O.C. History Roundup

Capo Beach, Camp Pendleton, anteaters & Knott's

2009-11-06T16:06:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple old postcard images of Capistrano Beach (now part of Dana Point) from Tom Pulley's amazing collection. Both are undated, but I'm going to take a wild stab and guess they're from the 1940s.
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The San Juan Capistrano Historical Society's Christmas Tour of Camp Pendleton will take place on Dec. 9. The bus will leave the O’Neill Museum, 31831 Los Rios St., in San Juan Capistrano at 9am. Tour stops include the Ranch House and Bunk House, the Mechanized Museum, lunch at the South Mesa Club, and the LCAC hovercraft facility. The bus will return San Juan around 4:00 to 4:30. Reservations are mandatory. Call (949) 493-8444. Seats on the bus are going fast.
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Historian Phil Brigandi will speak on "Walter Knott and the Early Years of Knott's Berry Farm," at the San Dimas Historical Society’s Fall Dinner at the San Dimas Canyon golf course clubhouse, 2100 Terrebonne Ave. on Nov. 12 at 6pm. Click here for information on how to sign up. It’s $25 for non-members. Reservations must be made by Monday.
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UCI’s Special Collections & Archives now has it’s own blog: Anteater Antics. Their entries showcase random items from university collections you might not otherwise see. The items have been selected because they are "historic, nostalgic, or just plain made us smirk." Lots of good stuff!

Ken at OutsideTheBerm has been outdoing himself lately. In his latest post he shared an update on Chris Merritt's forthcoming Knott's Preserved book, as well as some early artwork by Paul von Klieben.

Santa Ana, Fullerton, Irvine, natural history, more

2009-11-05T15:22:00.000-08:00

This circa 1920s postcard shows a spot identified as "The Sphinx, Balboa Beach." Does anyone know more about this, or its exact location?
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Despite public protest, the City of Santa Ana will tear down over a dozen historic homes between the Civic Center and the train station as part of its proposed "Station District" redevelopment project. It sure wouldn't be hard to pick several dozen buildings near the train station that should be bulldozed,... but these aren't the them. Some of these homes predate the County itself. Luckily, at least a couple of them are scheduled to be saved, but I hate to think what kinds of threats the preservationists had to make to get that concession.
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A fire broke out in the historic Williams Building at 112 E. Commonwealth Ave. in downtown Fullerton this morning, causing a lot of damage. See the Register's website for more information.
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Disneyland Nomenclature has a new article about the development of the term "Cast Members" to describe Disneyland employees. Niche interest stuff, to be sure, but I think at least a few of my readers are in that niche.
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Dr. Jutta Burger of the Irvine Ranch Conservancy will address the California Native Plant Society on the subject of "Preserving the natural treasures of the historic Irvine Ranch" on Nov. 19, 7-9pm, at the historic Duck Club, on Riparian Way in Irvine, CA. She will describe the habitats, their regional importance, the vision and approach to managing them, and current projects. Highlights will include observations from recent grassland and sensitive species surveys, choice photos from wildlife camera operations, and plans for removal of invasive plants and restoration of certain areas.
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Speaking of natural history, these past couple weeks have been sad ones for those fighting to save Orange County's natural treasures. Joel Pasco, noted veterinarian, wildlife rehabilitator, and co-founder of the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach passed away on Oct. 24. (He was also the husband of Jean Pasco of the O.C. Archives.) And today I learned that environmental activist Dr. Jan Vandersloot, Director of the Ocean Outfall Group and the Bolsa Chica Land Trust (and my dermatologist during my pimply teenage years,) died yesterday. The State Coastal Commission adjourned in his memory.
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Both gentleman made great strides to ensure that our great-grandchildren will be able to appreciate the natural wonders that drew everyone to Southern California in the first place. The world needs more people like them.

1938 flood, wine, historical tours, Woodruff, etc.

2009-11-04T16:36:00.000-08:00

Learn about the big flood of 1938 at the Orange County Historical Society's meeting on, Nov 12, 7:30pm, at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal St., Orange. Our speaker, Eddie Castro, witnessed the flood first hand, and is a member of several north O.C. historical organizations. The flood killed over 50 people and destroyed or badly damaged thousands of homes. Castro's talk will include film footage of the flood. (Today's photo, above, shows Buena Park during the flood.)

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The Old Towne Preservation Society will hold its biennial Historic Home Tour of Orange, Nov. 7 & 8, 10am-4pm. The self-guided walking tour of five homes and one commercial building starts at the Woman’s Club of Orange, 121 S. Center St. (at Chapman). Tickets are $20. Visit OTPA's website for information.

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The Dana Point Historical Society is hosting a bus trip to L.A. on Nov. 10th. Leaving the Selva Beach parking lot at 8:30am (returning at 4pm) the tour will start with a visit to Hollywoodland to see Sidney Woodruff's original real estate office (before he came south to develop Dana Point), complete with Woodruff memorabilia, and some nearby original Woodruff homes, plus other related shops and attractions. The tour will also stop at the Los Angeles Museum/Memorial (honoring L.A. firefighters who have died in the line of service since 1886) and the original historic firehouse. Lunch will be served in the former firehouse dormitory. The cost is $40. To reserve a spot, call (949) 248-8121.

The Anaheim Historical Society will present a short program on the history of wine making in Anaheim by Jane Newell (Heritage Services Manager for the Anaheim Public Library), followed by wine tasting and tapas. This event will be held Nov. 13, 6:30-8:30 pm at Orange County Custom Wine, 1211 N. Las Brisas St., Anaheim. The cost is $15 for AHS members, $20 per person for non-members, and as a special enticement to join, $25 per person for those becoming members (includes 1 year AHS membership). Please RSVP to Susan Faessel.

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The Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society will hold a guided Architectural Walking Tour of Historic Downtown Santa Ana, Nov 7, 2:30pm, beginning at the Waffle House Museum, 120 Civic Center Dr. Tours are $8 and last 1 1/2 to 2 hours. To RSVP, call (714) 547-9645.

An architectural walking tour of historic San Juan Capistrano will be held Nov. 7, 10am, beginning at the old train depot on Verdugo St. The walk includes adobes, Spanish-era dwellings and streamlined modern buildings, covers about a mile on level ground, and lasts 90 minutes. This event is held every Saturday. A $5 donation to the Friends of the Library is requested. RSVP to (949) 489-0736.

Infamous crimes of Orange County

2009-11-03T18:44:00.000-08:00

Larry Welborn is doing a series for the Register on the "50 most notorious crimes in Orange County history." Today is day two, featuring the story of burgler and serial killer Mose Gibson. Yesterday's entry was about lynched ax murderer Francisco Torres.
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Another case I'm guessing will eventually be covered is the 1951 murder of 10-year-old Peggy Hull by Henry Ford McCraken. The photo above shows McCracken being led back to his jail cell from the Old Courthouse in Santa Ana. The photo below shows Sheriff Jim Musick, Ranger Joe Scherman and others gathered around Hull's body after it was found in Live Oak Canyon. Some say McCracken's trial was the first major instance of a sensational legal case being exploited by television. In a sense, you can draw a direct line from the McCracken coverage to the voyeurism of the O. J. Simpson trial or the shock value of "reality television."
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McCracken's first trial ended in deadlock and a mistrial. The jury at a second trial found him guilty of murder. He was executed in 1954.

Writer Nathan Callahan has posted a fascinating essay about this trial and its effects on television and media today.

Casino, H.B., new books, Capistrano & Anaheim

2009-11-02T19:02:00.000-08:00

Today's photo shows Huntington Beach in November 1934. I'd guess our vantage point is from the end of today's Goldenwest Ave. The photographer is looking down the coast toward Downtown H.B. The pier is just visible.
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LAB Holding Co. has received approval to operate the landmark Casino San Clemente (1937) as a restaurant and special events venue. Frankly, I was getting a little worried about this place, so this seems like a big step in the right direction. It's harder to bulldoze a place when people are inside eating dinner.

Architect Richard Dodd has written a new book about historic styles of residential architecture throughout Orange County. Right now, you can only get copies through the author. I'll let you know as it becomes available elsewhere. You probably remember Dodd from his talks to many local historical organizations.

Rev. William F. Krekelberg has written a new history book entitled, Mission San Juan Capistrano. He says it features information about the Mission "that was unknown in earlier works." I'm always pleased to see someone break new ground! The book is available at the mission for $20. The author will sign books at the Soldiers Barracks (on the Mission grounds) Nov. 14, noon-1pm, and Nov. 19, 1-1:30pm. Light refreshments will be served.

Also in Mission news, Anthony Moiso is stepping down as president of the Mission Preservation Foundation after 12 years. He will still be on the board, but the president positional will be filled by George O'Connell. Moiso, President and CEO of Rancho Mission Viejo, was a founding member of the Foundation, which raises money for Mission San Juan Capistrano.
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I'm a bit late reporting it, but Cynthia Ward had a good entry on her Anaheim Life blog about the origins of Anaheim's Halloween Parade. (Stuff I definitely did not know.) Meanwhile, Ken at OutsideTheBerm posted some wonderful "haunted ephemera" from Knott's and Disneyland.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T00:22:00.000-07:00

The photo above shows the Excelsior Creamery float in the Anaheim Halloween Parade, probably sometime in the 1940s. The map below is from one of the earliest Halloween Haunts at Knott's Berry Farm, in 1976.

Duck hunting at Bolsa Chica

2009-10-29T16:54:00.000-07:00

I recently stumbled across this image in U.S. Geological Survey's online photo library. It shows the Bolsa Chica Gun Club in Huntington Beach, just after the big earthquake of 1933. (Note the huge crack long the road.) Until yesterday, I didn't know the USGS even had a historic photo collection like this, but man do they have some cool stuff!
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While we're on the subject of the Bolsa Chica Gun Club, here's an odd excerpt from J. A. Graves' 1928 book, My Seventy Years in California,...

“The Bolsa Chica, a very aristocratic duck club, which bought a large body of land in the Bolsa Chica Rancho, near the present town of Huntington Beach, always had most excellent shooting until quite recently. The Westminster Club was near there. I was one of the organizers of the latter, and shot there many years. The Blue Wing [Club] adjoined the Westminster. I was at the Westminster one day, heard a shot on the Blue Wing, followed by a yell from various members, and looking up, saw the sky raining ducks. Mr. J. E. Fishburn, for many years president of the Merchants National Bank, wanted one duck to complete his limit. He picked out a big sprig [a.k.a. a pintail duck] and fired at it. A flock of sprig were circling in, ready to light. They came in range of his gun, as he fired, and he killed, with one shot, fourteen sprig. This seems like a hard story to ask any sane person to believe, but Mr. Fishburn is alive, and he and several members of his club will verify it.”

And what makes for a more charming anecdote than rich Angelenos slaughtering waterfowl? In fact, there were something like 13 gun clubs (a.k.a "duck clubs") in the Bolsa Chica area alone, to say nothing of all those near Irvine or in the marshes between Huntington Beach and Costa Mesa. Most members were rich businessmen from Los Angeles.
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Graves also gives an account of an standard outing to a gun club, circa 1911. He's awfully wordy, so I will paraphrase:
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After work on Friday, he would take the Pacific Electric or hitch a ride in a friend's "machine" down to Bolsa Chica. Taking an automobile let him avoid a dark, two-mile ride from the P.E. stop to the Club in a mule-pulled wagon. On the other hand, it meant sharing the unpaved roads with innumerable slow wagons hauling sugar beets to the Alamitos sugar factory.
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Once at the Club, he met with other members who would be shooting the next day. They had a hearty dinner together and selected blinds for the following morning. After dinner, members spent the evening chatting, reading, playing card games and relaxing before going to sleep.
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The keeper awakened each of them with a rap on their doors at 5:00 a.m. They put on their hunting gear, ate breakfast, and headed out into the darkness toward their blinds. Thirty minutes before sunrise, a bell rang, letting everyone know they could begin blazing away. Initially, they might see no game, but would hear a few guns popping in the distance -- sometimes at neighboring clubs.
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At this point that Graves regales us with a depiction of the slaughter and maiming of innumerable waterfowl -- All against the backdrop of the great outdoors and a glorious sunrise.
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By noon, most of our mighty Nimrods had bagged their limit. Having once again defended democracy against a potential duck incursion, they retired to Bourbon and cold showers at the Club. This was followed by a "good hot lunch" before making the drive back to Los Angeles.

First American goes digital

2009-10-28T14:43:00.001-07:00

Good news! First American Corp. -- which has one of the best collections of early Orange County photos anywhere -- is beginning to put some of their images online. Their website lacks captions, but it includes some great old photos. I'm posting two of them here today. Above is an image of employees of the Yorba Linda Citrus Association. Below is a circa 1960s image of the monorail leaving the Disneyland Hotel.

They've also posted a short video about the history of First American, which is worth a look. Let's hope this is just the beginning!

Golf, H.B., Woodimals, and the Santa Ana winds

2009-10-23T17:04:00.000-07:00

Today's photo shows Coach Lloyd H. Hamren (1886-1975) and the Huntington Beach High School Golf Team on May 2, 1951. Coach Hamren looks like he must have been quite a character. The municipal golf course -- which was adjacent to the High School -- is all condos now. But what isn't?
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Ken at OutsideTheBerm just posted a nice piece on Forrest Morrow and his "Woodimals," which once resided on Knott's Berry Farm's Jungle Island.
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The recent mild Santa Ana wind conditions have stirred the pot again on the perennial argument over spelling and pronunciation: "Santa Ana winds" (like the city) or "santana winds" (possibly a reference to the devil). The Register ran an article about this last year, which generated quite a few comments on their website. (Who knows why they closed down the comments on this article.)
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Jim Sleeper gives about the best accounting of "Santa Ana wind" history I've seen, in pages 71-79 of his first Orange County Almanac:

"...'Devil Wind,' a label inspired no doubt, by the hellish nature of these zephyrs. To support this, the Indian word zanta (possibly Swahili) was dredged up and translated 'devil.' As explained in the Santa Ana Register, 'Santana, of course, was merely a corruption of that well known Indian word,' a theory that holds up about as well as would a snowball in the subject under discussion...

"However, on the authority of John P. Harrington, a research assistant of the Smithsonian Institute, there is a grain of support for the old Devil theory, if not the name that goes with it.

"'Years ago [wrote Harrington], I had a unique experience. I drove with an old Indian from Olive up the Santa Ana River Canyon. Pretty soon after leaving Olive we seem to have been on the north side of the Santa Ana River. We went through a big kind of low place. The Indian said that that was the devil's house, that the devil lived there in the form of a whirlwind, and that a whirlwind is often seen there...'"

Jim also cites Fr. St. John O'Sullivan's interview with Dona Magdalena Murillo (who was born on the Rancho Las Bolsas in 1848), in which she explains that the wind got its name because it "came down the Santa Ana Canyon."
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Also, Jim points out that the first instance of the term "Santa Ana winds" in print, was in the April 12, 1873 Anaheim Gazette.
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So I'm voting for "Santa Ana winds," even if the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce doesn't like it much.

Halloween at Knott's, 1960

2009-10-22T22:36:00.001-07:00

Long before there was a "Knott's Scary Farm" or "Halloween Haunt," the folks at Knott's Berry Farm clearly knew how to get into the spirit of Halloween. The photo above shows the staff of the Chicken Dinner Restaurant on Oct. 31, 1960. There weren't many days left until the presidential election. Note the "broach" Cordelia Knott wore on her costume in the closeup image below. Squint hard and you'll recognize it as a campaign badge for Orange County's own Richard Nixon.

St. Catherine's, Balboa Island, Vans, Catalina, etc.

2009-10-21T10:05:00.000-07:00

Today's image is an old postcard from Tom Pulley's collection, showing the library of St. Catherine's Military Academy in Anaheim. I love the old radio and the tile around the fireplace.

Today was a good day for stumbling across things I wasn't expecting. First, I learned there's a Balboa Island Historical Museum. It's open Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10am-2pm, at 502 S. Bayfront, Suite A (upstairs). They ask that you "please call to confirm the hours: (949) 675-3952. Or to make an appointment: (949) 723-4226."

I also ran across a couple books of local historical interest that I didn't know existed,...

First, there's Catalina by Sea: A Transportation History (2006) by Jeannine L. Pedersen of the Catalina Island Museum. It's an Arcadia Publishing book that includes material on the boats between Catalina and various ports, including Dana Point and Newport Harbor.

Also, there's Vans: Off the Wall: Stories of Sole from Vans Originals by Vans Vice President of Marketing, Doug Palladini. Vans has been an Orange County institution since they began as the Van Doren Rubber Co. in 1966. They opened their first store here, made their shoes here, and are currently based in Cypress.

By the way, the L.A. Times has an article about the two Depression-era paintings that survived Newport Harbor High School's recent discombobulation. Nice that something did.

La Habra, Doris Walker, Pancho Barnes, Flickr, etc

2009-10-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

Taken in 1958 to document a road construction site, this photo from the Orange County Road Dept. almost looks like it was staged. The boys are crossing Coyote Creek in La Habra, near Lambert Road. Today's children, of course, will never be endangered by makeshift bridges, polluted creeks, harmful UV rays, or scary farm animals. They will remain safely in their beige stucco boxes, playing video games and watching "educational" television.
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Historian Doris I. Walker will be the guest speaker at the Dana Point Lighthouse Society meeting on Oct 22. She'll preview her newest (12th) book, Images of America: Orange County, A Natural History. The meeting will take place at the Dana Point Tennis Center, 24911 Calle De Tenis, 6:00-7:30pm. Thanks to the folks at Arcadia Publishing, I've already seen the book. It includes many good images I've never seen in print before. And although she's mostly limited to captions, Doris' winning writing style shines through.
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Speaking of books, I just finished The Happy Bottom Riding Club: The Life and Times of Pancho Barnes, by Lauren Kessler. It's a history of one of the first female aviators and her enormously colorful life. It's not a new book, but it was new to me, and I wanted to point it out. Barnes' Orange County connections included her beach house and air strip at Laguna Beach, and her visits to Martin Field and the Orange County Airport.
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Someone has started a new Yahoo! Group for Orange County history. Click on over to check it out. I look forward to seeing what this grows into.
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And while we're on the subject of online resources, I see the Orange County History group on Flickr has reached 145 members and well over 2,000 entries. I love to check in and see what other people are sharing.
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With my new computer mostly working, I'm once again able to do some video editing. I've already posted two videos of the 1938 flood to the O.C. Archives' Flickr site, and two videos from the Allison Honer Collection (showing the building of Buffum's annex in Santa Ana and the building of the Buena Park Mall) for the Orange County Historical Society's Flickr site.

Huntington Beach, Don Nixon, Katella Ranch, etc.

2009-10-14T17:06:00.000-07:00

Here's a small map of Orange County from about 1900. Nifty, no?
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The grand re-opening of the historic Huntington Beach High School Auditorium and Bell Tower (1926, Allison & Allison) will be held Oct. 18, at noon. The program will also feature "a special performance of Titanic: The Musical" (Is that a very dark comedy, or just an opportunity for one?)
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Vic at Photos of the Forgotten posted a nice postcard image of Presidential brother Don Nixon's restaurant, and then linked to a interesting article about Don's Orange County chain and the hornets nest it stirred up. See the article at Restaurant-ing Through History.
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Artists Kevin Kidney and Jody Daily have restored some interesting architectural details from Anaheim's historic Rea House. (That's Rea as in Kate and Ella Rea. Kate. Ella. Katella. Get it?) Read about it on Kevin's blog.

Irvine Park, MCAS Tustin, OCN, cemeteries, etc.

2009-10-09T16:16:00.001-07:00

The photo above comes from Jim Sleeper's, Bears To Briquettes: A History of Irvine Park, 1897-1997, (which may be reprinted soon), in which he writes,

"In 1967, Irvine Park turned seventy. To honor that milestone, some 1500 well-wishers gathered on October 7 for an old-fashioned celebration. ...Prominent among the honorees were longtime county supervisor Tom Talbert, then 89, who fathered many park improvements... retired custodian Fay Irwin, 69, whose family had tended the place for 40 years; businessman Jim Liebig, 97, who got Irvine's permission to change the park's name; and historian Don Meadows, 70..."

The photo above, taken by Jim, shows (from left to right) Liebig, Meadows, Irwin and Talbert. But here's the twist: While digging through the County Archives, I found the image below,...
There's young Mr. Sleeper taking the photo that appears in the book!
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A lot has happened since I last had the chance to post. For instance,...
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The County has now changed their mind about the economic viability of saving the MCAS Tustin "lighter-than-air" hangar they inherited. That means that both of the historic hangars have wrecking balls in their futures. (The City of Tustin already decided not to keep the hangar they control.) The sad loss of these landmarks -- the largest free-standing structures in the world -- will be hard to get used to. I'm sure they'll be replaced with something significant and unique, like chain stores and condos.
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Griselda Castillo, who has been overseeing some of the County's historic parks since Rob Selway's retirement, has now been named Manager of Historic Parks for the whole system. I wish her luck with what seems a daunting but potentially very rewarding job.
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The Dreger Clock was finally officially unveiled to the public. Photos of the dedication are posted on OutsideTheBerm.
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Casa Romantica has named Lisa Merryman as their new interim director.

A large mountain of "Beta" videotapes have been delivered to the Orange County Archives, comprising the 10-year run of the Orange County Newschannel (OCN). Of course, it's going to take a lot of time, work, and antiquated equipment to make this material available to the public in something resembling a useful format.
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The Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society will hold their annual Historical Cemetery Tour on Oct 17, with tours from 10 am to 3 pm. This guided historical tour of Fairhaven Memorial Park and Santa Ana Cemetery features costumed actors portraying historic figures who share stories from Orange County’s past. This year's program is entitled, "What's In A Name?" More information is available on the SAHPS website.

San Clemente, Bradford House, Olive, Lorson's, etc

2009-09-30T14:22:00.001-07:00

Here are two 1950s images of the San Clemente Pier from two totally different sources. The one above is from 1956 and was taken by someone in the County Planning Dept. The photo below comes from a slightly earlier postcard. (You can see a building being built in the 1956 shot that does not appear in the one below.)

Daralee has added a new article about Louis Schorn to her Olive Through the Ages website.

There will be a rally to save Triangle Park and the old Main Street Library in Downtown Huntington Beach this Sunday, Oct. 4, at 2pm.

There's another article in the Register today about the closing of Lorson's Books in Fullerton.

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The Register also features an article about the Bradford House in Placentia, and how items of historical interest turn up in the darnedest places.

Orange, Golden Bear, Dreger Clock, videos, etc.

2009-09-28T16:52:00.000-07:00

Dell has delayed the shipping date for my new computer three times now. So I still can't edit photos, which explains why I'm just posting whatever's handy. Today's images show the Plaza in Downtown Orange. The image above is from about 1895 and appeared on the cover of Phil Brigandi's last book. The image below is from 1887 and is a view looking east.

The Register's website now features a slideshow from the recent Golden Bear reunion in Huntington Beach.

They also ran a good story about the final leg of Glenn Frank's Dreger Clock restoration project.

It's been a while since I rounded up recent YouTube videos related to O.C. history, so I though I'd catch us up a bit,...

First of all, you can see the airplane crash that killed noted O.C. aviator/stuntman Paul Mantz. No, we don't see any gore, thank God. Just a plane in a lot of trouble.

Huell Howser's visit to historic Anaheim (with Cynthia Ward as tour guide) has also been posted to YouTube as a six-part series. Here are links to the various segments: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6.

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The "Great Park" people have also posted some snippets from oral histories conducted by CSUF's Center for Oral & Public History as part of their MCAS El Toro project.

There's also a funky mini-documentary about Tim Rush of the Santa Ana Historial Preservation Society.

Just in time for Fall, there's now an ad on YouTube for the Orange County Football Book. (Based on the ad's dramatic music, you'd think the book was about something more important than playing games.)

Someone has also posted footage of El Morro Trailer Park in the 1960s. (Search the same guy's YouTube account to find the rest of it.)
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And finally, Chris Epting has posted another installment in his Disneyland series -- this time using some old photos from Daveland as a starting point.

Balboa, John Wayne, OC Archives & Dreger Clock

2009-09-25T11:30:00.001-07:00

Here are two more postcard images of Balboa from the Orange County Archives' Tom Pulley Collection. The image above shows the Balboa Ferry and the Fun Zone as they appeared in 1948. The image below shows the popular Christian's Hut bar and restaurant.

In case you missed it there's a nice article in today's Register about Smithsonian Day tomorrow, and how six Orange County museums are holding open houses. The version of the article on the Register's website also includes a bunch of images from (and of) the Orange County Archives. (I'm being a shameless self-promoter today. Sorry.)

Speaking of open houses, John Wayne's old yacht, the Wild Goose, will be open for tours in Newport Harbor this weekend.

After years of work by Glenn Frank, the Buena Park Historical Society and others, the Dreger Clock, (once located at Knott's Berry Farm) will be dedicated at its new home, next to the historic Whitaker/Jaynes House. The ceremony will take place Oct. 3rd. For details see Glenn's website.

San Clemente

2009-09-23T19:43:00.001-07:00

My blog entries are usually driven by current events, by material suggested or sent to me by others, or by whatever strikes my fancy. There's no real plan. Accordingly, I occasionally notice that I've unfairly ignored certain communities. It just happens. For instance, it turns out I've only posted about five images San Clemente over the past three years. My mea culpa begins with the 1950s postcard of Downtown San Clemente posted above.

This next photo shows beach parking at San Clemente in about 1928. From my own childhood, I seem to remember a big dirt parking lot. Today the lot is paved, landscaped, and well-lighted.

In the early days, developer Ole Hanson decreed that all buildings in San Clemente must conform to the town's slogan: "The Spanish Village of White Houses." Everything built was in a Spanish motif and featured white walls and red roofs. Perhaps you thought South County's planned communities and strict CC&Rs were something recent?

Balboa, Orange County Archives and Katella

2009-09-22T09:44:00.001-07:00

Today's images of Downtown Balboa come from Tom Pulley's amazing postcard collection. The first (top) is from sometime around the 1910s, and the second image is from World War II. Although much has changed, both views are still pretty recognizable today.

The Orange County Archives will hold a free Open House this Saturday, Sept. 26, 10am-4pm. The Archives are very rarely open on weekends. If you normally can't get in to do research during the week, this is your chance. "Behind the scenes" tours will be available. The Old Courthouse Museum (upstairs) and the Dr. Howe-Waffle House Museum (next door) will also be open that day and offering tours. These events are held in conjunction with Smithsonian Magazine's annual Museum Day.

On Sunday at 2pm, the Anaheim Historical Society will hold their annual Ice Cream Social at the GardenWalk shopping center at 321 W. Katella Ave. The City of Anaheim's Heritage Services Manager, Jane Newell, will discuss the lives of Kate and Ella Rea, for whom Katella Avenue was named.

St. John's, Francelia Goddard, Newport Harbor HS

2009-09-18T14:07:00.000-07:00

Today's photo shows St. John's Lutheran Church and School on S. Olive St. in Orange. This church building was replaced with the current one (which is most impressive!) in 1914. Thanks to St. Johns' and Katie Schroeder for the photo.
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Francelia Goddard, librarian, college instructor, local (Santa Ana) historian, and widow of Allen W. Goddard, died Sept. 8 at age 102. Her obituary is posted online. The memorial service will be held at Waverly Chapel, 1700 Fairhaven Ave, Santa Ana, at noon on Sept. 26.
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The Newport Harbor High School bell tower and adjacent buildings -- recently demolished -- have now been rebuilt at a cost of $55.5 million. For that price, I'm sure they could have retrofitted the historic buildings instead of building replicas.
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The Laguna Beach lifeguard force is celebrating it's 80th anniversary.
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The White House Restaurant (1909) in Anaheim (which is on the National Register of Historic Places,) is planning to add another building between the historic structure and the street.
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Talk about old O.C. and new O.C. coming together,... Tustin's new Citrus Ranch Park features 1,000 lemon trees. (A wonderful and welcomed nod to our citrus heritage!) However, you won't be able to pick any because you might hurt yourself or damage the irrigation system. Presumably, the trees will be safely behind a tall fence. Joni Mitchell saw it coming: "They took all the trees, and put 'em in a tree museum. And they charged the people a dollar and a half to see 'em."
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Speaking of trees, those with an interest in Orange County's rustic past may be interested in the new exhibit at the Irvine Museum. It's always nice to see images of O.C. before we paved over most of it. The Irvine Museum often exhibits some really beautiful art -- and this is no exception.

Huntington Beach should save more of its past

2009-09-14T11:59:00.000-07:00

Marilyn Kalfus at the Register just posted an article about the need for historical preservation in Huntington Beach. (See if you recognize anyone.) There is talk of starting a non-profit preservation group in town -- Something akin to the Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society or the Old Towne Preservation Association in Orange. If you live or work in H.B. or care about the city's remaining historic resources and are interested in helping start such an organization, please send me an email.
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Today's photo comes from the Orange County Archives. It shows H.B.'s iconic Golden Bear in 1986, just days before it was demolished to make way for a Subway sandwich shop and a frozen yogurt shop.

Red Wagon Inn, Disneyland, Yesterland, DCA, etc.

2009-09-11T21:45:00.000-07:00

Here's an old postcard of the Red Wagon Inn at Disneyland in the 1950s. When the park opened in 1955, this was reputedly Walt Disney's favorite restaurant on the premises. It was operated by the Swift meat company. When Swift's lease ran out, the restaurant was redesigned as a buffet-service operation. It reopened under its current name, The Plaza Inn, in July 1965.
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About a year ago, Werner Weiss of Yesterland and I spent a whole day walking around Disney's California Adventure, taking photos of things we thought would soon "become history" during the park's planned (now current) overhaul. You can see the fruits of Werner's labors in his recent posts.
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Do you think future generations will actually morn the loss of the Whoopie Goldberg "Golden Dreams" attraction the same way we now look back wistfully on Tomorrowland's "Flying Saucers" ride?
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Blog Update: My computer continues to be a problem. I apologize for the scanty posts and for not getting back to your emails in a timely manner. The new machine should arrive next weekend.

D23, Crystal Cove, Evangeline, Dana Point, etc.

2009-09-09T09:29:00.000-07:00

Welcome to everyone visiting us for the D23 convention in Anaheim this week. The photo above is from 40 years ago, and shows the reaction in Tomorrowland to Apollo 11's moon landing. Hundreds of people watched the landing on large TV monitors set up at Disneyland. The group shown in this photo includes Americans as well as the Russian Olympic track team and their tour guide.
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Interested in the historic cottages at Crystal Cove and their preservation/restoration? Laura Davick of the Crystal Cove Alliance will be the speaker at the Orange County Historical Society’s meeting, Thursday night (Sept. 10), 7:30pm, at Sherman Gardens, 2647 E. Pacific Coast Hwy, in Corona del Mar. The meeting will be preceded by an appetizer and dessert potluck at 6:30pm. (If you plan to attend the potluck, please bring a dessert or appetizer for six people.) In addition to the talk, there will be a follow-up tour of Crystal Cove on Sept. 12th. This two-hour walking trip is free, but parking at the State Park is $10 for the day. For information about the tour, contact Carolyn at ochsschoff@aol.com.
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Gordon Bricken’s new book, Pioneers in Blue and Gray, is now out. It expands on O.C.’s civil war heritage, offering biographies of local Civil War veterans. It retails for $35.
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Speaking of Civil War heritage, the historic Evangeline Hotel (1906) in Huntington Beach is once again up for sale. Read more about it in the Register. (I've blogged about this property before, including here and here.) This one's worth fighting for, folks.
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On Sept. 27, the Dana Point Historical Society will hold its annual Home Tour, as well as a a Hawaiian Luau and a Historic Tallship Tour. From 1-3pm, there will be a tour of two 1929 "Doheny homes" on the same block in Capistrano Beach. One of these homes was the home of artist Louise Leyden and a private collection of her paintings will be on display along with the original Roy C. Kelley plans for the house. The second home, just doors away, is a Spanish Colonial Revival home, currently undergoing restoration and featuring beautiful tile, inside and out, a wood trussed ceiling and the original hardware and doors. Both houses are on the Historic Register and this will be a self drive tour. From 2-5pm, a luau will take place at Doheny State Park, complete with surfing exhibits tracing the history of surfing from Hawaii to Dana Point. There will be a great feast, music, booths, vintage photographs and some "old school" surfers to "talk story" with. Serving begins at 3pm and will include all of the authentic luau trimmings. From 4-6pm, there will be a tour of the Curlew (1926), the 82' schooner moored in the Dana Point Harbor. Built in Maine she was a very successful racing boat before becoming a training ship during WWII. The DPHS is helping to achieve a listing on the Historic Register for the beautiful Curlew. The cost is $25 for all three events. For reservations, mail your check to the DPHS, P.O. Box 544, Dana Point, 92629 or call (949) 248-8121.

Huntington Beach history

2009-09-04T15:46:00.000-07:00

Here are two images of the Huntington Beach City Gym & Pool. The first is the 1931 concept art by well-known Orange County architect Frederick Eley. The second in a photo I took a few years ago. The building has recently been restored and is one of the best examples of historical preservation by the city.

The City of Huntington Beach currently has five vacancies on their Historic Resources Board. The Board's mission is to promote public awareness of local historic resources and act as an advisory capacity to the City Council on matters of historic significance.

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Applicants must be residents of Huntington Beach and be available to attend meetings every month. The current vacancies will be posted until filled. For more information regarding this volunteer position, contact Kate Hoffman at (714) 374-1658. Applications may be downloaded from the City’s website.

(Yes, I'm applying for one of the openings.)

Knott's Steak House

2009-08-28T09:53:00.000-07:00

Since the old Steak House at Knott's Berry Farm recently reopened (under the name "Spurs,") I thought this might be a good time to post some older photos of the place. The image above shows the restaurant's Indian Room in 1958.
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The Steak House originally opened as the Buffalo Steak House in 1946. Much like Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant, it grew like Topsy over the years. Additions included a new kitchen and the Family and Garden Rooms in 1952, the Walter Knott Room in 1962, and more construction in 1971. The Steak House also shared a kitchen with the Ghost Town Grill, which was (and still is) more of a short order coffee shop.

The Steak House was run for many years by Dwight "Andy" Anderson, Walter Knott's son-in-law. (Not to be confused with the wood carver named Andy Anderson.)

In 1983, the Steak House was renamed Big Jake's Ranch House. This was likely a reference to the John Wayne movie Big Jake, which held its premiere at Knott's in 1971.

The name eventually switched to the Family Steak House, but things were about to change.

(Image above is the cover of a Steak House menu from about 1949.)

When the Ghost Rider rollercoaster was built in the 1990s, it changed the layout of Knott's Berry Farm significantly. Suddenly, the Steak House was inside the gates of the park, and management felt that a high end restaurant couldn't support itself with such limited public access. The restaurant became Auntie Pasta's in 1998, serving Italian family fare such as pasta and (pretty bad) pizza.

Spurs circumvents the access problem using a system you can read about in a recent Register article.

Another reason for choosing today's topic was Ken Stack's last post on Outside The Berm (which in turn was a response to a post on Gorillas Don't Blog) about the fire at the Steak House. The photo above shows the cleanup effort after the patio area burned on Nov. 15, 1950. Amazingly, that whole section was rebuilt and ready for customers by Thanksgiving. (Is it just me, or does the guy on the roof look like Russell Knott?)