Members of the Monterey Park Historical Society, the Historical Heritage Commission and the Recreation and Parks Department requested an approval from the Monterey Park City Council on August 5 to submit an application to the California Register of Historical Resources to designate the Garvey Ranch House as a historical resource.

The City Council approved their request to have an application submitted to have the Garvey Ranch House designated as a historical resource. They honored local resident Kathryn Foster, a member of the Historical Society and Historical Heritage Commission and biographer Tim Gregory who worked on the project of drafting the nomination paper work.

Richard Garvey Senior is often referred to as the founder of Monterey Park.  He purchased land in the late 1800s that ran along the hills from the present location of Monterey Park (Atlantic Blvd.) eastward to what is now the City of San Gabriel. He used this land as his home base and ran a successful barley and wheat growing enterprise and a stock raising operation. He was a founding member of the Garvey Grammar School District.

After his death in 1930, his son Richard Garvey Junior continued to develop his father’s Garvalia Ranch. He built a retreat at the current ranch house location with a private observatory. He died as a result of an automobile accident in 1948 in Baja California.

In 1952 the ranch house and the land now known as Garvey Ranch Park were deeded to the City of Monterey Park by Metropolitan Water District.  This is the last building standing that is associated with the Garvey family.

The Garvey Ranch House Museum located at 781 South Orange Avenue is opened to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 2 to 4 PM.  You are invited to step back into history.  Visit the museum and learn more about the Garvey family and early Monterey Park.

The Cascades Park and Jardin del Encanto complex is listed on the California Register of Historic Resources.