Named for John Guess (c. 1827-1919), who once owned the land beneath this street although he was dead by the time it was christened in 1923. A farmer originally from Arkansas, Guess and his first wife Harriet a.k.a. “Hattie” (1824-1897) wagoned out to El Monte in 1852, then spent some years in Compton and back in Arkansas before returning to El Monte in 1859 and setting up a 48 acre ranch. Eight years later, the Guesses lost their title to that land, so they bought 100 acres here and raised cattle, hogs, and horses. They later expanded their acreage while also owning some 800 cattle near Temecula. Hattie Guess died in March 1897; six months later, John wed Sarah Hooper (1849-1924), a widowed mother of four. John and Hattie’s own four surviving kids subdivided this land in the 1920s. Nearby Steele Street honors daughter Harriet Steele and De Adalena Street likely owes its name to Adeline Guess, wife of the Guesses’ grandson Frank.
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