[2][3][4] Hugo Reid (1811–1852), born in Scotland, was an early resident of Los Angeles County who became a naturalized citizen of California (then a part of Mexico) in 1839.

Elias Jackson "Lucky" Baldwin (1828–1909) was a pioneer of California business, an investor, and real estate speculator during the second half of the 19th century.

He built the luxury Baldwin Hotel and Theatre in San Francisco and bought vast tracts of land in Southern California, where a number of places and neighborhoods are named after him.

The original home was built with sun-dried adobe bricks, made with clay soil, water, and straw to add strength.

The original adobe home's roof was made of rawhide animal skin used to tie giant cane reeds together.