The Peterson Farm House

Back in the early 1900s

In 2007 after restoration

Visit The Official website

The historical Peterson Farm House is a symbol of early life in Bell Gardens. A century ago, in 1906, there was a traumatic earthquake in San Francisco. It was in this same year that George Peterson, having made the journey to America earlier, in 1887, and his wife Anna Marie (Mary), like George, a Danish immigrant, moved their two sons, Walter, age nine, and five year old Clarence, into a new two story home on a 32 acre farm which stretched from what is now 7535 Perry Road to Jaboneria Road.

The house remains sturdy with its extra wide and thick lumber for its outside walls, rough saw marks of the original log mill slicing, are still visible.

George had been a miller in Denmark where he lived near the German border. Arriving here fluent in German and Danish, he would not speak English for some time. Nevertheless, George would later become one of the trustees of his local school board.

Earning and saving from 12 hour night shifts at a flour mill, in 1900 , George was able to lease 310 acres of farm land, as part of the Bandini Spanish Land Grant, from Arcadia B. de Baker. He was to cultivate, according to the lease, "said premises in a good, farm-like manner" and sow and harvest corn, wheat, oats or barley." He would grow these and later, alfalfa, to feed the local transportation animals.

With their earnings from the leased land, George and Mary bought a 32 acre farm from Maggie Rya, moving their home from Jaboneria Road (just north of John Barbarena's) to a location just behind that where the two story house was to be built at the current Perry Road address. The smaller house, no longer there, would eventually be used as a bunk house for hired farm workers for whom the sleight Mary Peterson would provide hardy meals during harvest times.

Those were the days. There were but a handful of families scattered about the area. The joys of the land and simple living were many. But life was never easy. Frequent devastating floods from the Los Angeles and Rio Hondo rivers were a constant threat. Whether it was to school or to relatives in 'town, " travel was slow, and distances were great.

Foster Bridge Boulevard used to be called San Diego Road. It was a main "thoroughfare" that crossed the bridge. Over the Rio Hondo river, winding through Downey, going down to the coast, along the ocean, and then, on to San Diego.

The Bell Gardens population grew slowly, staying below six hundred people into the 1930s, as they say, the rest is history.

The house has been preserved in good condition by the Peterson Foundation The El Rancho San Antonio Historical Society of Bell Gardens.

Originally incorporated in Bell Gardens in 1960 by a group of concerned citizens, the society today is proud to receive the donation of the Peterson farm House. The goals of the society are to preserve and share and educate on the rich and interesting history of Bell Gardens life.

Info Courtesy of: Bell Gardens Chamber of Commerce