A big part of Bonita’s history has involved ranching. During the 1700s, Spanish soldiers used a large portion of this field to pasture their livestock.
After the mid-17th century gold rush, several Chinese immigrants exploited the land for vegetable fields, dairies, and orchards. Among these orchards were some that produced olives, citrus, eucalyptus, and other types of vegetables.
The name Bonita was first used as the name of a citrus ranch in 1884. The property was owned by American attorney Henry Ernest Cooper, Sr. At the time, the area was mostly used for lemon cultivation.
Later, the post office next to the Bonita CA Ranch adopted the same name and referred to itself as Bonita. The Spanish word Bonita translates to “pretty.”