35 Comments:

• Hi Steve,what a wonderful project your site is, I thought I was the only person to miss the landmarks of OC,especially Santa Ana. I was born and raised there in 1953. I was born at Santa Ana Community Hospital, on Washington Street. Back then, your Birth Certificate came with the baby's "footprints",sadly mine didn't survive the Taffolla family mementos,but I still remember looking at all of our 5 sets.
  We lived on 2nd/Bristol,across the street from the "Key" hamburger joint,which was next to Johnson Chapel.On 1st street,there was a place just East of Bristol that you could rent time on a trampling,it was every kids dream to jump on them.We did all our family grocery shopping at "Reds Ranch Market on Harbor Blvd,but did our day to day shopping at "Norris Superette" on St .Andrews street once we moved to Evergreen St. close to the Kerr Glass/Cherry Rivet plant near Standard/Warner Ave.What I remember most about the old days is the Helms Bakery Truck,that used to cruise the neighbor hoods in a bright yellow van/truck,what I wouldn't give for one of those Cream Puffs! The way the driver would stop the truck,get out and come around the back to swing open those two back doors,pull out the deep shelves while we waited anxiously to see all the different donuts,chocolate cupcake,and best of all,those light as air cream puffs!
  Once again,thank you for providing a place for us old cronies to reminisce of the good ole days,too bad these simple things are a thing of the past!
  Gloria Taffolla, Anaheimmom@AOL.com

  By  Gloria Taffolla, at March 19, 2005 11:04 AM  

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• Nice work, I hope this blog takes off! You should send your URL to the OC Register. For that matter, a little promotion at the various historical societies, libraries and museums would bring a lot of traffic.
  
  I moved to Saddleback Valley in 1978; between my front yard and Laguna Beach there were miles of hills and no roads. I used to roam all over the hills exploring creeks and finding marine fossils. Alicia Parkway was only a mile or two long, and ended at Paseo de Valencia.

  By  Anonymous, at March 29, 2005 10:07 PM  

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• Hello Steve
  Like Gloria I have lived in OC since 1953 and remember the good and bad of OC past. I just started a website about So Cal places to visit and trying to include all of the "old" places that are still around. I will add your site to my links.
  My site http://www.daytrippen.com/

  By  Anonymous, at August 16, 2005 7:36 AM  

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• January 2, 2006
  Howdie ! I too lived in Anaheim for 53 years. We use to walk through the Orange Groves. Had a good time at Harmoney Park, The Bean Hut on Anaheim Blvd, then Carl's Jr. In between those days we danced at McTavishes and Retails Club there in Anaheim. We all went to the beach to surf from 7 am to 7 pm. Drove home then took only 15 minutes, got ready for Disneyland. It was $1.50 to get into the park with many different dance bands. Sometimes we would stay at the beach to go dancing at The Rendevous on Balboa Island. And yes we did attend school. Graduated in 1967, Anaheim High School. Graduate of Sycamore Jr High in 1965 and attended Abraham Lincoln school in 1954 thru grade school years. Anaheim to me has always been a quaint little town. All very nice people. Many good families there. And which rooted out from City of Anaheim to elsewhere as well. Ann

  By  Anonymous, at January 02, 2006 3:51 PM  

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• I lived in the Continentals at Brookhurst and Adams when they were new. I could walk to the beach thru the bean fields. I went to Lamb and Bushard schools. So many memories come to mind Like school shopping at White Front. My Mom was a nurse at Fairview State Hospital. I played baseball for parks and recreation and pop warner football. grunion runs, boy's club in Costa Mesa and HB. First minibikes. Skateboards, Levis from Grants,etc. and characters like the guy at the peir who would hand out the mini bibles. pops at scotties, There was an old guy on a bike that everyone called popeye. I must have seen Endless Summer ten times at the Surf Theater, I Fished from the pier when there were actually fish there. jumped off it for junior lifeguards and surfed along it with a surfboard that was twice my size. skim boarding. I could go on and on. I loved it!

  By  mk, at June 21, 2006 8:42 AM  

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• Thank you for doing such a brilliant webpage. I have the misfortune of only being a visitor to Orange County, as I live in England. My first visit was in 1996 and I was hooked. Its great to read how things used to be.
  Keep up the good work.

  By  Alison, at July 15, 2006 3:29 PM  

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• here's one for ya.. does anyone remember billy barty's "cars of the stars?" the t.v. commercial showed cars that had been in movies, or belonged to famous people, and billy barty sliding on a slide.. it was something before that , i can't remember what, but it was right there on orangethorpe, between knott and valley view, the yamaha plant is there now, and it might even be the same building, but defineately the same lot..
  man.. your site brings back good memories i didn't know i had. once in a while if im going north i cruise up beach to see what it looks like and its just incredibly different, buena park seemed like a boring town, but gosh, there really was some great stuff there, too bad alot of it's gone... .........

  By  Anonymous, at August 23, 2006 8:18 PM  

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• Hi Steve, Oh wow, what awesome memories you brought back to me. I moved to Orange County with my parents, back in 68' when I was 13, from Brooklyn, NY, so you could well imagine, it was paradise to me! We settled in Buena Park, and I spent every free moment at Pier #3 in Huntington Beach, in the water, or watching surfers ride the waves, browsing through the original Jack's Surf Shop, and of course us kids would wait until later to move 'down the beach' so we could have a fire in the pits. What memories! I lived near Western and La Palma, Knotts Berry Farm had no admission, you could buy ticket books, Japanese Village i do remember, I even remember one of the Knott grandchildren. I've recently left O.C. to retire in Illinois, to be near my grandchildren, but thank you for bringing back such wonderful memories!Linda from o.c.

  By  Linda S., at August 27, 2006 2:51 PM  

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• Hello Steve.
  I love the site. I grew up in the tract of homes behind the Anaheim Convention Center in the 70s and after they did the makeover when they built Disney's California Adventure, I decided to make a site where the old Googie motels and other vanishing Americana would live on. It's called "Photos Of The Forgotten" and you can check it out at
  http://photosoftheforgotten.synthetrix.com/
  if you have not already.
  Keep up the great work!

  By  Synthetrix, at October 11, 2006 11:23 PM  

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• Hello to all. There are so many memories of Downtown Anaheim. I'll never forget coming out of school (Fremont ruled) seeing all the smoke from the Valencia Hotel. There was a shop for everything on Lincoln and Anaheim Blvd. Beauty shops (eye lashes), antiques, jewlery, The Williams Co. (cords) the bank (El Camino) Jacksons Drug Store the restaurant on the corner (the waitress with the big false eyelashes) the Villiage thrift store. Bands practicing down in the neighborhood for the parade. Chartress and Anaheim Blvd. Wichells donuts. So many bars, Bill Burgers, El nopal. Cant forget Pup N Taco, Fords spirits (liquor store) records and juke boxes next door, the Lincoln food center. Set free started on lincoln after the carpet place closed. The dentist on the corner of Lincoln and Olive is now residential on Cypress St. and Olive. Merle Norman cosmetics, House of Humor all those places now gone but the memories still very near and alive. I was very fortunate my parents owned a grocery store in Fullerton (Arce's Mkt coldest beer in town) on Valencia and Lemon while there they build the underpass for the train and widened Lemon st after paying my parents a pretty penny for our business. Living in Anaheim Sycamore and Olive my dad's light bulb lite up and he purchased the old cleaners on Anaheim Blvd next to Winchell's donuts and remodeled it to a grocery store and we were in business again. (Arce's Market) My mother would make and sell fresh carnitas with salsa and her famouse chile verde burritos. Dad's (Fred) light bulb went off again when winchell's donuts went up for sale. We sold the grocery store (slow bussiness) except for the last Halloween parade at night down Anaheim Blvd. we made a killer profit that night. Dad bought winchell's and remodeled it to sell burritos tacos and hamburgers. We were in business again. We had our city employees buying my brothers famouse breakfast burritos every morning. Wayne's welding was accross the street down on sycamore was the Elks club lots of weddings and the classic car club parked outside showing off their beautiful cars. I could go on and on. To me Anaheim has has alot of changes but change is not always bad. I've been here for 30yrs and have no plans in my near future to move elsewhere unless Reel Lumber Service moves which has been here for years and years. Anaheim is very fortunate thanks to Walt, residence here will always experience new things because of so many tourists Anaheim is well maintained.
  Can anybody remember anything I did not mention.

  By  Anonymous, at October 20, 2006 3:21 PM  

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• Hi, I Lived in Costa Mesa 1953 - 1957. There was a family that made gold craclke pottery. I visited their home once. They made their pieces in a couple of out buildings behind their home.
  
  I was 13 or 14 years old at that time, and of course don't remember their names. But, I do remember their very distinctive pottery. I'm pretty sure they used to have a booth at the Laguna Festival of Arts, and I think that is where I originally met them as my Mother, a craft person, used to exhibit there also. I am trying to find their name. I'm an antique dealer, and am starting to run into their pieces quite often. I would like to be able identify pieces correctly, when I offer a piece for sale.
  
  I lived in the (I think) the first large housing tract built in Costa Mesa, called American Homes. I went to Everett A. Rae Junior high and Newport Harbor High (class of 1958).

  By  Anneve, at October 27, 2006 1:32 PM  

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• hi steve i lived in oc from 1947 thru 1989 so the oc i rememeber as a youth is long gone i lived in santa ana on so broadway until 1954 in those days we had backyard incinerators for trash disposal,my dad worked in the spurgon building at 4th and main street and i can remember the red car electric trains that use to run there,also in those days the navy use to operate blimps out of the 2 large hangers in tustin known then as lta these were much larger then the goodyear airships you see flying today,when i was about 7 my dad took me out to the orange co airport (john wayne today) to watch test flights of the horton wingless aircraft,this inventor (bill horton)built a very unique aircraft with lots of potential but had the misfortune of having howard hughes as a partner,when hughes did not get his way he destroyed horton and his aircraft,but thats a whole other story i can remember going to the paulo drive in and the broadway walkin theaters both of which do not exist anymore,i really miss the orange groves and strawberry fields that use to dominate this area but i guess this is what some call progress

  By  Anonymous, at December 11, 2006 9:04 PM  

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• great site steve,
  my younger brother called me from hawaii last week and told me to check out this great site about old orange county. we lived there from 1963 to 1975 in the westminster and bolsa ave area. it was the first new home i had ever lived in and the tract of homes bordered an older section of homes they called "barber city". i remember a little country store on westminster ave run by two older ladies, who were twins, the store was called "Rancho Market".
  this was a small store where we could shop for the esentials. in order to shop at a major grocery store we had to go down to "Ed Tunks", where the floor was covered with saw dust.
  there was also a barber shop in that little area with a barber my friends and i named "okie tom", because no matter what type of cut you asked for,he always left you with side walls.
  our home was located behind the mcdonnel douglas plant, this area was orginally a large field where we used to ride mini bikes and motorcycles.
  i remember playing in the construction sites where the "405" was first being built through that area
  i remember when the edwards cinema was first built by the old kmart, i believe the first show they played there was the james bond film 'thunderball". my firends and i were so excited to see that film, i believe that it cost us 50cents to get in.
  we thought we were big time when the huntington beach mall was built and we could go hang out and look at girls.
  some of the other memories that flash through my head are the strawberry festival, huntington pier,"back bay" in newport beach,springdale elementary school, stacy intermediate, and marina high school.
  
  thanks for the memories,
  michael gutierrez
  gutierrezjandm@aol.com

  By  Anonymous, at January 13, 2007 10:03 AM  

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• Great site! I have had a ball looking at Knott's, D-land, Deer Farm, etc., and just saw "Murray Manor" mentioned two posts ago, where I remember being a bored kid dragged around by my parents. I moved to Buena Park with my parents in 1958, and have not left since.
  Two things in particular I have wondered about-
  1. Has anyone found a good book on Knott's- pics of the old days and building progress? Have been going there since '58, have a lot of memories of it, but haven't found books either at the park, or online.
  
  2. Anyone remember a restaurant called "Silver Saddle"? I think it was in the north OC (La Habra?) somewhere....
  
  For ID, I'll be....OCBoy!

  By  Anonymous, at January 28, 2007 10:23 AM  

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• So happy to find this site. I grew up in Buena Park and lived in Orange County from when I was born in 1975 until I moved to Corona in 2000. I now live in Idaho (soooo not OC) but I will always call OC my home and consider myself a So Cal girl. It has been so much fun reading through all the posts. I remember the Alligator Farm and Lion Country Safari and so many other places mentioned that don't exist anymore. OC was the greatest place to grow up. It is such a shame that,it now has such a bad rep for either snobby rich people or gang members. If housing was reasonable and the place wasnt overrun by illegals and other non-desirables, I would be back there in a minute raising my kids! Thanks for the memories Orange County!!

  By  Anonymous, at February 15, 2007 6:15 PM  

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• Thanks for such a great site. I was lucky enough to have been born there (1960). It was such an unbelieveable place to grow up (Bolsa Chica & Warner area). How many of you remember "Ed's Dairy" I grew up next door to that.
  
  My favorite memories are of the beach... I remember bondfires on the beach and people camping. Places such as Japaneese Deerpark, Old McDonalds Farm, Knottsberry farm, Disneyland, "The pike", were all such magical places growing up. There was also a park in westminister I think by the freeway which was real popular for birthday parties too (It had a huge dragon slide).
  
  I'd love to exchange photos of those places. I only have photos of Knotts Berry farm in the 1960's. I was here "reminising" and hoping to find some photos of the area back in the 60's and early 70's.
  
  Thank you for providing this site.
  
  Beach-Race-Girl (June)

  By  Anonymous, at February 28, 2007 1:27 PM  

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• GREAT SITE, SO MANY MEMORIES.
  
  I GREW UP IN SANTA ANA FROM 1947 TO 1979 WHEN I MOVED TO TEMECULA TO GET AWAY FROM IT.
  MEMORIES: ALS QUICK SNACK (IN AND OUT)
  CRUISING MAIN FROM EDINGER TO 17TH NIGHTLY (EARLY 60'S)
  DRAG RACING ON TALBOT RD. (IN BEAN FIELDS)
  PALO DRIVE IN THEATER
  THE SMELL OF ORANGE BLOSSOMS
  THE SUGAR BEET MILL ON SO. MAIN.
  FEDUCIAS GAS STATION MAIN AND 1ST
  THE ORANGE PLAZA WITH SOAP FOAM IN IT.
  THE SMELL OF THE ARMY NAVY STORE ON SOUTH MAIN.
  IN THE LATE 40'S HUNDREDS OF CORSAIRS IN SQUADRONS FLYING INTO EL TORO.
  THE OLD NAVY BLIMPS OVER THE CITY
  SWIM CLASS IN SANTA ANA HIGH OUT DOOR POOL WITH HIGH WALLS FREEZING COLD (WE SWAM IN THE NUDE)
  THE CHRISTMAS PARADES
  KNOTTS BERRY FARM WHEN IT WAS STILL A FARM. AND FREE.
  IT WAS REALLY A WONDERFUL PLACE TO GROW UP AND I TREASURE THE MEMORIES. GREAT SITE GREAT MEMORIES

  By  Anonymous, at March 27, 2007 1:33 PM  

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• Hi, Steve. I just now discovered your site, and it brought back a lot of tearful nostalgia. I was born in Whittier in 1962, and my family moved to Fountain Valley in 1966. I spent many happy years growing up in Orange County; going to the beach, and eating at great places like Bob's Big Boy (which I still miss every day of my life), and the wonderful mexican food at Don Jose' (Adams near Magnolia), and Marios which used ot be near the Trader Joes at 5 Points plaza in Huntington Beach (best Taquitos in the world). Sadly, my profession caused me to move out of state, but one day I swear I will return. I still visit from time to time, but I cant help but notice that the best parts of my old home town are lost forever..

  By  Anonymous, at April 22, 2007 8:22 AM  

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• What memories, Laguna Cyn road, looking for ahem, seedlings, finding snakes, Trabuco Cyn campground parties on the weekend, Holy Jims Canyon, The springs off of Ortega Hwy, Bolsa Little League, St. Barbara's Church, Fr Michael Collins, Fr Buckman, Mater Dei High School, Maxine st. Walking 7 miles to Huntington Bch from Mcfadden down Brookhurst collecting soda bottles. La Quinta High School. Newport Jetty fishing until 3am, then fishing for sharks off of Reuben E Lee,, Then I joined the Navy. It was never the same after I got back. Couldn't afford to live there now. Way too many people. Great memories tho.
  God Bless Ya'll.

  By  Anonymous, at April 25, 2007 1:35 PM  

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• Hi Steve, Great site, Imoved to Anaheim in 1946 when I was 1 yr. old. My Grandpa lived on Palm Street which was renamed Harbor blvd. I sat on the curb and watched the stuff go by on trucks when they were bulding Disneyland!Later I lied about by age and joined lots of kids and worked there. The Company was United Paramount Theaters or UPT we called it Underpaid Teenagers But it was really a ball in the summer. Anaheim High's great football games the Bean hut,Cruzing and the Rondevous ballroom with Dick Dale walking around with a parrot on his shoulder. A piano player named Billy Barber.Balboa Island on Easter Week. Racing on Pacific Coast Hwy> Best mexican food and best beaches in the world

  By  Anonymous, at May 02, 2007 2:05 AM  

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• Hey steve,
  I just found this website and man was it interesting. I was born in Santa Ana California and it says Orange County on my birth certificate. I was born at St. Joseph hospital which I believe was a military hospital. I lived on El Toro base within that community for years. Some of my fondest memories were there on Longstaff way within El Toro. My dad was a marine and worked there on base during my childhood. I was born in 1968 and had many friends there. I was little so I don't remember alot of the hot spots there in Orange County like most people that have left comments but I do remember that I loved the Santa Ana winds and I have longed to go back ever since I moved in 1976. My father was transferred to DC after we left the good old state of Cali...and later retired out of DC. I often wonder if my house is still there where I grew up at with that huge nectarine tree in the back. If anybody out there lived on El Toro military base during the late 60's and early 70's comment this site.

  By  Patricia "Cole" Vail, at May 21, 2007 12:23 PM  

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• Hi Steve,
  I think you sight is wonderful it's great to read about the ole days. My mother worked at Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach around 1943-46. If there is any one who knew Nellie (Boak maiden name)may have been FrederickShe was a native of OK. She divorced while there and married Warren Miller from KYIf any one could help the info would be greatly loved and charished.
  TN Granny

  By  Anonymous, at May 25, 2007 11:41 AM  

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• Hi Steve,
  I lived in Garden Grove California from 1959 thru 1966. I attended Excelsior Elementary on Woodbury Ave. Is there anyone out there who may have pictures from the 60's of some of the old grocery stores such as Thriftymart and Mayfair? There was a Thriftymart located in a plaza at the corner of Brookhurst and Westminster. There was also a ThriftyDrug which had an ice cream counter where you could get ice cream cones in a lot of different flavors. There were so many great things I remember, Van de Camps salt rising bread, I remember when Scooter pies came out and they had them in all flavors. We used to go to a good pizza place called Me & Eds Pizza. Not sure if they still have those there. You could watch the guy make the pizza in the window. Shakey's was another good pizza place. Some of the other stores I remember were Whitefront, Leonard's, Zody's, Pic-n-save, and TG&Y. I have so many good memories of the Strawberry Festival and the Strawberry Festival Parade which, if I am correct, made it's way down Westminster Ave. I loved Knotts Berry Farm and panning for gold there. I remember Stan the bakery man coming through our neighborhood with his bakery truck with drawers that pulled out filled with glazed donuts and other bakery goods. Another interesting thing is that our house there sold for $19,000 in 1967. I just looked the value of it up on zillow and it's value is now $569,000. Garden Grove had such friendly people as did all of California. I really miss it and I will remember it forever.

  By  Anonymous, at May 26, 2007 11:55 PM  

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• Hi Steve - I stumbled across this site, and glad I did. As far as I can remember, my family moved to El Toro sometime in 1965/1966 - our father was an enlisted Marine. We lived in base housing - Wherry Housing, and later moved towards the end of the housing area on Trabuco Road. Next to our house on Trabuco was a field full of carrots, and we used to sneak in there to pick carrots and take them home. And, I don't even like carrots! We later moved to Stanton, off of Beach Blvd, then to Santa Ana on Custer Street, across Santa Ana on Wilshire, then to Cypress, Irvine, Westminster, and finally Garden Grove when I left California and joined the Army. I have many memories of growing up in Orange County, many good, but some not so good. If it weren't for the high prices, millions of people, and the horrendous traffic, I would love to live there again. It was a special time growing up there, and it makes me sad when I go there now and see all those places we hung out as kids all paved over, concrete jungles, etc. Some call it progress...does anyone remember when Featherly Park was out in the BOONIES!!!! :)

  By  Lee, at June 11, 2007 2:31 PM  

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• Steve great fun,
  
  I lived from 1953 to 1969 in Santa Ana. Graduated from Santa Ann High School in 1969. I went to Willard Junior High and Hoover Elementary School. Growing up I lived in three houses in Santa Ana. Two on Avalon St. off Santiago and then my folks third and last house was on Poinsettia about 4 blocks away, off Edgewood. From 1969-1974 I lived all over OC. Until I took off for good. In the mid 90's I had my folks join me where I landed, Charlotte NC. My last trip 2 years ago was to the other California to visit my step-son, he lives in SF. I have remained in Charlotte with my husband and our daughter and my Mother. We love Charlotte but Orange County holds such a warm place in my heart. We will be coming back that way next Spring. Does any one remember the Orange County Academic Decathlon?
  
  I discovered this blog while trying to find the name of a grocery store in Santa Ana. My brother was no help! He didn't even seem interested. Since my Father's death my Mom and I spend many hours reminiscing. Our favorite ethnic restaurants Koo's Chinese Food on Main, La Fonda Mexican on Main too? Kono Hawaii the first time I was introduce to Yam noodles and Tofu in Sukiyaki. Back to my reason -the grocery store was on 17th Street on the right side of the street. It was just past Santa Clara Street. Many of the High School fellows worked at the grocery store when I was growing up. I think it might have closed in 70's and then it became a Discount Toy store. I remember my Mom had an account and she was billed for her groceries. You just went in and signed your name. Well if you can remember that would be great!
  
  Reading the blog I have a question for those Knott's folks. In the 80's I brought my husband to see Knott's Berry Farm. We had Chicken, rhubarb, bread and butter pickles, and the best boysenberry jam, pie and syrup. My Dad loved that restaurant. Did I mention Biscuit oh my! While we are talkin food my first and last waitress job was Marie Calendars on Tustin 1969-1971. Back to my question there was an exhibit in the Miniature Doll Museum (that was amazing) from the ceiling they had strung chain links all carved from one piece of wood. We did have a picture and I will look it up. It was something to see and my husband does some amazing things in wood and he was very impressed. I wonder what happened to the chain.
  
  I will prompt my Mom and see if she can add to any of the memories. They were well connected in OC. My Father was Principle of two schools, in Santa Ana Lincoln and Logan at the same time! That was back in the 50's.
  
  I look forward to reading new blogs.
  Caydea

  By  Anonymous, at June 14, 2007 6:54 PM  

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• I was born in Anaheim in 1961 and was taken home to our tiny 3 bedroom tract house on Clinton Ave. in Orange. My big sister and I are fourth generation OC, and a lot of our family's lemon, orange, and avocado orchards uliimately became groves of homes. Santiago Middle School was built on one of my grandmother's last citrus holdings. My grandfather's last 13 acres of oranges in Villa Park, which were woefully damaged in one of the many canyon fires of the 1950's and 1960's, was sold and subdivided in 1975. Both sets of grandparents lived in rural Villa Park, "across" the street from each other on Mesa Drive. My mother used to ride her horse down from the Villa Park ranch to our elementary school, Handy, for an annual show and tell.

  By  Anonymous, at June 21, 2007 11:44 PM  

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• We were quite the popular kids as we lived a city life, yet we had a lot of country living still available to us. When I was three we moved, using our little blue wagon as packing box and furniture transport, up the street to the stately old ranch house next door to Handy Elementary School. The tract houses in the Handy Elem area were once part of the ranch that Big House, as we called it, oversaw.

  By  Anonymous, at June 21, 2007 11:54 PM  

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• We kept dozens of rabbits on our one acre of suburbia, as well as an angus calf that we raised from a bottle. The kids next door at school thought the calf was a big dog. We gave tours of our "dog" to many a neighbor kid. We also went door to door selling avocados, from original trees from the ranch, for 5 cents apiece. Last time I went past Big House I noticed at least one of the ancient avocado trees were still alive and producing. It must be nearing 100 years old.

  By  Anonymous, at June 21, 2007 11:59 PM  

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• Since Big House was two stories, towering over the one story tract homes, we had a perfect view of Disneyland's fireworks everynight out of the upstairs windows. My dad, an Orange County fire captain, once went on a call to unstick Tinkerbell, whose cable tangled midway between the castle and the Matterhorn. He broke our Disney bubbles when he announced at dinner that Tinkerbell was really a man. On payday my mom went to the main firestation to get Dad's paycheck. I've heard the station became a youth center and later burned, but in the 1960's it was a child's dream come true as it had a brass firepole that would quickly trasport you from the upstairs dorm
  to the firetrucks parked below. Neither Knott's nor Disneyland had a better ride.
  
  Life was grand in the old days. When the Santa Anas blew we'd put on rain slickers and roller skates. On the sidewalk we'd open up our rain slickers like giant outstreatched wings, and then -zoom! - the wind would propell us down the street at frightening speeds. Often our metal wheeled skates would catch a little rock, and we'd experience the worst scabbed knees and palms imaginable.
  
  My dear neighborhood pal, Carol, was named after Christmas Carols as her parents were listening to them on the hi-fi when they received a call that a baby was available for them to adopt if they could come down and pick her up now - Christmas Eve. They did, but I'm not sure her mom ever adjusted to children as every stick of upolstered furniture was covered with plastic and there were plastic runners throughout the house for us to walk upon. Her mom always had the best kid snacks, such as Moon Pies and Otter Pops, but Carol's mom dolled them out through the kitchen door so we could receice and eat them in the garage. They moved out of Clinton Ave. tract house to the first developments going in at Knoll Ranch.
  
  After dinner car trips to the Carnation Ice Cream Parlor on Tustin Ave., Sunday dinners st Knott's, experiencing "lung burn" from swimming during smoggy afternoons, watching Hobo Kelly and hoping she'd put on her magic glasses and say, "I see a present under Cary's bed!"... yet she never did. To this day I still sometimes get the "Go see Cal, go see Cal, go see Cal" commercial stuck in my head, and I still wonder if Cal ever had a real dog in his backyard or if his kids had to play with bears and alligators and monkeys.
  
  My sister and I also wonder if we will die an early death as we always were taken to the Buster Brown shoe store, just off The Circle, for our shoes. They had an x-ray machine that you put your foot into to check to see if the new shoes fit properly. As Mom paid for our shoes we'd stick our newly shod feet in and out of that x-ray machine over and over and over again. Radiation maximus.
  
  We moved from OC in 1967. Our one acre of paradise, surrounded by oceans of tracts, wasn't the OC life my parents remembered, nor the smog choked life they wanted us to lead. They bought a plum and peach ranch in the San Joaquin Valley, and moved us, two dogs, four cats, and 47 rabbits (who traveled in cages systematically stacked inside our ski boat) to start farming anew.
  
  Visiting OC in the 1970's and 1980's always seemed a little too busy, smoggy, crowded. Visiting Villa Park stilled seemed low key and country, yet in the 1980's the old dump road, that ran up the canyon behind one grandparents' house, became a road leading to million dollar houses, not a road leading to the dump. Go figure.
  
  Cary Stolpestad
  (part of the Thomson, Popplewell, Workman, Smith, and Bennett clans)

  By  Cary, at June 22, 2007 12:56 AM  

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• I was born in "The Valley" in '56 but my parents moved to Anaheim in '57. Our neighborhood was one of the new housing tracts built on a former orange grove bordered by Ball, Western, Orange and Knott. I was a "charter student" at Twila Reid Elementary; Kindergarten the first year it opened to the 6th grade. The current site of Twila Reid Park was strawberry fields and we were chased by the owner on a Honda 50 when we'd trespass to pick berries. Our brand spanking new neigborhood had no grass nor trees. I remember playing in numerous vacant fields and also remember Anaheim General Hospital and Cypress College being built. Ball Road had few sidewalks and Cypress had many cows. On the way back from Huntington, in our gas-guzzling, seatbeltless Plymouth Suburban wagon full of sunscreenless kids, my mother would stop at the drive-thru Reliance Dairy on Beach Blvd to buy half gallon glass containers of milk and bright red fruit punch. As a young teenager, I took guitar lessons at Kay Kaylie Music in Buena Park Mall from Frank Krajerbrink guitarist from early '70s OC band "Utopia". Anybody remember "Wigouts"? (I still play by the way).
  
  I have lived in Sydney, Australia for 30 years now and have fond memories of my childhood in an emerging modern Orange County. Sydney has many of the good aspects of Southern California that has made it easy for me to settle here.

  By  Anonymous, at June 24, 2007 6:05 AM  

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• Hi Steve ...
  
  Wow, the comments here really bring back lots of great memories from having lived in Orange County, more specifically, Garden Grove, where I lived from 1951 to 1970.
  
  Murray Manor mentioned here twice - wow, that's a real trip. Twas really boring for the kids, but what a grand place it was. I don't remember if we ever bought anything from there, but we did visit 3 or 4 times.
  
  Downtown Garden Grove: 1st Western Bank, the Gem Theatre, Zlakets Market with the really little baskets - the main part of town was only two blocks long. There was a park, too.
  
  The Idle Hour Ranch was the place to buy eggs (17th & Newhope?). I went to school with their Son, Bradley Weber.
  
  Euclid was then Verano which was a two lane road with a 3' deep ditch on each side. When the fog rolled in several cars would run into that ditch. Haven's Pond was nearby where kids could go fishing.
  
  Someone else mentioned Laguna Beach - yes, I remember the town greeter, the Pottery Shack, the Laguna Arts Festival with outdoor theatre plays in the summer.
  
  O'niel Park, Santiago Canyon, Holy Jim Canyon, Doheney Beach (remember the Richfield Gas Station there?). Gosh, so many neat memories. A gallon of gas back then was a mere 12 cents!!

  By  Anonymous, at July 23, 2007 3:32 PM  

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• Adding to the thanks to Steve for creating this site.
  
  My family moved to Huntington Beach from West LA in 1963, when Douglas Aricraft opened the Space Systems Division. HB only had about 11,000 residents then; there were still tall oil derricks downtown; Duke's at the pier was a skating rink (before Maxwell's); there was a swimming pool on the north side of the pier; the 405 only came as far as the Long Beach Freeway...after that you had to use Garden Grove or PCH to get into Hungtington Beach and Westminster; and most of OC was still agricultural. Man, did THAT change in the next few years!
  
  We went to a couple of schools in the Ocean View district, changing schools as they built closer to our house. We went to Meadow View, Robinwood and Spring View. All of us graduated from Marina HS, my oldest brother being in the first graduating class in 1966. The first couple of years it was Huntington Beach/Marina until they finished the earthqauke-proofing reconstruction at HBHS.
  
  I think I did just about every cliche job in OC, including Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour on Beach Blvd., and Disneyland where I did everything from a dancing Heffalump, to a Toy Soldier drummer, to a ride operator on Main Street, parking lot cast, and ended up as a Jungle Cruise Captain.
  
  I also marched in the Velvet Knights Drum and Bugle Corps based in Santa Ana (and later Anaheim). Our rehearsal building was on the NW corner of 6th and Bush. We represented OC, along with our rivals Anaheim Kingsmen, in competition all over the US and Canada. We practiced hard and performed hard, but play time was Huntington State Beach, across from the Edison stacks. Sometimes we'd even bring our drums to the southern end of the beach and rehearse. We'd have great carrying strap tan-lines before we'd go on tour, something our competitors from the Midwest and East found unusual.
  
  I stayed in HB until I bought my first house in Moreno Valley in 1985. That was good for a couple of years, then I came "home" for a couple more years until going to Arizona in 1993.
  
  You know you've taken the Pacific Ocean for granted when you end up in the Sonoran Desert and don't have the beach in your backyard anymore! I had to come back at the end of 2000.
  
  I'm now in Las Vegas since California priced me out of my hometown. I have lots of company in ex-patriated Californians.
  
  Though born in Santa Monica, Huntington Beach will always be my hometown. Heck, I've marched in the 4th of July Parade 6 times!
  
  Garry in Vegas

  By  Anonymous, at September 15, 2007 5:14 AM  

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• Hi Steve,
  
  I love this website. Although I hate what OC has become and it breaks my heart, I have fond memories of Orange I was born in Riverside (1957) but grew up on both sides of Orange. Attended Heim Elementary and Perelta Jr. High. Witnessed the Orange mall being built. Hung out at Eisnehower park off of Lincoln before it was a park it was a reservoir. I remember lots of Orange groves and allergies! Augh!

  By  Anonymous, at September 25, 2007 5:16 AM  

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• Hello Steve, I just read Gloria Tafolla's comments and almost broke into tears. I am just a bit younger than she is and have many of the same memories..I still have my Santa Ana Community Hospital birth certificate, footprints and all. Johnson Chapel and just down the block, Bristol Drugstore where I would buy a soda pop and sit for hours reading comics. (I still love to read for hours) Our Helms man "Bob" was my hero..I ran out to meet him with my brothers and sisters...he had the best donuts in town. Santa was and I am sure at the very heart of it..is still a great place to live. I have lived in the Inland Empire for most of my married life but nearly all my brothers and sisters live and work there. I love to tell my children stories of the wonderful times I had growing up there and in the surrounding areas. I went to Franklin Elementary and Willard Jr. High School (they were both demolished after the "big" earthquake) I remember the beautiful architecture, very much like Santa Ana High School..(the most beautiful high school in Santa Ana)I look forward to visiting this site again. "All Hail Santa Ana"

  By  Anonymous, at January 18, 2008 8:17 PM  

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• Hi Steve,
  I was born in Anaheim and lived in Buena Park on La Carta Circle until I was 10 years old in 1970 just off of La Palma Blvd. I lived within walking distance of the Winchell's Donut House
  7944 Valley View , Buena Park 90620 if this is the same one that was built in the mid-1960s and is still standing. The tract of houses where we lived used to be dairy farm land until the late 1950s to early 60s when developement finally squeezed it out. We lived relatively close to Knott's Berry Farm and The Alligator Farm which we must have visited dozen of times each when I was a kid. My mom used to shop at the Pottery store that was also located at the same intersection. Of course, we regular visitors to disneyland as well.I attended Raymond Temple Elementary School until the 5th grade. My brothers attended La Palma Junior High School and the oldest one even attended 2 years at the newly built John F. Kennedy High School before we moved out of state.
  My brothers claim that on a clear night we could see the nightly fireworks display at Disneyland which took place at 9 PM. I also remember there was a Japanese Deer Park which served as an animal petting zoo? I'm sure it does not exist anymore. Does anyone else remember it and where it was located?

  By  Anonymous, at January 20, 2008 7:52 AM  

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