Mission Statement

Our core values are reflected in our archives, exhibits, educational programs, and partnerships.

Exhibitions

We provide historical materials and fine art to our partners throughout California.

1874: Into the West

1874 was a historic year for the nation. It marked the opening of the Southern Pacific Railroad, General Custer led an expedition, the patenting of barbed wire and Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis jeans. The QWERTY keyboard was first used by Remington typewriter. 1874 was also a significant statewide year in Orange County history. Back East, Lewis F. Moulton decided to leave home at twenty years old on a daring adventure to California. His future business partner, Jean Pierre Daguerre, journeyed to California as a French Basque sheepherder. It was not an easy journey during those times as it required many forms of transportation. Lewis ventured into the west as an eager and formidable businessman. Join us as we chart this adventure in our exhibition with interactive stations and film!

Jeff Sewell's "Back to the Ranch"

Moulton Museum is proud to celebrate the pioneer spirit with our local community. We couldn’t think of a better way to transport you back in time than to enlist the creative talents of Laguna Beach artist, Jeff Sewell, as he preserves the living history found in Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park.

The exhibit “Back to the Ranch” consists of fifteen new paintings by award-winning artist Jeff Sewell. Capturing the natural beauty of Aliso and Wood Canyons, the land that once comprised the historic Moulton Ranch. The park was part of Moulton Ranch, a nearly 22,000-acre farming and ranching operation. We hope you can join us for opening reception on March 9th at 6pm.

Aliso Viejo Ranch

The Aliso Viejo Ranch is located at 100 Park Ave, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656.  Self-guided tours are available during regular business hours. They are Monday-Thursday 7:30am-5:30pm and Friday-Sunday 8am-3pm. If you are looking for a facility tour with staff, please schedule an appointment at (949) 425-2550 or avcity.org. The city, county, and state officials recognized this historically significant and monumental site for the community’s use. We hope you enjoy the OC Register article that highlighted the May 1, 2021 opening event. We had the Bunkhouse BBQ on August 25, 2021 with the California Rangeland Trust. This inaugural annual event was featured in the OC Register. Take our virtual tour to see the site today!

News & Events

Ranching and agriculture are central to the identity of the Moulton family to this day. Join us at upcoming events!

Articles

Meet Lewis Fenno Moulton

In a recent OC Talk Radio interview, Moulton Company CEO, Jared Mathis, shares how Moulton Museum is keeping Orange County’s history and ranching era alive.

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Articles

March 2023

Jeff Sewell “Back to the Ranch” Moulton Museum is excited to host an opening reception for our “Back to the Ranch” exhibit with Jeff Sewell

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Pioneers of Orange County

Lewis Fenno Moulton & Nellie Gail Moulton

Lewis Fenno Moulton was a prestigious lawyer’s son. His father was a classmate and friend of President Lincoln. Lewis had worked at old Daniel Webster farm as an adolescent. As a part of Western expansion, many young men ventured West for opportunity. Lewis traveled to California at twenty years old by a boat around the Isthmus of Panama, train, and another boat to San Francisco before landing in soon to by Orange County. He learned to run a ranching operation by working at Rancho San Joaquin (Irvine Ranch) starting in 1874.

According to Louise Moulton Hanson, “In 1881 he bought Jonathan Bacon’s band of sheep and rented his 1,600 acres.” Lewis F. Moulton and Company was established with Jean Pierre Daguerre, a Basque sheepherder. They would developed a sheep and cattle enterprise along with agriculture.

On April 29, 1884 Lewis leased “17,000 acres, from Cyrus Rawson” (2018.43) which was a part of Rancho Niguel, a Mexican land grant once owned by Juan Avila. Throughout the years, Lewis purchased 21,723 acres which became known as the Moulton Ranch. 

Lewis and Nellie married in 1908. He built her a house on their homestead near the modern day Oakbrooke timeline near the 5 Freeway. They had two daughters, Charlotte and Louise.

Today, the land comprises much of Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Laguna Hills, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, and Aliso Viejo. We aim to work with these cities to provide them with their heritage and preserve the past. Together we can educate the communities by exhibiting their history at the Moulton Museum.

MOULTON NEWS UPDATES

Cities Incorporated from Moulton Ranch​

Laguna Beach

Incorporated: June 29, 1927

City's History

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Laguna Niguel

Acquired: 1959 by the Laguna Niguel Corporation Incorporated‎: ‎December 1, 1989

City's History

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Laguna Woods

Acquired: 1963 by Ross Cortese as Leisure World Incorporated: March 24, 1999

City's History

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Laguna Hills

Subdivided in the early 1960s from the Moulton Ranch Incorporated: December 20, 1991

City's History

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Aliso Viejo

Acquired: 1976 by the Mission Viejo Company Incorporated: July 1, 2001

City's History

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Dana Point

Acquisition: Early 1960s by Avco Community Incorporated: January 1, 1989

City's History

Visit the current city's website.
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Moulton Ranch Center Murals

Laguna Hills, California

The Moulton Ranch Center mural depicts the history of Laguna Hills in a large, immersive mural painting that combines maps and photos from the Moulton Museum archives. These images are taken from the Moulton Ranch into an original artistic composition by Tim Smith, LCAD. View Orange County history through art in Laguna Hill’s first mural project! We hope you can experience the mural in person at 23272 Cabot Road in Laguna Hills. Please visit moultonmuseum.org/mural.

The Pioneer Spirit is featured within the Moulton Museum. It was created by Luis Barajas Ochoa, LCAD graduate.  Luis designed each section based on Nellie Gail Moulton’s extraordinary life. It is an app enabled experience with our partnership with Tim Pryor, LCAD Department Chair Game Design.

Featured Fine Art Collection

Get in Touch

CONTACT US

Questions

Please provide us with your research questions, concerns, and ideas. We would be happy to follow-up with you and provide you with information. 

Let us know if you’d like to schedule a visit. Please fill out our tour form.

25256 Cabot Rd, Laguna Hills, CA 92653

949-257-2505
info@moultonmuseum.org