Mammoth, Matilija, and Murietta avenues were all born on the same 1923 tract co-owned by Jacob Stern & Sons (see Stern Avenue) and George and Ethel Reeves. A minor spelling discrepancy leads to the likeliest inspiration for this trio: Murietta was originally spelled “Murrieta”, as in Riverside County’s Murrieta Hot Springs – a fine match for Matilija, which shares its name with Matilija Hot Springs near Ojai, and Mammoth, which I assume is for Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park. All three were popular resorts in 1923, all three start with “M”. Perhaps the Sterns and/or Reeveses were hot springs habitués? Matilija is Chumash in origin; some claim it was the name of an old tribal chief but it was more likely just a village. It’s also lent its name to a poppy. Murrieta was named after Juan Murrieta (1844-1936), a Spaniard who had owned a ranch there. I don’t know why the City of L.A. ordered the street renamed “Murietta” later in 1923. Maybe someone thought that was the correct spelling.
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