Food for Thought, Part I: Rossmoor Center

This is the first in a series of posts about all the places to eat around here over the years.     The development of the Rossmoor Shopping center is an interesting story, but too long to deal with here, so look here instead.        The original, very ambitious plans for the Rossmoor Center were … Read more

The Rossmoor Center annexation … Was it really “theft?”

Probably no incident irritates Rossmoor residents more than the annexation of the Rossmoor Shopping Center by the City of Seal Beach.   “If we only had those sales tax dollars… if we only had those property tax dollars…” are familiar refrains from Rossmoor old-timers and newcomers. alike. Probably most irritating for the old-timers was the suddenness … Read more

New books on Los Al-Rossmoor and Seal Beach History

Here are two books that cover the local history of two communities. SEAL BEACH:  A BRIEF HISTORY by Larry Strawther — History Press $17.99 The wooden pier, tree-lined Main Street and ocean views, coupled with a prosperous and happy community, led Forbes magazine to name Seal Beach one of the five friendliest towns in America.  … Read more

Theaters in Rossmoor

Technically, the first documented dedicated movie theater in the Los Alamitos-Rossmoor area was the Fox Theater which opened up in the Rossmoor Business Center in July 1964. I did, however, find that in 1919 the “Commercial Club” contracted to rent movies to show in the Los Alamitos Sugar Factory clubhouse — which was located where Green Street Interiors and … Read more

Dec. 15, 1966 – Jet Crash in Rossmoor

Rossmoor resident recalls when Navy Jet landed in his backyard Burton Schild, an orthodontist, was one of Rossmoor’s original residents, owning a home on Yellowtail Drive that backed up to Los Alamitos Blvd (later changed to Seal Beach Blvd.).  Now retired, last year Burton took a creative writing class at Long Beach State.  Instructed to … Read more

Dec. 15, 1966 – Jet Crash in Rossmoor

Rossmoor resident recalls when Navy Jet landed in his backyard Burton Schild, an orthodontist, was one of Rossmoor’s original residents, owning a home on Yellowtail Drive that backed up to Los Alamitos Blvd (later changed to Seal Beach Blvd.).  Now retired, last year Burton took a creative writing class at Long Beach State.  Instructed to … Read more

Street Names of Rossmoor

People often ask me to confirm stories they have heard about Rossmoor.  (No, it was not originally intended to be a nudist camp — that was somebody’s joke on Wikipedia.)  A frequent question is about the origin of street names within the “Walled City.”  I know some so I finally figured, why not put this … Read more

Street Names of Rossmoor

People often ask me to confirm stories they have heard about Rossmoor.  (No, it was not originally intended to be a nudist camp — that was somebody’s joke on Wikipedia.)  A frequent question is about the origin of street names within the “Walled City.”  I know some so I finally figured, why not put this … Read more