OFFICIALS AIM TO RAISE PIO PICO PARK'S PROFILE RANCHO HOUSED MEXICO'S LAST CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR.Byline: Debbie Pfeiffer Trunnell Staff Writer WHITTIER - Every day, hundreds of commuters and tourists travel on the San Gabriel River San Gabriel River is the name of watercourses in two states:
Nearly in the shadow of the 605 Freeway, Pio Pico State Historical Park on Whittier Boulevard is a long way from being on par with such Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, tourist destinations as Mission San Juan Capistrano
Mission San Juan Capistrano was founded on All Saints Day November 1, 1776 by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order. and Olvera Street Olvera Street is in the oldest part of Downtown Los Angeles, California, and is otherwise known as the birthplace of the City of Angels or El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument and is a department within the city. . Now, raising the profile of the 2-year-old park is the biggest challenge facing state parks officials, said Fred Andrews, interpreter for the former home of Pio Pico, Mexico's last governor of California The Governor of California is the highest executive authority in the state government, whose responsibilities include making yearly "State of the State" addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced. . ``In the hustle and bustle of people's daily The People's Daily (Chinese: 人民日报; Pinyin: Rénmín Rìbào), a daily newspaper, is the organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, published worldwide lives, they don't take the time to stop here,'' he said. ``We need to keep working on getting the word out that this piece of living history is here.'' Supporters of the rancho, which underwent a $5 million restoration project, say plans are in the works to do just that. The nonprofit Friends of Pio Pico Inc. has secured a $445,000 grant from the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy to help connect the park to the Greenway Trail, a biking and hiking path being built in Whittier. Plans also call for adding a store at the park, where educational materials and books on Pico's life, along with artifacts artifacts see specimen artifacts. and souvenirs, could be sold. And supporters want to create a tour that would make stops at the park and Olvera Street, the site of the Pico Hotel, which Pico built in the 1800s. ``This is a historical landmark that gives people an idea of what life was like in the 1800s,'' said Barbara Baiz, president of Friends of Pio Pico. ``We remain committed to this.'' More successful has been the park's mission as an educational resource for local schoolchildren schoolchildren school npl → écoliers mpl; (at secondary school) → collégiens mpl; lycéens mpl schoolchildren school . Mostly fourth- and fifth-grade students from 10 different schools visit the park each month. In the winter and spring, the park receives about 400 such visits, said Andrews, who leads the tours. For visitors, the park offers demonstrations of bread being baked in an adobe oven and displays of farming implements and furniture from the 1800s. On the grounds outside are orange groves, an herb garden and tall sunflowers. Special events also draw in community residents, including a celebration of the life of Pio Pico called Coming Home to Pio Pico, held in early May, and Fiestas Patrias, a Mexican Independence Day event in September. ``This park is here for the health and inspiration of the public,'' Andrews said. ``We want the visitors to come.'' Debbie Pfeiffer Trunnell, (562) 698-0955, Ext. 3028 debbie.pfeiffer(at)sgvn.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Pio Pico State Historical Park on Whittier Boulevard off the 605 Freeway has few visitors now except for school tours. Raul Roa/Staff Photographer |
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