The Feb. 19, 1930 issue of the Santa Ana Register, celebrating the paper’s 25 anniversary, featured pages dedicated to each Orange County community. Los Alamitos had a full page of stories focused on the town’s growth. In one story we learn that City Garden Acres (now Apartment Row) began as a subdivision developed by J.D. … Read more
What royalty or heads of state have graced the West OC/East LB area with their presence? It seems to not be a very long list. In 1915 former US President William Howard Taft repaid a political favor to Phillip A. Stanton (who as speaker of the California Assembly in 1909 derailed some anti-Japanese legislation that … Read more
When the local sugar beet factory shut down in 1926, the community scrambled to find new industries and jobs to keep the local population working and profitable. In the newest part of the city was a tract called City Garden Acres (now Apartment Row), located south of town between Katella and Farqhuar and east of … Read more
With the Santa Ana and Irvine-centric bias (not to mention the Disneyland fanboy-ism) of the mainstream Orange County Historical Establishment, accomplishments in our little corner of the word often gets overlooked, especially when it comes to being included in lists of Orange County “firsts.” So we felt compelled to attempt to set the record straight. … Read more
NOTE: Okay, this will be a work in progress, but we’ve got to start somewhere. If you have information to add, please do. Since we are right on the edge of but still within Hollywood’s Thirty-Mile Zone (the TMZ, hence the name of the TV news show) , the Seal Beach-Los Alamitos-Rossmoor area sees a … Read more
For all of you who nostalgically remember the larger groves of Eucalyptus trees that once stood in this area — in particular near Gum Grove Park and by the Old Ranch Country Club — there is an interesting discussion going on at the Orange County History Facebook site. Also, Nathan Masters, the bard of Los … Read more
Trying to resurrect the crowds and action that was not be found during the short history of The Pike, Griffins Grill opened on Monday, November 16 and seems to be successfully winning back the crowds that once swarmed to Mr. B’s Casa Catillo before that. This is actually the 5th restaurant to occupy this spot. … Read more
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
Because we’ve been doing some research for its 150th anniversary, we’ve been on a bit of an Anaheim Landing kick lately. Orange County’s first port was officially founded in 1864 although fishermen and even the US Army had used the area before that, but not apparently on a permanent, lasting basis. As one might guess … Read more
As we have pointed out in other barely read missives, Anaheim Landing is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year — making it (and thus Seal Beach) Orange County’s second oldest community — behind only the Mother Colony herself, Anaheim. There are actually plenty of descriptions about the Landing’s early days — most are newspaper articles, … Read more