Aliso Viejo Ranch, Aliso Viejo, Orange County

Aliso Viejo Ranch

The old Aliso Viejo Ranch bunkhouse and barn were a declining reminder of the Moulton legacy in the area. Lewis Moulton came west in 1874 and settled in Santa Ana. He made his mark in sheep ranching and in 1908, married Nellie Gail. Moulton transitioned to cattle ranching in 1911. After his death in 1938, Nellie managed the land until 1950. Parts of the 26,000-acre ranch became Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills and Mission Viejo. In 1976, the Mission Viejo Company purchased the remaining 6,600 acres for the planned community of Aliso Viejo. In early 2019, the City Council finalized the Aliso Viejo Ranch plan that “preserves and restores historically significant buildings, artifacts and farming implements from the 1800s.” The grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony was on May 1, 2021.

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Aliso Viejo, Orange County
Photographer: Andrew Schmidt

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Photographer: Andrew Schmidt