Lake Forest is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 77,264 at the 2010 census.

Lake Forest incorporated as a city on December 20, 1991. Prior to incorporation, the community had been known as El Toro. Following a vote in 2000, Lake Forest expanded its city limits to include the master-planned developments of Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills. This expansion brought new homes and commercial centers to the northeastern boundary of the city.

Lake Forest has two lakes from which the city gets its name. The lakes are man-made, and condominiums and custom homes ranging from large to small line their shores. Neighborhood associations manage the lakes (Lake 1, known as the Lake Forest Beach and Tennis Club, and Lake 2, the Sun and Sail Club.) Each facility features tennis courts, gyms, basketball courts, barbecue pits, volleyball courts, multiple swimming pools,
saunas, hot tubs and club houses for social events.

The City of Lake Forest is located in the heart of South Orange County and the beautiful Saddleback Valley. The City's motto, "remember the past, challenge the future," is the Lake Forest way of life. The rich heritage of the past is preserved and enhanced in this contemporary city ready to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future. Lake Forest was incorporated as a city in 1991 to help ensure that it will always be an ideal place for business to prosper and people to live, work and play.

Since being incorporated, Lake Forest has expanded its limits to include the communities of Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills. These newer communities are master planned developments that brought homes and commercial centers to the Eastern boundary of Lake Forest throughout the 1990’s.

Don Jose Serrano settled the area, which was originally called Rancho Canada De Los Alisos (the Valley of the Sycamores), through a Mexican Land Grant in 1846. The area then became known as El Toro, named after the bulls that roamed Don Jose Serrano's ranch. For more than a century, the land remained with Don Jose and his family until financial problems forced him to turn the land over to private interests. In the early 1900's, Dwight Whiting, a resident of the area, planted 400 acres of fast-growing eucalyptus trees in this growing agricultural community as an answer to the California lumber shortage.

Famous Peoples From Lake Forest CA

Jake Ellenberger

Jacob Steven "Jake" Ellenberger (born March 28, 1985) is an American retired mixed martial artist and former United States Marine who was known for competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional competitor since 2005, Ellenberger has formerly competed for the Quad Cities Silverbacks of the IFL, Bodog Fight, and King of the Cage.

Jake Ellenberger was born in Omaha, Nebraska. Jake's father was an iron worker, and Jake has a twin brother named Joe who is also an MMA fighter. After starting his career with a 10–0 record, Joe was diagnosed with an extremely rare blood disease called Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria when he was 24 years old. Some estimates suggest that roughly half of the people diagnosed with PNH die within 10 years of their diagnosis. Joe still corners his brother's fights and is a huge inspiration for Jake. Both Jake and Joe were very athletic growing up; Jake was on the swimming and diving team at Millard South High School while Joe wrestled and played football. By the time Joe was in his senior year, he had won a Nebraska state title. Joe went on to wrestle at the University of Nebraska-Kearney and became a two-time Division II All-American, finishing third in the country twice and was a three-time academic All-American. Jake began training for MMA when he saw his friend fight for the welterweight title in the Victory Fighting Championships. He studied psychology at the University of Nebraska-Omaha for three years and was on the school's Division II wrestling team. Following the end of his own wrestling career and acting as assistant coach, Jake helped his alma mater to win back to back National titles. Jake Ellenberger is also a former Marine, having served as a heavy equipment mechanic (military occupational specialty 1341).

Lake Forest Points of Interest

Heritage Hill Historic Park
Arden Helena Modjeska Historic House and Gardens
Lake Forest Sports Park
Saddleback Church
Serrano Creek Community Park