to
Update
is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population is 30,004 and its current mayor is Mary Su.
The city of Walnut obtained its name from the Rancho Los Nogales Mexican land grant, Nogales being the Spanish word for walnut. With exceptions to some busy intersections (such as near Mt. San Antonio College), the hilly and affluent city is considerably more relaxed in comparison to most nearby neighborhoods. The city is almost and is home to more than 32,000 people and 600 businesses. A large Sysco headquarters is located in the city.
The history of Walnut dates back to the Indians who were of Shoshone origin. They were called Gabrielino Indians by the Spaniards,who arrived here in the early 1800s, because they lived in an area controlled by the San Gabriel Mission. Walnut was primarily used for the grazing of cattle and sheep by the Mission.
The first Mexican land grants in the Walnut area were those of Rancho San Jose granted to Ricardo Vejar and Ygnacio Palomares in 1837; Rancho Los Nogales granted to Jose De La Cruz Linares in 1840; and Rancho La Puente granted to John Rowland and William Workman in 1842. In 1868, John Rowland and William Workman divided Rancho La Puente, leaving Rowland the eastern half and Workman the western half. Rowland’s land included the western portion of Walnut. The land was used for raising cattle and growing wheat, grapes, and fruit trees.
The City of Walnut’s Bicentennial Commission selected the construction of Lemon Creek Park and the restoration of the William R. Rowland Adobe Redwood Ranch House as Walnut’s bicentennial project. In 1871, the Lemon Creek Park area became the property of Sheriff William Rowland, who inherited the ranch from his father, John Rowland. The modest structure built in 1883, served as the home of Mr. Meridith, ranch foreman for William Rowland. The adobe redwood ranch house is one of the few remaining original ranch style redwood and adobe structures in the area. On October 1, 1975, the State Landmark Committee placed the W.R. Rowland ranch house in the National Registry of Historical Places.