Brea, postcards, Orange, OTPA and Santa Ana

Today's image is a 1950s postcard from Brea. Probably the best place to find old postcards (locally) is Hal Lutsky's Vintage Paper Fair. This event will return to the Glendale Civic Auditorium, 1401 N. Verdugo Rd, in Glendale on May 31 and June 1.
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The Old Towne Preservation Association (OTPA) in Orange will hold their next meeting tomorrow, May 21, 7pm, at the Orange Public Library, 407 E. Chapman, in Orange. The topic is, "How Our New Main Library Archives & Preservation Online Can Help You." I understand the history room at Orange Public a good collection and staff. But as long as their archives charge an $85-per-photo use fee, their helpfulness will remain somewhat limited.
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The OTPA is also looking to fill positions on their board for 2009. If you're interested, call them at (714) 639-6840.
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The Santa Ana Historic Preservation Society recently posted back issues of their newsletter (1989-2008) to their website.

Twist-Basler, Seal Beach, Dana Pt, Googie & Huell

The historic Twist-Basler House in Santa Ana is finally being moved. The top photo shows what the original Broadway site now looks like, with one part of the house gone, and a second part ready to be moved after midnight tonight. The lower photo shows the first section of the house in it's new home at the Cabrillo Park Tennis Center. If you happen to get photos of any part of the house actually being moved, please let me know – Both I and the Santa Ana Historic Preservation Society would like to post them on our websites.

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Sunday's L.A. Times included an article about SoCal's Googie Architecture. The article was largely based on interviews with Daniel Paul, Alan Hess and myself. I'm not sure how I became "Anaheim-based," (as the article says,) but I can think of worse accusations. (Related note: The same issue of the Times also featured an article on Programmatic Architecture.)

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The Seal Beach Historical Society’s next meeting will be held May 22, 7pm, in the Senior Center at the Mary Wilson Library, 707 Electric Ave. Speakers Joan Stegman and Gordon Shanks will discuss the Society’s early efforts to preserve Pacific Electric “Red Cars,” including the transformation of one car into the Seal Beach Red Car Museum. [The museum (next to the library) will next be open to the public on May 24 and 25.]

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The Dana Point Historical Society’s (DPHS) 7th annual Founders Day event will be held May 28, 7pm, at the Dana Point Tennis Center , 24911 Calle De Tennis. Call (949) 248-8121 for details.

The DPHS will also host a "Romantic Stroll Through Historic Homes & Gardens on the Bluff above Dana Point Harbor" on Oct. 5, 2008. I mention this in case you’re the type who likes to plan ahead.

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Huell Howser’s week-long tribute to Orange County began yesterday on KCET. Episodes will air at 7:30pm and 12:30am each day.

A little more Disneyland history

Today's image shows Walt Disney around 1953, pacing off one of the orange groves that would soon become part of Disneyland. This photo is a still from the 50th anniversary film that is still showing in Disneyland's Main Street Opera House.
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Yesterland recently expanded their coverage on Disneyland's Rocket to the Moon and Mad Tea Party (a.k.a. "the Teacups"), and the Disneyland Railroad's Fantasyland Station. Werner has also added a new section on Seasons of the Vine - an attraction at Disney's California Adventure that recently became history.
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Ever notice the gazebo toward the back of Roger's Gardens in Newport Beach? Well, there's a little story that goes with it, and Daveland is sharing that story with us.
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(Sorry for the double-dose of Disneyland. I post what comes my way -- And this week, a bunch of Disneyland stuff came my way.)

Disneyland 1957 (part 2), and El Toro

Today I'm posting two more video clips of Disneyland in the summer of 1957. (See my May 7th post for others and background info.) The first shows Fantasyland, and the second is a tour of an amazingly primitive Jungle Cruise.
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Heritage Hill Historical Park in El Toro will host the annual Rancho Days Fiesta on Saturday. It includes living history depictions, exhibits, entertainment and children’s crafts.
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CSUF’s Center for Oral & Public History continues to document the history of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station by collecting oral histories. They are currently concentrating on the WWII and Korean War eras. If you have memories of MCAS El Toro (as a civilian or as military) and would like to participate, call (714) 278-8415, or email coph-eltoro@fullerton.edu.

Mystery shopping center and more Capistrano

I'm posting another mystery image today. I'm stumped, but perhaps you can tell me exactly what (and where) we're looking at here. First a few hints,... This 1961 photo, from Planning Dept records in the Orange County Archives, was probably taken in north or central Orange County. Businesses in the shopping center include a Sprouse-Reitz five-and-dime store, a Shopping Bag supermarket (purchased by Vons in 1966), and a Standard/Chevron gas station. There also appears to be a "Chan's" or perhaps "Chin's" Restaurant on the far right side of the image - but I could be mis-reading that sign. Any light you can shed would be appreciated. [Update: See "comments" for the answer.] . A tour of San Juan Capistrano's historic Los Rios District and the Michael Graves-designed city library (a.k.a. "Casa de Claustrophobia") will be held Saturday, May 17, 11am-3pm. Tickets are $10 and are available through the SJC Library, 31495 El Camino Real, and at City Hall. The 2-hour tour will include historical displays and re-enactments. Proceeds will go to the city's Historic Preservation Fund. . Things are extra busy here this week, so I may miss a few posts. If I do, it's not from lack of interest. I really look forward these nightly blog entries and, more importantly, to your comments and insights. For the record, sometime within the next week I'll be posting more of that 1957 Disneyland footage.

Capistrano, Floyd McLellan, Boeing, veterans, etc

The two images above show parts of San Juan Capistrano in the 1960s. The top image is from 1960, and the second image shows El Adobe Plaza on Camino Capistrano in June 1966. The plaza is named for the adjacent El Adobe Restaurant, which is owned by Richard O’Neill, Steve Nordeck, Tony Moiso, and Gilbert Aguire. The restaurant's northern section is the Miguel Yorba Adobe (1797), and the southern section is the old jail, established in 1812.

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There have been two examples of large-scale adaptive re-use featured in the Register lately. First, Boeing's historic Building 22, off Bolsa Ave in Huntington Beach, has been converted into a test facility for missle guidance and navigation systems. These are the same buildings where Douglas Aircraft built the upper stages of the rockets that sent the Apollo astronauts to the moon.

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Also the IRG development company is planning the conversion of MCAS Tustin's north hangar into an indoor-outdoor park.

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Civil engineer Floyd George McLellan, Jr. (1925-2008) passed away recently. From building inspector to agency director, he served the County's Department of Building & Safety for 37 years. He was instrumental in the development of South Orange County and was known throughout the state for instituting new policies and practices that have since become widespread.
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The Laguna Woods Historical Society is looking for war veterans "and those who held up the home front" to tell their stories for a federal Veterans History Project.

Old O.C. Courthouse, Santa Ana & Capistrano

Until the cupola was removed from the top of the Orange County Courthouse (after the 1933 earthquake), it was common practice for newly married couples to go up to the top of the courthouse for a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside. The photo above shows a view from the cupola in about 1910, looking northeast, toward what is now the intersection of Civic Center Dr and Broadway.
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The movie posted above gives a 360-degree view from the top of the Old Courthouse, intercutting modern video with early views of the same locations. Most of the still images date from around 1910 to around 1923. Phil Brigandi shot the modern footage with my digital camera a few years ago. The fact that the old cupola was slightly higher accounts for the small change in perspective. The music is a 1914 recording of our state song, "I Love You California."
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A panel of speakers will discuss "Celebrating Our History & Our Heritage" at Mission San Juan Capistrano's soldiers' barracks on Monday (tomorrow), 7-8:30pm. This will be the first of a number of events in Capistrano celebrating National Preservation Month.

Costa Mesa, Anaheim, Tustin and motorcycles

On this day, in 1920, the town of Harper offically changed its name to Costa Mesa. The new name was suggested by local resident Alice Plummer, who won a $25 prize for coming up with the best name for the community. (Today's image is from an undated postcard showing Newport Blvd in Costa Mesa.)
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Speaking of Costa Mesa, I recently stumbed across a really strange bit of video relating to "the history" of the Costa Mesa Speedway history. It's an episode of an Old-West-themed webcast called "The Haunted Saloon." I have no idea what cowboys have to do with motorcycle racing.

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The City of Anaheim has decided to move the historic Joseph Fiscus House (1910) out of the bulldozers' path and onto a city-owned lot at 121 Stueckle Ave in the Anaheim Colony Historic District. For details, see the article in the Register.

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Don't forget: The Tustin Area Historical Society's annual home and garden tour will be held May 17.