Lake Forest California History & Facts

Lake Forest is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 85,858 at the 2020 census.

Lake Forest incorporated as a city on December 20, 1991. Prior to incorporation, the community had been known as El Toro. Following a vote in 2000, Lake Forest expanded its city limits to include the master-planned developments of Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills. This expansion brought new homes and commercial centers to the northeastern boundary of the city.

Lake Forest has two lakes from which the city gets its name. The lakes are man-made, and condominiums and custom homes ranging from large to small line their shores. Neighborhood associations manage the lakes (Lake 1, known as the Lake Forest Beach and Tennis Club, and Lake 2, the Sun and Sail Club.) Each facility features tennis courts, gyms, basketball courts, barbecue pits, volleyball courts, multiple swimming pools, saunas, hot tubs and club houses for social events.

The "forest" for which the city is also named lies in the area between Ridge Route, Jeronimo, Lake Forest and Serrano roads, and consists mostly of Eucalyptus trees. It is also man-made, and was created in the first decade of the 1900s when a local landowner, Dwight Whiting, planted 400 acres (1.6 km2) of Eucalyptus groves in the vicinity of Serrano Creek as part of a lumber operation intended to draw development to the area. In the late 1960s, the Occidental Petroleum company developed a residential community in and around the Eucalyptus groves, which had long since expanded and grown much more dense.

From 1863, the community had been known as El Toro. In 1874 José Serrano and his family occupied eleven thousand acres of ranch that had been granted to them by the Government of Mexico, and that eventually reached the hands of Dwight Whiting. Whiting was instrumental in bringing the Santa Fe rail line through the region. The Rancho Niguel was granted to Juan B. Alvarado, Juan Avila and his sister Conception, the widow of one Pedro Sánchez. From them it passed to other owners and was divided into plots, including Yorba. In 1874, most of it was owned by Cyrus B. Rawson. Jonathan E. Bacon also owned 1600 acres. In addition to the Serranos, established in Aliso Canyon, there was a group of pioneers who lived in the foothills and several miles above El Toro, many of whom were among the first settlers of this neighborhood.

El Toro Road at the I-5 Freeway was the epicenter of the Saddleback Valley from the late 19th century to the end of the 2nd millennium. However, the area gradually deteriorated, and most of the shops closed or moved to other cities. After years of planning, the city has worked with the property owners of some aging strip malls and developed the "Arbor at Lake Forest" commercial district. The new center now competes with large shopping centers in cities that surround Lake Forest.

Famous Peoples From Lake Forest California

Ryan Lasch

Ryan Alan Lasch (born January 22, 1987) is an American professional ice hockey winger who is currently playing for Frölunda HC of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).

After playing four years with St. Cloud State University, Lasch completed his collegiate career as the University's all-time leading scorer. An Undrafted Free Agent, Lasch began his professional career in Europe, signing a one-year contract with Södertälje SK of the Swedish Elitserien. During the following 2011–12 season he led the Finnish SM-Liiga with 62 points to capture the scoring title whilst helping the Lahti Pelicans to finish second, their highest in franchise history.

Despite re-signing to a one-year contract extension with the Pelicans, on May 31, 2012, Lasch was signed by the Anaheim Ducks to a two-year contract prior to the 2012–13 season. In signing he became the franchise's first Orange County–born player to sign with the Ducks. Due to the lockout he was directly assigned to the Ducks AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals.

Unable to duplicate his European success with the Admirals, and also enduring a stint with ECHL club the Fort Wayne Komets, Lasch opted to return to the Swedish Elitserien, signing on loan from the Ducks to the Växjö Lakers for the remainder of the season on January 26, 2013. After playing in the Lakers last 10 games to end their season, the Ducks traded Lasch along with a seventh round pick in 2014 to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Dave Steckel on March 15, 2013. He was then immediately recalled to report to AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.

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