Category: California

Museums, historic locations, and other oddities in California.

Models of Mammoths in the La Brea Tar Pits

Rancho La Brea and The Tar Pits

Much of California was already claimed by Mexican citizens before the state joined the US—Los Angeles included and Rancho La Brea of particular note. Rancho La Brea was named after the natural asphalt that occurred that bubbled to the surface on the land. The 4,439-acres of land was granted by the Mexican government to Antonio Jose Rocha and Nemisio Dominguez…