ORANGE COUNTY ALMANAC : La Palma’s Rancho Roots
La Palma traces its history to 1784 and the Spanish land grant of Manuel Perez Nieto.
In 1834, the vast Nieto rancho was divided into five sections by his heirs, with the portion that is now La Palma designated as Rancho Los Coyotes. It was sold to Massachusetts businessman Abel Stearns, who developed the land into farming tracts.
Source: La Palma city clerk’s office
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