The City of Orange (population 140,504) is located in the County of Orange, which is somewhat confusing when someone says that they are going to "Orange." Highway 22, better known as "The Orange Crush Freeway," runs through Orange County and is not a place that you want to find yourself during rush hour traffic.
When the Gaspar de Portola Expedition of 1769 arrived in the area, the Tongva and Juaneno/Luiseno tribes were the primary occupants. Portola did not stay long, but on November 1, 1776 Father Junipero Serra arrived in the area and established the first permanent European settlement in what was known as Alta California, New Spain. Over the years large land grants were made, which included the 62,500 acre Rancho San Antonio. Today, the cities of Olive, Orange, Villa Park, Santa Ana, Tustin, Costa Mesa, and Newport Beach are located on lands that were once part of Rancho San Antonio. After the Mexican-American War, and the Treaty of Gladalupe Hidalgo in 1848, most Mexicans lost title to their lands and Americans were able to move in and settle on the properties.
On April 6, 1888, the community of Orange was incorporated under the general laws of the State of California. When the new city was planned it was decided to design the downtown area around a central plaza. Orange is the only City in Orange County that has a central Plaza. Orange was also the first town site to be served by the California Southern Railroad.
Development of Orange was primarily for agricultural production, particularly California-grown citrus fruits. Then in the 1950s Orange was connected to other cities in the area by a freeway system and economic production shifted from agricultural to housing.
The historic Old Town District (a one-mile square area) was primarily built prior to 1920. While the Main Streets in many towns have been largely neglected, Main Street in Orange is a thriving section of town with few vacant store-fronts. Actually, I don't think I saw any vacant sites.
When the Central Plaza (aka Orange Plaza) was dedicated in 1886, a fountain was placed in the center of the roundabout and the City has always maintained a fountain at this location. The current fountain was constructed in 1937. Due to the historic look of the downtown area, several movies have been filmed in Orange.
Originally, the fountain located in the roundabout also served as a war memorial and there is a plaque at the base of the fountain that states: "Whoever passes here, let him remember the brave men of the Orange community who have in all times gone to the defense of their country." The current war memorial is located in front of City Hall.
The Lewis Ainsworth House, located adjacent to City Hall, is a restored American Craftsman style home that was built in 1910 and now serves as a museum.
Chapman University is a private college that offers 110 areas of study. It is one of the most beautiful campuses that I have ever visited.
BONUS PICTURE (Penguin Quilt)
Ashley used to attend basketball camp at Chapman University when she was in elementary school.
ReplyDelete