McNally's Windemere Ranch Headquarters
Also known as: Neff Park
Why it's listed
Neff Park in La Mirada occupies the former headquarters of Windermere Ranch, established in 1890 by Andrew McNally, the publisher associated with Rand McNally. Three buildings from the 1890s remain: the two-story McNally Mansion of 1892, designed by Los Angeles architect F.L. Roehrig in a Spanish-influenced style with a tile roof and stucco walls; a two-story foreman's house with Eastlake veranda turnings; and a carriage barn altered in 1965-66 for theatre use. Mature exotic trees, including Canary Island date palms, bunya-bunya, bottle trees and black acacias, survive from the landscaping carried out under McNally's son-in-law Edwin Neff. The nomination describes the ranch as one of southern California's first large, self-contained farms, with orchards, artesian wells, processing plants, a rail station, a school and housing for Japanese farm workers. The ranch stayed intact until 1951, when land was developed for homesites. The remaining 3.5-acre complex is described as La Mirada's only link to its historic past.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the ranch, founded in 1890 by Rand McNally co-founder Andrew McNally, was one of the first large, self-contained farm operations in southern California. It introduced tenant farming, artesian wells, processing plants and orchards, and the mansion and landscaping are La Mirada's only link to its historic past. The mansion was designed by Los Angeles architect F.L. Roehrig.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 78000684, listed July 20, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | San Esteban and San Cristobal Dr., La Mirada |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | July 20, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78000684 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | F.L. Roehrig of L.A. (residence) |
| Architectural style | Spanish-influenced late 19th century tile-roofed stucco ranch house (mansion); simple 1890s farmhouse with Eastlake detailing (foreman's house) |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Agriculture, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Now a public park owned by a recreation and park district; the carriage barn was converted to theatre use in 1965-66, and the mansion and foreman's house remain in original condition. |
| Acreage | 3.5 |
| Coordinates | 33.89779, -118.02499 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 78000684.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.