Los Cerritos (sometimes called Los Cerritos/Virginia Country Club) is a neighborhood with approximately 700 homes and 2,000 residents located within the Bixby Knolls neighborhood of Long Beach, California. Established in 1906, the Los Cerritos neighborhood has been used by the film industry of Hollywood with its historic, estate-sized homes. It was one of three finalists in the 2007 Neighborhood of the Year national competition.
History On October 7, 1906, surrounding Rancho Los Cerritos were designated as the Los Cerritos subdivision.Then & Now, Los Cerritos Neighborhood Centennial October 7, 2006. Accessed March 16, 2008. Once streets were cut out into the designed tract, the lots began to sell.
In 1920, Thomas Gilcrease purchased along La Linda Drive and in 1922 subdivided them into a development called La Linda, Spanish for "the pretty." In 1929, 20th century architect Kirtland Cutter designed three award-winning homes in the Los Cerritos Neighborhood.Lachnit, Carroll. (May 2, 1999) Long Beach Press-Telegram Spotlighting Cutter's California Style Architecture. Section: Lifestyle; Page J3.
Until 1961, the neighborhood was served by the Pacific Electric Long Beach Line.
Now one of Long Beach's oldest gated communities, the residential make-up of La Linda has changed. Many of the newer homes are larger.Gonzaga, Samantha. (August 10, 2007) Long Beach Press-Telegram Are our houses getting too big? Section: News; page 4A.
In 2007, Los Cerritos Neighborhood was one of three finalists in Neighborhood USA's Neighborhood of the Year national competition in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.City of Long Beach press release.
Architecture
Movies and television In 1985, a home on Country Club DriveCountry Club Dr, Long Beach in the Los Cerritos neighborhood was used as the Bueller family home in the 1986 comedy film Ferris Bueller's Day OffGrobary, Tim. (November 27, 2001) Long Beach Press-Telegram What's up: A month to remember. Section: Local News. Page A1.Grobaty, Tim. (February 21, 2003) Long Beach Press-Telegram What's Up:Filmers stay for the Pie. Section: Locan news. Page A2. and subsequently used in the 2001 comedy film Not Another Teen Movie, the 2002 thriller film Red Dragon, and in a Cheerios commercial. In 1998, two homes on Cedar Avenue in the Los Cerritos neighborhood were used in the 1999 teen comedy film American Pie.Grobaty, Tim. (March 6, 2001) Long Beach Press-Telegram What's Up: L.B. Gets a Big Slab of Pie. Section: Locan news, page A2.Grobaty, Tim. (March 8, 2004) Long Beach Press-Telegram What's Up: Is your pad a movie house? Section: News, page A2.Grobaty, Tim. (May 9, 2006) Long Beach Press-Telegram What's Hot! Showtime for your house? Section News, Page A2. In August 2000, another home on Country Club Drive was used as the fictional home for the teenager Donnie Darko in the 2001 drama/psychological thriller/science fiction film Donnie Darko.
Gallery
See also
Daugherty Field Rancho Los Cerritos Neighborhoods of Long Beach, California
Notes
References Andriesse, (Summer 1987) "Los Cerritos: The Development of a Neighborhood," The Branded Word (newsletter of the Rancho Los Cerritos Historic Site). Knatz, Geraldine. (2004) History of the Los Cerritos neighborhood. (as noted in Preservation Honored.) Fugami, Caryn. (October 19, 2005) Long Beach Press-Telegram Morrison: Jewel of L.B. Section: News; page A12.
External links Los Cerritos Neighborhood homes used in noted films.