[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 23, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E463-E464]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       LA MIRADA 50TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. LINDA T. SANCHEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 23, 2010

  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker. I rise to honor 
the City of La Mirada's 50th Anniversary.
  Fifty years ago, on March 23, 1960, the village residents of Mirada 
Hills witnessed their homeplace incorporated as a city. At the time, it 
was a brave step in challenging circumstances, signaling the area's 
transition from a rural and agriculture community to a beautiful suburb 
of Los Angeles. This spirit of transition continued when on November 8, 
1960, the people of Mirada Hills approved a change of name to the 
current La Mirada.
  It is this striving to meet the challenges of the future for which La 
Mirada stands and which I would like to share with you today, 
celebrating the City's 50th anniversary.
  La Mirada's development has been, for its first 70 years, closely 
linked to the family of Andrew McNally, the founder and president of 
the Rand McNally Publishing Company. In 1888, McNally purchased over 
2,200 acres of rangeland and named it La Mirada, which in Spanish means 
``The View.'' He built a home

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and surrounded it with olive, orange, grapefruit and lemon groves. In 
order to be able to ship his finest olive oil and fruits throughout the 
United States, he made plans for the construction of a plant and a 
railroad station, thus providing the basic infrastructure for the 
further development of La Mirada.
  In 1896, McNally turned the property over to his daughter's family, 
the Neffs. Their homestead, known as the Neff House, is today listed on 
the National Register of Historic Sites.
  In the early 1950s, the Neff family once more cleared the way for the 
transition of La Mirada to become a modern city. By selling the land to 
a number of developers in one of the largest real estate transactions 
in California, it gave way to an astounding growth in population. In 
1946, La Mirada counted 213 inhabitants, by its incorporation in 1960 
the city comprised over 8,000 homes.
  This overwhelming growth over a short period of time posed great 
challenges to La Mirada's leaders. But they met those challenges 
successfully. In the early 1950s, La Mirada was admired as a well 
structured city. Its spirit was reflected by the State Fair which in 
1953 praised La Mirada for planning for the future while at the same 
time maintaining practicality for today.
  This notion holds true today, and I'm confident that it will guide 
the City's development through the next 50 years.
  I want to share La Mirada's spirit and success with the rest of our 
Nation as an inspiration for how we can master current and future 
challenges: by taking them on in a positive, pro-active way.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in ushering in La Mirada's 50th 
Anniversary.

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