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A Kid Growing Up in Santa Ana & Garden Grove

by Steve
Thursday, July 27, 2006

Mark, a teacher in Orlando, FL, grew up in Orange County, and shares his memories of what it was like in the 50's and 60's...
Steve, thanks for your project. I was born in Orange County in 1951 and lived there until I went to College. My memories of farmland, fields, open spaces in Orange County are hard to find these days. I moved from Orange County to live in downtown Seattle what a thrill. Today with my family we lived in Orlando Florida domninated by the Mouse. Can't hear the trail whistle like I did when I was young but it is here in Florida as well.

When I was born, St. Joseph's in Orange, my parents brought me back to a new house built off of Bolsa (1st avenue) between Newhope and Magnolia (then called Cannery). I believe this was one of the first"developments" that was to become many in Orange County. We eventually lived on Lucky Way off of Andes place, not to be confused with the "new" West Lucky Way. It was there where I went to Newhope Elementary school. An interesting note is that our janitor was Mr Wash who son Don Wash eventually became the Superintendent of schools for Garden Grove. By the way a huge man who had played professional football, he was my principal at the new Jr. High down the street Stephen R. Fitz, not really sure who Stephen R was but they named a school after him.

Growing up it was not unusual to bike to the beach, in those days we would bike down Newhope until you hit the Santa Ana River and then follow the river down to the jetty. Had to climb over a fence or two and eventually the fences got higher and higher. The names of those streets were not the same. McFadden was Sugar... Magnolia was Cannery, Ediger was Smeltzer,and eventually when you got to the beach you were at Brookhurst and 1 or 101. It was not unusual to ride into Santa Ana to watch the trains, bowl or golf. There was a 9 hole course 3 par that might have been part of Willowick that rented clubs and seemed to like kids.

One of the big thrills of 1962 or 63 was the onsite filming of the Television show Route 66 with Marvin Milner and George Maharis. I heard about it from some friends and rode my bike. Just like you see in the movies, no one paid much attention to the kids and I got up to the area where dialogue was being spoken. One of the hands gave me a cold 7-up seeing how hot I was. Even the Corvette was there. Martin Milner ended up as Adam 12. George Maharis was the Rock Hudson of early TV fame, good looking and every womans dream until it was discovered he preferred the company of men.

My father owned the Surplus Store on Garden Grove Blvd across from the Garden Grove Theatre. It was a business that developed out of WWII and the supplies of the Korean war. I grew up working there selling foam rubber, camping equiptment and Levi's. I guess the least expensive pair I can remember is the 401's selling for $2.98. Today that building is the home of a Korean Buffett. Across the street in the same center as the Grove Theatre was my favorite restaurant Zestos. I can smell the burgers cooking from Zestos this very second with onions, melted cheese, double burgers, bbq sauce and the sausages that the owners father would make. They were light years ahead when it came to shakes and malts. You could get a banana chocolate walnut malt.....fact is he had 30 or more ingredients to put into one of these masterpieces. Several of my addictions, one being a love of onion rings has its base in the deep fryer of Zestos.

Was going to list a number of places I remember.

Calva Dairy-owned by our neighbors the Hunts who had come to California as a family from Virginia. They donated the land for the Little League field that was on Bolsa between Harbor and Euclid.

Red Ranch Market at Harbor and Bolsa.
Across the street was another market my mother liked that was not an open market. She always mentioned the flies.

Gem Theatre-went there on my first girlfriend whirl with Kathy Whitehead. Kathy's sister I believed married the famous Santiago hurler Bert Blyleven.

My folks would get all dressed up and go to the restaurant on Garden Grove Blvd...Knights Table I believe.

Cake Box Bakery...I tell my famous story about how I discovered money at the Cake Box.

In the same center, in the 50's, was the kiddie park with rides for the little ones. Hang Hong....I think was the name that was our family choice for Chinese food. The BBQ restarant that always smelled sooooo.....good.

Well I could go on and on......that is why I have one of these blogs myself....til later be well.
If you like to hear more about Mark's thoughts on life, visit his blog.

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11 Comments:

  • I remember Red's Ranch Market when I was very little girl, my parents would drive over there and sometimes we ( all of us kids (5 of us ) would get to go in. It was a treat for us. I came to Santa Ana when I was Three months old, and I am now fifty two years old. I remember the strawberry and bean fields and orange groves, beautiful, Orange County was a beautiful place in the fiftys and sixtys, too bad we didn't realize it then.

    By Anonymous Bonnie, at July 27, 2006 9:24 PM  

  • I used to go to that very Surplus store when I was 8 or 9. I loved to buy "dry cells," wax batteries the size of large water bottle. There were little brass screws at the tops of the terminals. Nice store.

    By Blogger Merlinsguy, at January 27, 2007 11:09 AM  

  • I am a native of Orange county, with many wonderful memories and history here. My grandfather was a pioneer farmer in Westminister, and I remember all the many orange groves, tall eucalyptus trees, strawberry fields, and ranches. I grew up in Garden Grove, where I remember the Strawberry Festival and climbing up my elm tree in the front yard to watch the Disneyland fireworks in the evening...I went to Agnes Ware Stanley School on Elmwood St. when it was brand new. There was a flower show every year at the school. I later moved to Anaheim , attending Fremont Jr. High, then Anaheim High School. I remember going to Newport and Huntington Beaches, and Irvine Park to hike and horseback ride on weekends.....The Alligator Farm, Japenese Deer Park,Arnold's Farm House Restaurant and Knott's Berry Farm were great places to visit. And of course Disneyland....That Magical Land we were priveledged to have in our own back yards... Now I live in the rolling hills of Mission Viejo, with rabbits, raccoons, and skunks in my backyard. Orange County continues to be a great place..!

    By Blogger Lori Gibson, at February 26, 2007 10:49 PM  

  • I grew up in the Kona Kai trailer park on Mcfadden and attended Fitz,then LosAmigos. Over my back fence were fields that grew corn, tomatoes and strawberrys.Cal-Va dairy was right across the field from my home. It was and still is about the only drive thru dairy around. Reds Ranch market was a short hop over the fence and a walk along the fields. I remember making tree forts in the euciliptis trees in that field. I remember Kona Hawaii restaraunt on harbor and the ABC store on First street. We used to go to the A & W car hop place on first street for burgers and shakes, and how about that little fun center on First st. that had the trampoline pits. I spent many hours and most of my allowance there. I also can remember being able to see the Disneyland Fireworks from my back yard. Great memories of growing up!

    By Anonymous Steve Vanover, at March 19, 2007 9:02 AM  

  • I moved down from Berkeley with a crew to open State Farm's operation on W 17th. What a treat OC was in '55. Just past Harbor was Newhope and when exploring new houses there I took the plunge for one on Berni St.
    Four bedrooms for 11 thou! Payment less than I was paying for rent. That soil would cause the fence posts to grow before you could attach the stringers and boards. Voila!
    When we got married, this was our first home. Red's Ranch Market was one of our frequent stops while she taught me to eat something called veggies along with the meat and potatos. Down Harbor to the beach and all that fun at the ocean. Nice to read the memories of you youngsters.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at April 30, 2007 9:31 AM  

  • Thank you for bringing back so many great OC memories. I'm glad someone else remembers the Alligator Farm. We used to love it! Remember how they'd feed the alligators buckets of raw chicken? Some of the alligators were missing a leg because of the feeding frenzy. And Arnold's Farm House -- we loved that place. It was cafeteria style total old fashioned down home cooking. The chefs were old guys who sliced roast beef or turkey off the giant thing in those big white hats, and you could choose sides like jello cubes, coleslaw, etc. If you went on your birthday you could get a miniature perfect little birthday cake. Other fond memories: the Crab Cooker restaurant at Newport, the original Orange Julius at Balboa Island, the crepe restaurant at South Coast Plaza (also the first place in OC the croissant craze hit), the Cineramadome in Orange, Knollwood for burgers, Farrell's for those gigantic ice cream sundaes.

    By Blogger Drucie, at May 29, 2007 6:15 PM  

  • Wanted to add that like Steve we could see the Disneyland fireworks every night too, but only if we went up on a ladder onto our roof.

    We also used to like to go to the Disneyland Hotel for the "dancing waters" show (kind of like a very low-tech early version of the water show at the Bellagio today.)

    By Blogger Drucie, at May 29, 2007 6:28 PM  

  • Hi Great website. Anybody remember the Nick or onick family at the Kona Kai trailer park on Mcfadden?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at July 11, 2007 8:09 AM  

  • For Drucie....

    The Crab Cooker is still open in Newport and I always stop there for lunch when at the beach. Also, always have a frozen banana for dessert, then take the ferry across the bay to Balboa Island!

    Lovely memories!

    By Anonymous Lynda, at September 09, 2007 11:32 AM  

  • I was born in Garden Grove in 1959.When I was three years old my parents bought a house that had come up in one of the new subdivisions off of McFadden St. We were on the cul-de-sac- of So.Corta Drive and McFadden ran along the back side of our house. I attended Heritage Elementary School and two of my brothers went to Fitz Jr. High, which was right accross the street.At that time there were vacant fields next door to the school. The last time I visited the area, and my old home It was filled with apartment complexes.! We moved when I was ten, but I can still remember going as a child to Red's Ranch Market.It seemed so big.One time they had a promotion of sorts in front of a liquer store called the "Bottle Shop". I am not sure of it's location, but I remember a girl dressed as the cartoon character "Daisey Mae" sitting on a fancy sports car,in a bikini promoting something to do with the store.It was evening time and I remember how cold she looked. I must have been seven or eight years old at the time. I have many memories of the sweet smell of oranges, and we too, use to get up on top of our brick wall fence, that seperated us from our neighbors yard and watch the fireworks at Disneyland in the summer months. Great memories that I haven't thought about for a long time.

    By Anonymous Liane, at November 19, 2007 11:01 PM  

  • Wow, what memories of the Mc Fadden, Newhope, First street areas! Besides Red Ranch and ABC market does anyone remember Consumer City and The Potato Bin on First St? My sister recalls the cars (hot rods)from The Munsters TV show making an appearance at Consumer City! I also remember as a kid there was a bar on the very corner of First and Harbor with a pirate (dummy) up in a crow's nest looking thru a telescope. Anyone remember that? My mom still lives near the Fitz school field and you can no longer see the D'land fireworks like in the good old days. Speaking of the old stores, yes I recall The Bottle Shop. Does anyone remember Alpha Beta and TG&Y on Euclid and Edinger? My first job was at Gemco on Brookhurst and Warner, wow! Times have changed huh? Thanks for this great website. I find the "real" pioneers of OC very interesting.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at April 05, 2008 9:53 PM  

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