Blimps, frogs, Little Hollywood, two Walters, etc.

As I drafted today's entry, it seemed like there was a lot of Tustin news. So I figured a Tustin photo was in order. The image at right shows MCAS Tustin (the old Lighter-Than-Air base) in 1957. I particularly enjoy seeing all the nothing that surrounded the blimp hangars.

I guess the folks developing this land are now shocked to learn that the ground is sorta squishy in places. In the words of one local historian, "You know, they called it the 'Cienega de las Ranas' [Swamp of the Frogs] for a reason, folks."

Werner Weiss of Yesterland.com made use of some of some images he collected on his recent visit to the O.C. Archives. In his latest site update, he juxtaposed aerial views of Disneyland from 1955 and 1960. The differences are interesting, as are the photos themselves. The 1955 photo came from County records and (by total happenstance) was taken the day before Disneyland opened. The 1960 photo actually came from the Knott's Berry Farm collection. I guess Walter was keeping an eye on Walt, even if they were on friendly terms.

Now that the Nixon Presidential Library & Museum is under new management, they also have a new website. Meanwhile, The Nixon Foundation (now called The Nixon Library & Birthplace Foundation), still maintains its old site.

Recent renovations to the George Key Ranch historical park in Placentia are complete. The next time you see him, give Key Ranch docent Bradley Flynt a bad time about having to wear a badge and uniform. Throw your hands in the air and yell, "Don't shoot!" He loves that.

The City of San Juan Capistrano is considering the addition of affordable housing units to the "Little Hollywood" area of the historic Los Rios District. Meanwhile, at the Mission, Juaneno basket weavers are again practicing their trade. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The Tustin Preservation Conservancy and Tustin Historical Society have teamed up to host trolley tours of local historical sites. I must admit, I wasn't aware of the Tustin Preservation Conservancy until now. I'll be adding a link to their website soon.

While I'm a sports (or sports history) fan, I did notice the Tustin News story about Evelyn Furtsch of Tustin. She won a gold medal in the 400-meter relay as a member of the U.S. women's relay team in the 1932 Olympics.

And rounding out this special Tustin edition, Tustin High School is celebrating it's 85th Anniversary with a historical photo exhibit.