Pio Pico State Historic Park

Coming to Pio Pico was a nice way to spend the day. The park itself is very nice. They’ve done a good job maintaining the grounds. The house itself is interesting. No docent led your for us, not sure if they offer them. The upstairs of the house is off limits but that’s probably because the floor may cave should a group be up there. I also loved the Camino Real bell they had on the property. I’ve heard the state has been wanting to shut this place down but I don’t understand why. It’s such a wonderful place.

I visited El Ranchito this weekend (Saturday, April 27, 2013) with my grandchildren. The history provided here is rich and so important during these times. Its important that we do not forget that California and other states were once Mexico. It was difficult anwswering my grandchildrens questions about immigration and pathway to citizenship when we were sitting in a museum reminding us that this land once belonged to Mexico. The most difficult question was why, if due to the State budget this museum is in danger of closing, is there no entrance fee? On Sunday we visited the LA County Arboretum, where the home of Lucky Baldwin is proudly exhibited and we had to pay to enter. Why is the home of the Mexican Governor not valued as highly as a gold digger who got lucky? Can anyone tell me? I would appreciate being able to explain this to my grandkids. (Pio Pico not only represents Mexicans but he was also of African descent).

I recently visited «Pio Pico State Historic Park». This was the 2^nd time that I had been there. The first time was over a decade ago. What an improvenent. Much time and money has been spent making this an enjoyable place to visit. You can see both the interior as well the exterior of his mansion. The grounds all by themselves are worth seeing. Don’t miss it if you are in the area.

There are very few museums in the Pico Rivera/​Whittier area that are still open. This museum is very beautiful and it offers a great way to learn a little bit about history. The surrounding rich-​green lawn makes this museum stand out from the I-​605 South Freeway and Whittier Blvd. Parking lot is pretty small but one could still find a parking spot nearby. The atmospehere here is pretty relaxing and impressive. Its a good place to come to learn more about the origins of this mansion or to have a nice stroll around this historic park.

This a really important historic landmark in California’s rich history as it is a portion of the original rancho of Pio Pico who was the last Governor of California when it was still part of Mexico. The adobe home and the grounds were recently renovated and are much more inviting than its past look. There is a very nice garden in the back of the house near the San Gabriel River. There are many informative displays in and around the house and you can tour it on your own or as part of a guided tour. There is no admission fee as of the time of this writing (November 6, 2011).
The park is open only now on Saturday and Sunday because of limited funds. In fact the park is slated to close on July 1, 2012, unless enough funding can be found to save it so please visit it while you can! The park hours are from 9:30−4 p.m. and the adobe is open from 10 – 3:30 p.m. The parking, while limited, is almost always available except when the park hosts special events when you can get shuttles from nearby locations to the park. You can find out more about any scheduled events and the park itself at the website

There is public transit to the park as well on Montebello Bus line 10 from the Atlantic Gold Line Station which runs seven days a week. [Note: to get to the park bus stop on bus 10, make sure you take the bus saying Whittwood Mall rather than Pico Rivera – otherwise you will you have to walk about a half a mile further east. There is no food available at the park (except during some events). However there is a nice restaurant on the other side of the San Gabriel River and on the opposite side of Whittier Blvd. called A Mi Hacienda. There are a number of other restaurants a couple of blocks or so further West on Whittier Blvd. including Presidente Thai, Shakey’s, In & Out, a Tommy’s, a Taco Bell, among others.

Their park hours leave something to be desired. It is a gated park, so when it’s closed, it’s locked up.
But when it is open, Pio Pico State Historic Park (a.k.a. El Ranchito de Pio Pico, Pio Pico Mansion) provides a pleasant stroll with a free tour of the interior house. I’ve never come here on a weekend though, so don’t know if it’s crowded then. Seems like a place for families to gather, as they have a spacious lawn around the historic structure.
Street parking with a few parking spots in front of the park. Restrooms inside.

Who is Pio Pico? The last governor of California while it was still under Mexican rule, and one of the most important figures in California history. This historic park contains the adobe house that he lived in in the late 19^th century. The inside of the house looks kind of rundown. I guess the state doesn’t have the money to refurbish it. The exterior looks nice though. Check out the before and after photos they have of the site, and you can see how much work has already been done to improve the site. There are lots of historical displays and artifacts on view. Plus, they have volunteer docents on site to answer questions (they know everything). Best of all it’s free.