Gorman
A bachelor named Reed took up land
in the early 1850s and built a substantial one story-and-a-half log
house that became the Butterfield station in 1858. In the early 1860s
Reed sold the property to Charles Johnson. After Johnson passed away,
his widow ran the station for several years. During that time it was
referred to as Rancho La Viuda, (widow). Mrs Johnson sold the station
to Don David Alexander. Alexander was a partner of Phineas Banning in
operating a stage line between Los Angeles and San Pedro.
Alexander sold the place to Gorman. James Gorman Sr. was a veteran
of the Mexican War and had been at Fort Tejon hunting fresh meat for
the soldiers and laborers while the Fort was being constructed. Oscar
Ralphs of supermarket fame purchased the Gorman Ranch and old log station
house from Mr. Gorman in 1898.
During the old Ridge Route days, circa 1926 Gorman was a small settlement
having a store, garage, cafe and Standard Oil gas station.
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