Preservation, MCAS Tustin, Doris Walker, etc.

Learn about orange preserves,... er, rather, learn about PRESERVING ORANGE COUNTY at this week's meeting of the Orange County Historical Society, Thursday, April 11, 7:30 p.m., at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal St., in Orange. Attendees will learn about grass-roots historical preservation efforts currently underway throughout Orange County. Speakers will include Ilse Byrnes (SDG&E Station, San Juan Capistrano), John Linnert (Mariners Medical Arts, Newport Beach), Jeannie Gillette (Old Orchard Conservancy, Santa Ana), and Mary Adams Urashima (Historic Wintersburg, Huntington Beach).

This program will not only shine a light on a variety of important local campaigns, but will also serve as an unofficial introduction to preservation for those who may wish to attend the 2013 California Preservation Foundation Conference, which will be held in Garden Grove in May.

Have you ever wanted to get up close to one of the huge blimp hangars at the former MCAS Tustin? Monday, April 15 is your chance! OC Parks is conducting a public planning workshop for a future regional park at the North Hangar. Visit ocparks.com/about/projects/tbh for details and to RSVP by April 10.

Doris Walker's boys and a couple friends inside the coffer dam, at the bottom of Dana Point Harbor, during the harbor's construction, 1970.

The dedication of Doris Walker Overlook -- named for our friend, the late local historian -- will be held at 1pm on Tues., April 16, at Heritage Park in Dana Point. The park is at the end of Old Golden Lantern, where it dead ends at the harbor bluff, and it has a great view of the harbor. I can't think of a better spot. If you have any questions about the event, contact Monique Leon.

After the third fire at the Saddleback Inn in just two years, the place is finally going to be torn down. I'm happy to report that the Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society is on the job and is doing their best to salvage historical artifacts wherever possible.