After the Independence of Mexico Alta California became a Mexican

According to the Census Bureau in 2007 the median household income in the town was $ 43,412, and the median family income was $41,050. Men had a median income of $23,342 compared to $21,637 for women. The per capita income for the town was $12,152. About 25.3% of the population were below the poverty line . n 1769, an expedition from New Spain by the explorer Gaspar de Portolá reached a valley in Alta California where the city of Santa Ana and Orange County are today located. The valley is named "Vallejo de Santa Ana" and years later, in 1776, Mission San Juan Capistrano was established by Fray Junípero Serra who also arrived with the 1769 expedition. With the 1769 expedition came the soldiers José Antonio Yorba and Miguel Nieto who years later received land within the "Vallejo de Santa Ana", donated by the Spanish government for their service to the crown. In 1810, José Antonio Yorba received his portion of land and named it Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana . In 1869, William Spurgeon acquired 74.27 hectares of Rancho Santiago and established the city of Santa Ana. The city was chosen as the government seat of the new Orange County, which was established in 1889. In 1901, the Orange County Courthouse was built. in Santa Ana, and the city prospered for most of the  20th century . Pfeiffer attended Fountain Valley High School and graduated in 1976. She worked as a cashier at Vons Supermarket and attended Golden West College, where she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority.