's stylish "Tally Ho" carriage, purchased at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876, is today on display in the west room. Generous stall space was provided for carriage horses, and convenient hay and grain chutes were fed directly from the loft above. The Victorian dog house just outside the Coach Barn once sheltered bull mastiffs, Lucky Baldwin's ranch guard dogs. Next was the Queen Anne Cottage.  The Queen Anne Cottage used in the opening scenes of the TV show Fantasy Island is located here. The house also was used in an episode of Murder, She Wrote.

Lucky Baldwin's Queen Anne Cottage was built in 1885-86 as a honeymoon gift for his fourth wife, 16-year-old Lillie Bennett. This marriage did not last and it was soon converted by Baldwin into a memorial to his third wife, Jennie Dexter, who had died in 1881. A stained glass portrait of Jennie can be seen on the front door. The Baldwin cottage (the designation "Queen Anne" was added in later years in reference to its architectural style) was the Santa Anita Ranch guest house. Friends, relatives, and business associates of Lucky Baldwin, including stars from the Baldwin Theater in San Francisco, partook of ranch hospitality until E.J.’s death in 1909. Cooking, dining facilities, and Baldwin's personal quarters were located in a modernized eight-room version of the old adobe house found on the property at the time of purchase (1875). The stained glass windows, marble fireplaces, and black walnut doors are all original features of the cottage as are the bathroom fixtures and the exterior marble walkway. Both the Coach Barn and the Queen Anne Cottage are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The next stop along my walking tour was the Tongva Village and 1840 Adobe House replication of California’s History.  The earliest known residents of what is now The Arboretum were the Native American group known as the Tongva. The village known as Aleupkigna or "the place of many waters" was located near the ponds to take advantage of the abundant water, food, and materials for clothing and shelter. The Tongva slept in brush shelters such as these, constructed of willow poles and thatched with layers of tule reeds. Rabbit skin mats provided bedding and small fires kept the occupants warm. 

One of the most populous and powerful groups in Southern California, the Tongva were skilled hunters and gatherers surviving off of small animals, acorns, and other seeds and fruit. They had no pottery, but were very skilled basket weavers. Although they did not plant crops, use iron tools, and had no cattle or horses until the arrival of the Spanish, the Tongva were among the few New World peoples who regularly navigated the ocean in plank canoes.

My last stop was the Hugo Reid Adobe House. Hugo Reid, a Scottish adventurer and naturalized Mexican citizen, was the first private owner of the 13,319 acre Rancho Santa Anita. Reid, married to a Tongva/Gabrielino woman Bartolomea de Comcrabit (also known as Victoria), constructed the first permanent building on Rancho Santa Anita. This California Landmark was constructed in 1840 with the help of Tongva/Gabrielino laborers and was representative of a building style then common in Southern California. It was built of sun-dried adobe blocks made by mixing clay soil, water, and a straw binder. The roof was made of rawhide-lashed carrizo cane smeared with brea (tar) and the walls were white-washed. Open fire pits (braziers) provided heat for each room. Lighting sources included candles and whale oil lamps. Most of the cooking for the Reid family was done in the outdoor courtyard at the adobe stove and oven. Much of what is known today about the Tongva people is because of Hugo Reid’s writings. Reid documented the Tongva/Gabrielino lifestyle utilizing what he learned form his wife and her family. Just before his death in 1852, Reid produced a series of 22 “Letters” each telling a chapter in the store of the native people. These “Letters” would be printed by the local Los Angeles Star newspaper at the time, and they are used even today as the Tongva attempt to reestablish their cultural identity.

After several hours of walking through the two mile trail I was back near the entrance/exit where I had lunch since I had worked up quite and appetite.   The Peacock Café is the only place on the grounds to purchase food which sells wraps, salads, beverages and other items.  Outside food is not allowed inside the grounds.

To be transported in time and place I would highly recommend the Arboretum of Los Angeles County. It is hard to believe that this oasis is surrounded by such a metropolis as you step back in time to Historic California and surround yourself with botany from around the world.