Rancho Dominguez Adobe

 

We went down on a Saturday afternoon and were surprised by how close this landmark was to Los Angeles. It's less than an hour away, but has so much rich, California history to it. Once we arrived, we started to explore the lush and well manicured property. Walking around such a tranquil environment, it was hard to imagine the lawns littered with campsites and soldiers prepping for battle.

 

As the Claretain Order still oversees the overall property, there are areas that are off limits to tourists and visitors. Beyond that, we were free to roam around and examine the different foliage that adds colors and texture to the landscape. We discovered that Manuel had quite the greenthumb and brought many new species of plants and flowers to his garden. Some of the priests have said they've possibly seen Manuel still walking through his gardens to this day.