Friday, May 28, 2021

Magnolia Park and the Wakehams of Orange County

›
Modern view of Magnolia Park, Garden Grove Unassuming little Magnolia Park in Garden Grove was once the home of Ernest Alfred Wakeham (1887-...
1 comment:
Tuesday, May 04, 2021

An unsolved mystery in early Huntington Beach

›
San Pedro Harbor, circa 1890. (Courtesy WaterAndPower.org) In May 1891, a mysterious man with a gunshot wound was found dead on the shore at...
Monday, May 03, 2021

Why is W. H. Spurgeon called “Uncle Billy?”

›
The ever-bewhiskered William H. Spurgeon I was recently asked why local historians sometimes refer to Santa Ana’s founding father, William H...
Friday, April 30, 2021

El Salvador Park, Santa Ana

›
A modern photo of the community center at El Salvador Park Although not one of the City of Santa Ana’s oldest parks, El Salvador Park – loca...
Tuesday, April 27, 2021

The Japanese in O.C.: A brief introduction

›
At work in Orange County's once-burgeoning celery industry. One occasionally hears claims (often made by Angelenos) that “Orange County ...
Thursday, April 15, 2021

The Santa Ana Winds still blow

›
Detail from a 1936 Orange County historical map by Gladyce Ashby and Fred Groos for the WPA. Note the PR-friendly term "Santana, which ...
3 comments:
Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Desert Jim Mine, Knott’s Berry Farm

›
The Desert Jim Mine, Ghost Town, 1940s.  When Walter Knott opened his faux “Ghost Town” on his berry farm in 1941, one of the original point...
Friday, April 09, 2021

Orange County’s Last Train Robbery

›
Wanted poster for Orange County’s last train robber. (Courtesy UCI) Although cattle and cowboys still roamed the hills of Orange County in t...