Although mariquita is Spanish for “ladybug”, in this particular case it’s the Spanish diminutive of Mary – as in Mary Dreer Greble (1848-1932), who co-owned a 1901 tract here with Major Brewster Cox Kenyon (1864-1956). According to a 1939 interview with Maj. Kenyon, the two agreed on Spanish street names for their tract: Fortuna Street (now Vista) for the good fortune they desired; Corto Place because it was short; and Mariquita Street, a reference to Mrs. Greble’s childhood nickname – “Little Mary”. Mary Leavenworth Dreer was a Philadelphia girl who married Edwin Greble (1846-1931) there in 1869. They and their daughters relocated to Pasadena in 1891 and established a second residence in Long Beach by the turn of the century. Mrs. Greble owned substantial property in Pasadena and LB and was an active antiques collector; LACMA has a lot of her stuff today.
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