Next Meeting....
Thursday, February 9, 2012 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The Creation of Mission Viejo & Aliso Viejo
Speaker: Bob Bunyan
Regular Location: Trinity Episcopal Church - Orange, CA
2400 N. Canal Street
SEE MAP to TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
The birth and early development of the communities of Mission Viejo and Aliso Viejo will be the topic of the Orange County Historical Society's general meeting on February 9th. Bob Bunyan, President of the Aliso Viejo Community Foundation (AVCF), and former executive with the Mission Viejo Company, will give us his first-hand account of the creation of these master-planned communities that once were grazing lands for cattle. The program will begin at 7:30 pm, at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal St., in Orange. The free program is open everyone interested in history, so invite a friend.
Mr. Bunyan has served as President of the AVCF since 1999. Previously, he was a vice president in charge of sales and marketing with the developer during the acquisition, planning, and development of properties within Aliso Viejo. Prior to that he worked with the Mission Viejo Company helping to plan and build the Mission Viejo community. He continues to be engaged in the completion of the Aliso Viejo master development plan, and through the AVCF, is also involved in the city’s affairs and activities.
Like Mission Viejo, not too many years ago, the area now called Aliso Viejo was a working ranch. The land had changed little since Mexico granted it to Don Juan Avila in 1821. The Moulton family bought it over 100 years ago and formed the Moulton Ranch. In 1976, the Mission Viejo Company, purchased the last acres of the ranch for the planned Aliso Viejo community. The first residences were sold in 1982 and the burgeoning area became Orange County’s 34th city in 2001.
This is a unique opportunity to hear from someone involved in the evolution of both Mission Viejo and Aliso Viejo. The story of how they went from ranchos to growing towns to modern cities should be fascinating.
We hope to see you there!
Future Meetings....
(Note: OCHS Does Not Meet July and August)
Thursday, March 8, 2012 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Topic: The History of the Town of Olive
Speaker: Daralee Ota
Regular Location: Trinity Episcopal Church - Orange, CA
2400 N. Canal Street
SEE MAP to TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
The history of the town of Olive will be the topic of the Orange County Historical Society's general meeting on March 8, 2012. Speaker and OCHS board member Daralee Ota will discuss the area's early pastoral days; the rancho lifestyle of the Yorbas; the bustling, boomtown era
when Olive boasted a lucrative flour mill; the citrus era; and Olive's development into a modern residential community. Daralee's program will be based, in part, on her Web site, "Olive Through the Ages," (http://dragoon1st.tripod.com/olive/). The program will begin at 7:30
p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal St. in Orange, and is free to the public.
In the 1800s, the area below the bend of the Santa Ana River (what is now a part of northern Orange), was known by several names, including Yorbas, Santa Ana (before the modern community of Santa Ana was founded), Old Santa Ana, Burruel Point, Olive Ranch, and eventually Olive. Although Olive never became its own city, many still identify themselves as Olive residents.
Daralee launched her Olive Web site when she found very little information about the community online. Having grown up near the area and wondering about this town that faded away over the decades, Daralee began researching Olive in 2004, amazed to discover its rich and vast history.
A few years ago, she added "The Living Branch" section to her Web site to share even more information about Olive's history, including stories, maps, and images contributed by individuals with a personal interest or connection to Olive. Submissions of photos and other relevant content are welcomed for possible inclusion in this portion of the Web site.
Daralee, a technical writer at a computer software firm, holds a B.A. in English from California State University, Long Beach. Her interests include art, history, music, nature, photography, and writing. Her first Web site, the award-winning "Life Stories of Civil War Heroes," (http://dragoon1st.tripod.com/cw/), has been an educational resource for students nationwide since 1998.
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Thursday, April 12, 2012 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Topic: OC Author's Night
Speakers: TBD
Regular Location: Trinity Episcopal Church - Orange, CA
2400 N. Canal Street
SEE MAP to TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
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Thursday, May 10, 2012 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Topic: Preservation
Regular Location: Trinity Episcopal Church - Orange, CA
2400 N. Canal Street
SEE MAP to TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
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Thursday, January 12, 2012 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Show and Tell
Speaker: You!
Regular Location: Trinity Episcopal Church - Orange, CA
2400 N. Canal Street
SEE MAP to TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Coming January 12th will be another of the interesting “Show and Tell” programs. That means it’s time once again to rummage around your house and garage to try and find a choice artifact or bit of ephemera that tells us something about Orange County’s past. These items can run the gamut of historical significance.
Maybe you have a handbrake from a Pacific Electric car or maybe great-grandpa’s branding iron is stored in your attic. Your search may find an outstanding photo of early Orange County that hasn’t seen the light of day in years. Now’s your chance to trot out those curiosities that you’ve stashed away - if you can remember where they are.
There will be more details in next month’s Courier. But if your storage is anything like ours at the OCHS, we wanted to give you a head start.
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Thursday, December 8, 2011 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Orange County Authors' Night
Regular Location: Trinity Episcopal Church - Orange, CA
2400 N. Canal Street
SEE MAP to TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
At the regular December OCHS General Meeting we will hold our annual Orange Countiana Meeting. This program will be held Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011, at 7:30 pm, at the Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal St., in Orange. That night will also be our annual holiday gathering.
The program will feature the contributors to the 2011 edition of our historical journal, Orange Countiana. They will speak on their topics, plus be available to sign journals afterwards. This year’s featured articles and writers are:
"The Silent Cannon: The Spanish-American War Memorial at Irvine Park," by an Orange County favorite, historian Jim Sleeper.
"The History and Humanity of Charles C. Chapman," by Brett Fisher and Randolph Boyd of Chapman University
"Sacred Encounters: The History of Holy Cross Cemetery," by Stephanie George of Cal State Fullerton's Center for Oral and Public History.
"The Rise and Fiery Fall of the Pacific Beach Club," by Chris Jepsen of the Orange County Archives.
"Fools Rush In: Politics and Gambling in 1930s Orange County," by historian Phil Brigandi, who also was the editor of our journal again this year.
All OCHS members receive a free copy of Orange Countiana, which they may pick up at this meeting. Additional copies or copies for non-members are available for $20 each.
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Thursday, November 20, 2011 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
The Orange County Historical Society presents HISTORY HIKES!
Join us for our inagural hike to San Juan Hot Springs!
The event is FREE, but space is limited. Advanced reservations are required.
UPDATE: SORRY - THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT! CHECK BACK FOR FUTURE HIKES!
Download a flyer for more details on this exciting new program from the OCHS!
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Thursday, November 10, 2011 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Orange County’s Armed Forces through the Years
Speaker: Jeff Rowe
Regular Location: Trinity Episcopal Church - Orange, CA
2400 N. Canal Street
SEE MAP to TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
This month’s presentation, offered from a researcher/reporter’s point of view, profiles Orange County’s veterans and their legacy. How many Orange County soldiers have gone to war—and to which wars? Who are our Orange County soldiers and what has been the impact on the families—and collectively, the County—when their service has resulted in death. Learn how demographics and attitudes toward military members have changed -- dramatically -- and what it means for the future of the county which now lacks the two big touchstone bases it had in the past.
Moreover, Mr. Rowe will speak about how Orange County memorializes its war dead, the legacy of the Marine Corps as it lives on at the Great Park, why military museums are tough to make profitable, and how the protesters of the 1960s and early 1970s transformed themselves into greeters and hosts for visiting soldiers today.
Jeff Rowe has been a reporter and writer for 35 years at the Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, and the Orange County Register; he was also news director at KDOC-TV. He currently teaches broadcast news writing at CSU Fullerton, basic reporting at Cypress College, and works with a team that develops the farmlands and related enterprises at the Orange County Great Park, and creates a weekly farm and market newsletter at the Park. He is a University of Hawaii graduate and was a tanker maintenance officer in the United States Air Force.
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Thursday, October 13, 2011 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Disneyland Pioneer to Speak!
Speaker: Jack Lindquist
Regular Location: Trinity Episcopal Church - Orange, CA
2400 N. Canal Street
SEE MAP to TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Jack Lindquist, the first President of Disneyland, will be our supercalifragilisticexpialidocious speaker on October 13th at 7:30 p.m. at the Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal St., in Orange. Jack is both a nice guy and an interesting speaker.
Here’s a bit of his background. In 1955, while working for an advertising firm helping a Disneyland sponsor, Jack got a chance to visit the park before the opening and loved it. A month later, Walt Disney hired Jack as the Park’s first advertising manager. He promoted creative marketing ideas like the Magic Kingdom Club, Date Nite, a “Tencennial” celebration, and even cornfields shaped like Mickey’s head.
In his 38 years with Disney, Jack worked his way up to become vice president (VP) of marketing for Disneyland and Walt Disney World, VP of marketing for Walt Disney Attractions, Executive VP of marketing and entertainment, and in 1990, he became President of Disneyland, a position he never dreamed of but which he calls "the best job in the world!" He led the company with his charm and humor. He had an affable and relatively hands-off management style which would have impressed even Walt Disney.
So his topic for our General Meeting this month is about Disneyland. It ties in nicely with his new book on the Park called “In Service to the Mouse” about his unexpected journey to becoming the first President of Disneyland. It was a wonderful trip that I’m sure his talk he’ll pass on to us. It should an E-ticket ride.
The lecture will be followed by refreshments. We hope you can make it!
Download Event Flyer
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OCHS Annual Meeting
Thursday, September 8, 2011 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
History of the Pacific Beach Club
Speaker: Chris Jepsen - OCHS President
Appetizer/Dessert Potluck and Lecture
(Please bring an appetizer or dessert to share)
Special Event Location: Sherman Library & Gardens
2647 E. Coast Highway - Corona del Mar, CA
SEE MAP to SHERMAN GARDENS
Local historian Chris Jepsen will discuss the rise and mysterious fiery fall of the Pacific Beach Club, at the Orange County Historical Society's "season kick-off" program at Sherman Gardens in Corona del Mar, Sept. 8, at 6:30pm. The largely forgotten story of the Pacific Beach Club -- between Huntington Beach and Newport Beach -- features con-men, the KKK, towering Egyptian architecture, bathing beauties, politics, arson, and early Southern California civil rights leaders.
During the 1920s, black people were not allowed on Los Angeles area beaches. Overcoming endless obstacles, a black beach club was finally built in Orange County. Then, just weeks before opening, the elaborate and handsome club facilities were burned to the ground. But with so many opponents to the club and few clues, who was behind the arson?
The public is welcome to attend this free event at Sherman Library & Gardens, 2647 E. Coast Hwy. The event will begin at 6:30pm with an appetizer/dessert potluck (bring enough of something for six people if you'd like to participate). The program will begin at 7:30pm.
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Thursday, June 9, 2011 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
O.C. Silent Movie Night!
Regular Location: Trinity Episcopal Church - Orange, CA
2400 N. Canal Street
SEE MAP to TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Join us for O.C. Silent Movie Night, June 9th, 7:30 p.m., at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal St., in Orange!
In the 1910s and 1920s, Orange County served as Hollywood's back lot. From the parting of the Red Sea at Seal Beach to the cowboys and Indians at the Lasky Camp in Santa Ana Canyon, scores of silent movies were shot here. Come see Orange County as it appeared in these films at the June 9th meeting of the Orange County Historical Society.
The first film shot here -- D.W. Griffith's "Two Brothers" -- was thought to have disappeared forever, but we will screen a copy recently found by the Smithsonian! This horse opera set in Old California includes many locations you'll recognize immediately. In addition to viewing this treasure in its entirety, we'll also see many clips from other Orange County silent films starring the likes of Buster Keaton, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Lon Chaney, Theda Bara, Harold Lloyd, Santa Ana's own Fatty Arbuckle, and more. (Special thanks to Steve Oftelie for editing these clips together.)
Popcorn and refreshments will be available in the "lobby," and copies of Jim Sleeper's book, "Great Movies Shot in Orange County" will be available for sale. As always, non-members are also welcome, so bring your friends for a "night at the movies!"
This program coincides with the exhibit, "On Location: Silent Films in Orange County" -- presented by the Orange County Archives and OC Parks at the Old Orange County Courthouse from now through August 5th.
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Thursday, May 12, 2011 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
May is Preservation Month!
The Japanese Community at Wintersburg
featuring a panel discussion with
Carla Tengan
Dr. Art Hansen
Phil Brigandi
Jerry Moffatt
Regular Location: Trinity Episcopal Church - Orange, CA
2400 N. Canal Street
SEE MAP to TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
The endangered remnants of the Japanese community at Wintersburg (part of Huntington Beach) will be the topic of the OCHS Preservation Month program held on May 12, at 7:30p.m., at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal St., in Orange.
This is the most important existing Asian-American historical site in Orange County. It features the Wintersburg Japanese Presbyterian Church (with the 1910 mission and manse, and the church (1934). as well as the pioneer Furuta family's classic California bungalow. The property now is owned by the Rainbow Disposal Company, which has proposed a plan to convert the land to a dumpster storage yard.
Is there still a way to preserve this important piece of Orange County's heritage? Our May meeting will feature a panel discussion with Associate Curator at the Japanese American National Museum Carla Tengan, CSUF Professor of History Emeritus, Dr. Art Hansen, and Orange County historian Phil Brigandi (who studied this site in the 1970s), and Rainbow Disposal's C.O.O. Jerry Moffatt.
The Orange County Register and Rafu Shimpo (a Japanese-English language newspaper) have written about the impending change at Wintersburg. If you'd like to know about the Environment Impact Report for the proposed development of this historic site, contact Ricky Ramos, Associate Planner at the City of Huntington Beach, and ask to be added to the list to receive notice when the EIR is released for public comment. Ramos can be contacted at (714) 536-5438 or rramos@surfcity-hb.org.
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Thursday, April 14, 2011 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Orange County Authors' Night
Speakers:
Guy Ball
Michael T. Barry
Chris Epting
Karin Kline
Joe Santiago
Regular Location: Trinity Episcopal Church - Orange, CA
2400 N. Canal Street
SEE MAP to TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
The next Orange County Historical Society General Meeting will be Thursday, April 14, and will feature a program by authors of Orange County history. The presentation will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal Street in Orange. That night we expect to hear from Guy Ball, Michael Barry, Chris Epting, Karin Kline and Joe Santiago as they provide insight on their segments of Orange County history.
Images of America: Tustin is Guy Ball's third Arcadia Publishing book. Mr. Ball will talk about old Tustin and North Tustin. His presentation has photos from the book including vintage images from the late 1800s to the 1970s. He researched Tustin's history and has detailed description for readers. The book goes from the city's founding, to agricultural and business, and ends at the transition from citrus into neighborhoods.
Award winning author Michael T. Barry has lived in Orange County since 1986 and graduated from California State University, Fullerton. He authored Final Resting Places Orange County's Dead & Famous (Schiffer Publishing, 2010), and has a new book entitled Fade to Black: Graveside Memories of Hollywood Greats, 1927-1950 (also Schiffer, March, 2011). There will be a slide show on the highlights from the Orange County areas of the book.
Chris Epting is the author of 18 books including "James Dean Died Here", "Roadside Baseball", "Led Zeppelin Crashed Here" and other Pop Culture delights. He also writes for the Los Angeles Times, AOL News, and Orange Coast Magazine. He is the host of the PBS-SoCal TV series, "Forgotten Orange County" and lives in Huntington Beach. His latest book is, "Orange County Then and Now."
50 Hikes in Orange County by Karin Klein (Countryman Press, 2010) is about interesting hikes and the history of the paths. She can walk the talk as Ms Kline volunteers at Aliso/Wood Canyons, Caspers Wilderness Park, and Crystal Cove State Park. The book presents short walks to harder hikes through interesting OC hiking spots. An award-winning editorial writer, she is a 25-year resident of Orange County.
Joe Santiago has written a new book on the history of Huntington Beach to draw attention to the city's centennial celebration. It is called: Ebb & Flow: 100 years of Huntington Beach. The book features many old photos and Mr. Santiago will inspire our visits to the beach city with his presentation of the evolution of Philip Stanton's and Henry Huntington's dreams.
The authors will discuss these interesting books at our 7:30 p.m. meeting on April 14th at Trinity Episcopal Church, located behind the Orange Mall. The presentations will follow an OCHS update. The books will be for sale after the meeting. See you there.
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Thursday, March 10, 2011 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
San Juan Capistrano Comes Alive
Speaker: David Belardes
Regular Location: Trinity Episcopal Church - Orange, CA
2400 N. Canal Street
SEE MAP to TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Join us at the next Orange County Historical Society General Meeting, Thursday, March 10, at 7:30 p.m. at the Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal Street in Orange. That night we will hear David Belardes speak on the history of San Juan Capistrano, including some research he has done on his own personal family ties to his local ancestors and the old mission town.
Mr. Belardes will speak about the Mission as well as his Indian ancestors around the San Juan Capistrano settlement. His presentation includes photos from the Alfonso Yorba, Belardes-Yorba, and Aguilar-Sepulveda collections of family life. The time period is from the mid 1800s to the early 1900s. The topics to be presented will be on the historic families of San Juan Capistrano, the Town Center of SJC, the Historic Adobes and, of course, the Mission of San Juan Capistrano.
There will also be a short slide show with the presentation which will enhance the thorough study he has done on the unique southern Orange County area.
These and other interesting historic details on the Mission its peoples will be presented at our General Meeting on Thursday, March 10th. The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church, located behind the Orange Mall, and the presentation will follow a short OCHS business update. We hope to see you there!
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Thursday, February 10, 2011 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
You Can Be A Star at
Show and Tell Time!
Regular Location: Trinity Episcopal Church - Orange, CA
2400 N. Canal Street
SEE MAP to TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
We will have some unique speakers at our February program ? YOU!
We are bringing back an old favorite for the program, kind of a 'Show and Tell,' where you get to present topics, items, or photos that are part of your family's history or events that you attended back in the 'Good Old Days.'
This will be at the next OC Historical Society's General Meeting on February 10, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. The meeting place is at our usual site at the Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal Street, located in Orange behind the Orange Mall.
Now is the time to rummage through your garage, files, scrapbooks, or old trunks for a choice artifact, photo, or a bit of memorabilia that would help you tell us something about OC's history. For example, an old orange crate from a parent who worked in a packing house could be a good story. Maybe your old police badge, an aerospace ID, or your name badge from Disneyland or Knott's would spark some memories. How about a photo when you met Richard Nixon or Ronald Reagan, a famous movie star, or entertainer? Bring great-grandpa's branding iron or some flatware with the name of an old hotel that has a story behind it.
We will have a sign-up sheet when you enter and people will speak in the order of the list. If we run out of time, we'll save you for another meeting. So dig up some interesting history and share it with us at 7:30 p.m. on the 10th as we listen to our members and guests at the Trinity Episcopal Church on Canal Street, between Lincoln and Meats, near the Orange Shopping Center. Have fun with this one!
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Thursday, January 13, 2011 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The Basques in Orange County
Regular Location: Trinity Episcopal Church - Orange, CA
2400 N. Canal Street
SEE MAP to TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
The next Orange County Historical Society General Meeting will be held Thursday, January 13, at 7:30 p.m. at the Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal Street in Orange, located behind the Orange Mall. The program will feature a personal history by Nanette Price, a third generation Basque descendant, on the industrious Basque population that settled in north Orange County.
Ms. Price will speak on the "Basques of North Orange County." She will talk about her grandfather's efforts to come to the United States, settling originally in northern California. After buying land from Abel Sterns in north Orange County, they turned to sheep ranching as cattle and hogs were already fully cultivated as a food stock. She will relate their historic role in the local community and discuss how the Basques helped put northern Orange County on the map as they made the transition from sheep to orange groves. She will also be presenting a short slide show with unique personal family photos.
These and other interesting historic details on the "Basques of North Orange County" will be presented as the program at our General Meeting on Thursday, January 13th. That night we will hear Ms. Price recount her family's history. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. and will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal Street in Orange. Her presentation will follow the usual short OCHS business and we hope that you will be able to attend.
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Thursday, December 9, 2010 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Orange Countiana VI Authors' Night
Regular Location: Trinity Episcopal Church - Orange, CA
2400 N. Canal Street
SEE MAP to TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Authors of the the 6th edition of the Orange Countiana will be featured at our December 9th General meeting at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal Street, in Orange. All paid-up members attending the meeting, who did not pickup a book in November, can get their free copy on the 9th.
If your dues have not been paid, you may pay them that night in order to get your free book. Additional copies at the meeting cost $20. Members that cannot come to the December meeting will have to wait for their copies via mail sometime after January.
The Orange Countiana is an 80-page booklet that features six articles by fine writers of Orange County history. The articles cover the time from the early settlers to the incredible 1930s and '40s, and from La Habra to San Clemente. The authors of each chapters will be discussing their contribution to this volume:
Lecil Slaback, 98, who has lived in Orange County all his life and saw the 1916 flood from the Old Courthouse cupola. After a long career as a court reporter, he served on both the Orange County Historical Commission and the Santa Ana Cultural Heritage Committee. His article on the Old Courthouse is from his unpublished memoirs.
Paul F. Clark is doubly qualified to write about pioneer community leader A.B. Clark, being a historian and the great-grandson of his subject. Paul is a past president of the Orange Community Historical Society and a graduate of Cal State Fullerton. He recently retired from the Riverside County Planning Department and now resides in Palm Desert.
Phil Brigandi has been researching and writing about local history since 1975, including over a dozen books. A native of Orange, he joined the board of directors of his local historical society at age 18. He has also been active with many other historical organizations, and served as County Archivist from 2003-08.
Esther Ridgway Cramer is a native of La Habra, and the leading historian of Northern Orange County. A past president of the Orange County Historical Society, she has served on the OC Historical Commission since it began in 1973. She is an author of histories of La Habra, Brea, and contributed to the first Orange Countiana in 1973.
Stan Oftelie grew up in Buena Park and lives in Anaheim. He was a reporter for both the Orange County Register and the LA Times. He has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Orange County Transportation Authority, and was also CEO of the Orange County Business Council. He is working on a book about Orange County Supervisors.
Doris I. Walker is a teacher, journalist, photographer, and historian. She is an author of histories of Mission Viejo, Dana Point, and San Clemente. She is a member of the Orange County Historical Commission and her centennial history of Orange County, Sections of Orange, was named Best Historical Book of 1989 by the National Federation of Women.
Phil Brigandi, Editor of Orange Countiana VI, had high praise for the authors and contributors. "This book would not HAVE come about without the support of many people: the contributors, our editorial advisors: Jim Sleeper, Esther Cramer, Don Dobmeier, and Chris Jepsen; our volunteer proofreader, Janet McEachern; as well as support from the Board of Directors of the Orange County Historical Society. Thanks to all," he said.
Checks for additional copies at $20 will be accepted at the December meeting at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Orange. Look for a special table to get your book. Those that do not attend the meeting will receive their copy at a later time. To insure that you have your book by Christmas, come to the December meeting. The authors of the Orange Countiana will be there to discuss their work and may even autograph your book, time permitting. What better way to celebrate the Christmas Holidays than to buy a historical gift for a friend or family.
As always, our December monthly program will feature holiday cheer and refreshments following the panel of speakers. We hope to see you there!
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Thursday, November 11, 2010 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Reflections from the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station Oral History Project
Panel of Speakers: Dr. Natalie Fousekis, Janet Tanner and Kira A. Gentry
Regular Location: Trinity Episcopal Church - Orange, CA
2400 N. Canal Street
SEE MAP to TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
The next General Meeting of the Orange County Historical Society will be held Thursday, November 11, at 7:30 p.m. We will be back at our usual location which is the Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal Street in Orange behind the Orange Mall. A presentation by a trio of historians from California State University, Fullerton is the scheduled program entitled "Reflections from the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station Oral History Project."
Leading the presenters is Dr. Natalie Fousekis, Director of the Center for Oral and Public History, and an Associate Professor of History. She has 15 years experience in oral history, including teaching oral history methodology to undergraduate and graduate students, and directing oral history projects. She will soon be an author of a book from the University of Illinois Press entitled: Demanding Child Care: Women's Activism and the Politics of Welfare, 1940-1971.
Also working on the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) oral history project are Janet Tanner and Kira A. Gentry. Janet is a graduate history student at CSUF and the project coordinator for the MCAS project. Kira is the manager for the MCAS project and a CSUF graduate twice including a master degree in history. Both have worked on the project since it began in 2007.
This should be an interesting look at the now-closed air base for those who like WWII, flying, or El Toro history. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. and will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal Street. Their presentation will follow a short OCHS meeting, so we hope that you will be able to land at our location and enjoy it.
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OCHS Special Joint Meeting with Old Courthouse Museum Exhibit Opening
Saturday, October 16, 2010 2:00 PM
(Note Special Day, Time and Location)
The Architecture of Richard Neutra
Featuring Panelist Speakers:
Dion Neutra (Richard's son and also a noted architect)
Alan Hess (architectural historian and author)
John Linnert (architect and preservationist)
Craig Sibley (designer/artist)
Special Event Location: Old Courthouse Museum in the Old County Courthouse
211 W. Santa Ana Blvd. Room 201 - Santa Ana, CA
SEE MAP to Old Courthouse Museum
The Orange County Historical Society General Meeting will be held Saturday, October 16, at the Old Orange County Courthouse, 211 W. Santa Ana Blvd. in Santa Ana, from 2 to 4 p.m. The program will feature the Architecture of Richard Neutra, a well known and influential American architect of the mid-twentieth century. At the OCHS meeting, a panel will discuss Neutra and his architecture in our county. Panelists will include Neutra's son, Dion Neutra, (also a noted architect), architectural historian and author Alan Hess, architect and preservationist John Linnert, and designer/artist Craig Sibley.
The meeting will be held on Saturday, not on our usual Thursday. Thus the meeting will be concurrent with the opening of an exhibit on the "Amazing Neutras in Orange County," which the OCHS helped install at the Old Courthouse Museum.
The architecture of Richard Neutra reflects Southern California's prosperity and optimism in the postwar period. His designs for homes, churches and governmental buildings are characterized by geometric precision, airiness, and simple dignity. The program and exhibit will look at some of Neutra's best work and hopefully bring attention to their preservation status. His OC buildings include the Santa Ana Central Justice Center, the Garden Grove Community Church (Robert Schuller's "Drive-In Church"), the Mariner's Medical Arts Building in Newport Beach, and some Orange Coast College structures.
This interesting historic discussion will be at 2 p.m. at the Old County Courthouse as part of our General Meeting for October. We hope to see you at the panel discussion and the architectural exhibit grand opening. Hope you can build your schedule around the meeting in order to attend.
OCHS Annual Meeting
Thursday, September 9, 2010 6:30 PM
Orange County Surfing History
Speaker: Dick Metz
Appetizer/Dessert Potluck and Lecture
(Please bring an appetizer or dessert to share)
Special Event Location: Sherman Library & Gardens
2647 E. Coast Highway - Corona del Mar, CA
Click Here To Download Event Flyer
SEE MAP to SHERMAN GARDENS
From 1920s surfing exhibitions by the likes of Duke Kahanamoku, to the modern U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, there's a long history of riding the waves in Orange County.
Established in 1998, the Surfing Heritage Foundation (SHF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to "preserving, presenting and promoting surfing's heritage for the appreciation and education of current and future generations; and to achieving our goal of surfing being more accurately understood, represented and enjoyed."
Dick Metz, Board Member and Founder of the SHF, has supplied the vision and initial funding for the organization. He is also donating his extensive collection of historical surfboards, and has bequeathed his estate to the Foundation.
Metz was born in Laguna Beach where he grew up on the beach and learned to surf. A friend of such notables as Hobie Alter, Reynolds Yater, and Hevs McClelland, he is himself a pioneering figure the sport and industry. He owned the Hobie Sports surf shops for 50 years, lived and surfed in Hawaii for 20 years, was the driving force behind Surfline Hawaii.
He traveled the world surfing, and was the first American to surf in South Africa. In fact, it was Metz who suggested South Africa to Bruce Brown as a filming location for "The Endless Summer." The most spectacular segment of that groundbreaking 1965 surf film was ultimately shot there.
Dick began collecting the historical surfboards that help comprise the nucleus of the current Foundation collection.
Metz's talk to the Society will cover the history of surfing in general and surfing in Orange County, with special emphasis on the Laguna Beach and Corona del Mar areas.
The public is welcome to attend this event, sponsored by the Orange County Historical Society. Board shorts and Hawaiian shirts are welcome but not mandatory.
Thursday, June 10, 2010 6:30 PM
Orange County Tiki
Speaker: Chris Jepsen
Dinner and Lecture
Special Event Location: Don the Beachcomber's Restaurant
16278 Pacific Coast Highway - Huntington Beach, CA
Click Here To Download Event Flyer
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Thursday, May 13, 2010 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The History of Tustin Blimb Hangars
Speaker: Linda Jennings
Regular Location: Trinity Episcopal Church - Orange, CA
2400 N. Canal Street
Tustin Conservancy President Linda Jennings will tell us about the efforts to save the enormous blimp hangars that were once part of MCAS Tustin. Her program will include the short film, "The Tustin Hangars: Titans of History."
Jennings lived in Old Town Tustin for 14 years before moving to Lemon Heights. She now lives in the historic Hewes House, built by David Hewes in 1881. She served on the city's Historic Resource Committee until it was disbanded. She also served as Chair of the City of Tustin Planning Commission and on several local nonprofit boards. She was Tustin Woman of the Year in 2004 and received the Athena Award as outstanding volunteer in 2002.
In 2004, she helped found the Tustin Preservation Conservancy after the city council voted to tear down a historic building "in the Old Town commercial area, despite the CEQA report stating that it should be saved."
Currently the Tustin Preservation Conservancy is launching a Save the Hangar campaign, gaining support from local historical groups and veterans groups. One of the two hangars is under the authority of Tustin and Orange County controls the other one. Tustin has already voted NOT to save its hangar. Orange County is working on a plan, and Supervisor Bill Campbell has stated he hopes to preserve theirs.
"The Tustin Hangars: Titans of History," was prepared by the city as part of the mitigation prior to demolition of the hangars. It is an excellent documentary of the building of the hangars, there amazing size and structure and their use from 1941 until the Marine Base was decommissioned in 1999.
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Thursday, April 8, 2010 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The History of Railroads in Orange County
Speaker: Rob Richardson
Regular Location: Trinity Episcopal Church - Orange, CA
2400 N. Canal Street
The April Orange County Historical Society General Meeting will be held Thursday, April 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal Street in Orange. The scheduled program will be concerning the history of Railroads in Orange County as presented by author Rob Richardson.
From the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe to the Southern Pacific to the short local rail lines, Mr. Richardson will discuss the impact of trains on Orange County's history. The gist of the information comes from his new book, Railroads and Depots of Orange County, printed by Arcadia Publishing. In his presentation, he will describe how railroads became a part of Orange County over 130 years ago. The expansion of the railroads from the 1800s and the turn of the 20th century made it a critical tool in the county's growth, including its introduction to World War II soldiers and sailors that passed through the area on trains.
Mr. Richardson, a long-time member of the Orange County Railway Historical Society and the Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society, will have interesting facts on Orange County railroading and if you are ready for the ride, you can join us for the General Meeting program on Thursday, April 8th. That night we will hear about Richardson's new book on the county's railroad history. For those interested in books on history, his publication will be on sale at the event. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. and will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church with the program following brief OCHS news items.
We hope that you will be able to hop on board.
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Thursday, March 11, 2010 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Cleveland National Forest
Speaker: James Newland
The next General Meeting of the Orange County Historical Society will be held Thursday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m. at the Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal Street in Orange behind the Orange Mall. A program is scheduled on the Cleveland National Forest by James D. Newland, a supervising historian and manager with California State Parks and a former forest historian.
Mr. Newland will speak about the value and history of the local forest about which he has written a recent book. His book and talk are timely, as the Cleveland National Forest (CNF) is now over 100 years old. On July 1, 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt created the U.S. Forest Service area and named it for pro-forest Pres. Grover Cleveland. The CNF includes over 460,000 acres in the Orange, San Diego, and Riverside Counties backcountry.
During the last century, the dedicated men and women of the CNF have worked to protect the forest from disease and deadly wildfires, such as the destructive 2003 Cedar Fire and the 2007 and 2009 firestorms. Yearly the CNF is a tourist and outdoor recreation destination for millions of visitors and Southern California residents. It is one of the largest and oldest land-management agencies in the three-county region.
Mr. Newland will have these and more interesting details on the forest and its history within Orange County. If this makes you want to go take a hike, then please come to our General Meeting and program on Thursday, March 11th. That night we will hear about Mr. Newland's new book on the history of the Cleveland National Forest in Orange County in the last 100 years. For those who collect history books, it will be on sale at the event. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. and will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal Street. His presentation will follow the OCHS meeting and we hope that you will be able to attend.
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Thursday, February 11, 2010 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Special Location for this meeting only: Old Courthouse in Downtown Santa Ana
211 W. Santa Ana Blvd (Between Main and Broadway), Santa Ana
We honor Abraham Lincoln's birthday in February. So to celebrate the 16th President's arrival, the Orange County Historical Society's General Meeting will be held with the Old Courthouse Museum Society on February 11th. The OCMS special gatherings are to honor the President's achievements and his impact on Orange County. The festivities begin at 6 p.m. and will be at the Old Courthouse located at 211 W. Santa Ana Blvd. between Main and Broadway in Santa Ana.
Our combined event at the Old Courthouse Museum will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and includes re-enactor William Peck performing as Lincoln. Mr. Peck will portray Lincoln the lawyer in the Old Courthouse's historic courtroom. He plans to bring out some of the lesser known aspects of Lincoln's life.
Other OCMS activities include a 6 p.m. lecture February 3, by Don McCue, Curator at the Lincoln Shrine in Redlands. He will speak on Lincoln and California: about how the President dealt with the West.
There will be a unique kid's day at the Old Courthouse on February 6, with a Self-Made in America exhibit, where youngsters can play with century-old crafts and toys and see a Civil War camp. Then at noon, the Orange County Historical Commission will have a showing of Abe Lincoln in Illinois, a 1940 film on young Abe. Plus, the Dr. Willella Howe-Waffle House will be open. All of these listed events are free.
If this makes you feel Lincolnesque, then please come to our General Meeting and program held jointly with the OCMS on Thursday, February 11th at 6 p.m. That night we will have an interesting time in court with none-other than Mr. Abraham Lincoln. Mark your calendars for the meeting at the Old Courthouse, 211 W. Santa Ana Blvd., in Santa Ana. We hope that you will be to attend this special event!
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Thursday, January 14, 2010 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
OC Scouting History
Speaker: Phil Brigandi
At the January 14th General Meeting Phil Brigandi, a member of the Orange Community Historical Committee, will speak about his latest book about the enchanting history of the Boy Scouts in Orange County. His book and talk is timely, as it is the 100th birthday of the founding of the Boy Scouts in the U.S. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. and will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal Street, behind the Orange Mall.
Mr. Brigandi is a third generation scout starting in Cub Scouts, achieving Eagle Scout, and still working at their summer camps so he is very knowledgeable on the subject matter. The book is On My Honor, A Century of Scouting in Orange County. It is one that Mr. Brigandi timed for release with 2010 being the Centennial of both the Boy Scouts of America and Scouting here in Orange County. The first OC troop was founded in Anaheim in 1910. A future Anaheim Mayor, Charlie Pearson, was one of the original Scouts.
The Orange County Scout Council was formed in 1920 and for many years has been one of the largest Scout Councils in the United States. Orange County is also famous for hosting the 1953 National Boy Scout Jamboree, held on the Irvine Ranch near where Fashion Island is today. Also from our County, William H. Spurgeon III developed the Specialty Exploring program here in the 1950s, which was adopted as a national program later. It was designed to offer vocational training for young men and women and the Police Explorers are the best known part of the program today.
Mr. Brigandi will have these and more interesting details on scouting and its history in Orange County. If this makes you want to sign up for summer camp, then please come to our General Meeting and program on Tuesday, January 14 th at 7:30 p.m. That night we will hear about Mr. Brigandi’s interesting history of the Orange County Boy Scouts in the last 100 years. The book will also be on sale at the meeting. We hope that you will give us your Scout’s Honor that you will be there!
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Thursday, May 14, 2009 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Speaker Follows Eichler Lines
Speaker: Alan Hess
Our May OC Historical Society General Meeting speaker is Alan Hess, a prominent California architecture critic for the San Jose Mercury News. He has written extensively on emerging suburban metropolises of the West, which he will share with us on May 14, at 7:30 p.m. at the Meeting Hall at the Trinity Episcopal Church at 2400 N. Canal St. in Orange.
Mr. Hess is a practicing architect and historian and has written a new book, "Near History: the Eichler Tracts of Orange County." As what we would consider modern Architecture is now officially historic, Mr. Hess finds proof right here in Orange County in the tract homes built by developer Joe Eichler in the 1950s. The Eichler homes brought the best of modern residential design within reach of the average home-buyer. Today they are being rediscovered for their straight-forward design and are being preserved and restored.
Hess has been active in the preserving and qualifying the nation's oldest McDonald's drive-in in Downey and the Bullock's Department Store in Pasadena for the National Register of Historic Places. He is now researching Irvine's architecture, one of the largest U.S. master-planned communities of the 1960s-70s.
For the rest of the story, you'll have to join us on May 14th at 7:30 p.m. at the Trinity Episcopal Church. Please come out to see and hear Alan Hess discuss how a pioneer builder-designer enhanced Orange County as the place to buy a home and live. See you there!
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Thursday, November 13, 2008 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Los Flores Historic Area
Speaker: Faye Jonason
Have you ever driven by Camp Pendleton and wondered about its vast land holdings? You can learn about the history of the land by attending the next OCHS General Meeting. Faye Jonason of Fallbrook will be speaking on the history of the Camp Pendleton property at 7:30 p.m. on November 13, at the Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal Street, in Orange. Ms. Jonason is the Director of the Camp Pendleton Command Museum located on the base.
Camp Pendleton’s history began long before the base was built. In 1769, Gaspar de Portola’s expedition camped on what is now Marine land. Padres, including Father Junipero Serra, performed a baptism on July 22, a holy day for St. Margaret, so the area was named Santa Margarita. By 1800, Mission San Luis Rey, south of Camp Pendleton, was in charge of the Santa Margarita area. Later the Las Flores Estancia was built as a rest stop between the San Luis Rey and San Juan Capistrano Missions.
After Mexico passed the Secularization of the Missions Act, most Missions fell into disrepair. Yet Las Flores and San Juan Capistrano continued under a decree that allowed missions to change to pueblos. In April, 1838, the Las Flores area was the site of the battle between Juan Bautista Alvarado and Carlos Antonio Carrillo over Alta California’s governance. The "battle" was a single cannon shot and Alvarado remained governor.
Pio and Andres Pico became the first private owners of the Santa Margarita area land in 1841. More land was added and the name was changed to Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores. In 1863, Don Juan Forster, an Englishman who became a Mexican citizen and married Pio Pico’s sister, paid off Pico’s debts and received the deed to the Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores. In 1864, Forster began expanding the Santa Margarita Ranch House to 18 rooms and turned the land into a cattle ranch.
When Forster died his heirs sold the ranch to James Flood who selected his friend Richard O’Neill to manage the ranch. O’Neill was given half ownership for his loyal partnership. O’Neill’s son, Jerome, made the ranch profitable and improved the house to its present size. The main Santa Margarita House was the Commanding General’s home until 2007.
During World War II 125,000 acres of the ranch would become the largest Marine base and be named for Major General Joseph Pendleton. The Camp was dedicated on Sept. 25, 1942, by President Roosevelt. The land has not changed much and de Portola would probably still recognize it.
If you are you ready to storm the beaches of the Marine base, then join us on Thursday, November 13th. That night you will hear more from Ms. Jonason of the Camp Pendleton Command Museum on the history of this amazing land.
Las Flores Tour Available
The San Juan Capistrano Historical Society is holding its annual trip to Camp Pendleton to visit its historic sites on December 9th. The bus trip begins at the San Juan Capistrano Mission Museum on Los Rios Street at 8:30 a.m. The cost of the excursion is $35. Make out your check to the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society.
The all-day trip includes the tour bus, coffee and pastries at the start, an expert guide - Colonel Jim Williams, plus a box lunch with drinks, including beer and wine, and a wonderful tour about the history of the colorful area. The bus will return to San Juan Capistrano around 4:30 p.m.
OCHS members are invited to go along, but should register as early as possible, NO LATER than November 10th in case a second bus needs to be ordered. For more information contact the SJC Historical Society at 1-949-493-8444.
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Thursday, October 9, 2008 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Old Santa Ana Cemetery:
History and the Civil War/Confederate Connection
Speaker: Lou Carlson
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Thursday, September 11, 2008 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Orange County Historical Society Annual Meeting
(Appetizer & Dessert Potluck)
Special Location SHERMAN LIBRARY & GARDENS
2647 E. Pacific Coast Highway (just south of MacArthur), Corona del Mar
Flying in Orange County: Pioneer Female Pilot Flew from 30s to 21st Century
Speaker: Iris Cummings (now Critchell)
SEE MAP to SHERMAN GARDENS
Iris Cummings (now Critchell) was a woman who took to flying airplanes like a fisherman takes to water. She will be the guest speaker at our first Fall meeting, which is traditionally conducted at the Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar (right past MacArthur on PCH). The event will be held Thursday, September 11 at 7:30 p.m. We will begin the evening with an opportunity to view of the gardens and our usual dessert potluck at 6:30. Bring a dessert for 6, ready to serve.
Women pilots are not that unusual now, but she started flying in 1939 while still hitting the books as a sophomore at USC! After training and getting her pilot's license, she began flying Piper Cubs and Waco bi‑planes at the old Mines Field (now the site of LAX). When World War II broke out, she was soon teaching pilots to fly and in 1942 she went to Houston for some Army Air Corps training and was assigned to the WAFS (Woman's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron) in Long Beach as part of the civilian ferry system for the Army Air Corps Air Transport Command.
Iris had the pleasure of flying almost every conceivable aircraft built during WWH. In addition to trainers, she flew the P‑47 Thunderbolt, P‑40 War Hawk, P‑39 Air Cobra, P‑51 Mustang, C‑47 Transport, B‑25 Mitchell, A‑20 Havoc, P‑38 Lightning, and the mesmerizing P‑61 Black Widow. As a co‑pilot, she also trained in the B‑ 17 bomber and the Lockheed Hudson. Her two favorites are the P‑38 and the P‑61, of which only one still exists.
After the War, she went back to teaching aeronautics and providing training to students at USC's College of Aeronautics in Santa Maria. To keep her hand on the thrill of soaring into the blue sky and white clouds, Iris competed in the Transcontinental Powder Puff Derby 15 times beginning in 1950 ‑ winning twice and placing in the top ten seven times. The 1952 and 1953 air matches were held in Orange County at Eddie Martin Field in Santa Ana. She is a member of the "99," a pioneer woman's flying organization formed in 1929 and called that by Amelia Earhart because there were 99 original members.
After the War, and at the urging of her friend Isabel Bates, Ms. Critchell and her husband (Howard) established the Bates Foundation Aeronautics Program at Harvey Mudd College. Their goal was to provide air training to assist junior and senior high school, as well as college students, by including aviation as part of a well rounded education. At Harvey Mudd College she taught from 1962 to 1990, now has Emeritus status, and still lectures and assists when needed. Two astronauts have gone through the program.
In 2000, Iris was inducted into the National Association of Flight Instructors Hall of Fame. She was awarded the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award by the FAA in 2006. She was inducted into the International Pioneer Woman Pilots' Hall of Fame last year and honored as an Eagle at the U.S. Air Force Air University Gathering of Eagles this year.
And, in keeping with the spirit of the recent Olympic Gaines in Beijing, China, she had an interesting childhood too. Iris was the U.S. swimming champion in the 200‑meter Breaststroke from 1936 to 1939 and participated in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.
If these teasers make you want to fly into the wild blue yonder, then please mark your calendars for September 11 so you may join us. On that Thursday we will learn more about Iris Critchell and her amazing flying experience in and around Orange County.
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All Regular Monthly Meetings Held At: TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
2400 N. Canal Street, Orange
7:30 PM
SEE MAP to TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH |
