Rancho Los Amigos
Join us on Friday, June 19, for the Conservancy's Zoom Q&A, People + Places: The Forgotten Story of Rancho Los Amigos.
Originally founded in 1888 as the County Poor Farm to provide work, housing and medical care for the County’s indigent population, the campus transitioned in the early 20th century into a hospital for the treatment of patients with chronic illnesses, including mental illness and diseases such as tuberculosis and polio.
A good history and period images can be found in KCET's story, "Ranch of the Friends: The Extraordinary Evolution of the L.A. County Poor Farm."
Renamed Rancho Los Amigos in 1932, the historic campus contains a mix of buildings, many in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, which housed staff, patients and a range of supporting services.
Determined eligible for listing in the National Register and listed in the California Register in the 1990s, the abandoned south campus is now in an advanced state of deterioration and has suffered from vandalism, arson fires, and exposure to the elements.