Brea, California began as an oil-town, with the first wells going into production in the late 1990’s. In fact, Brea is Spanish for tar. Indians and pioneers used chunks of the oil-soaked earth for fuel and domestic purposes like heating their homes and waterproofing their roofs. Explorer Gaspar de Portola thought the Indians were a dirty people, not realizing that they rubbed the oil on their skin for medicinal purposes.

Lemon and orange groves replaced the oil rigs and oil production declined. Business parks and residential developments then came to replace the citrus groves. Today Brea, CA is home to the large Brea mall, as well as Birch Street, its newly redeveloped downtown area.