Orange County Memories: Tustin in the 1950's

Tustin in the 1950's

by Steve
Saturday, October 27, 2007

Lynda Emery Smith writes to us about her memories of growing up in Tustin from the 1950's to the 1970's...

My husband, Kevin Smith, and I grew up in Tustin, about a mile apart. Between us, we have so many memories of Tustin and Orange County in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Peacocks on Peacock Hill, Tustin Teeways, the slot-car track, 25 cent Saturday matinees at Tustin Theater. Market Basket was the only market around, unless you counted Tiny Tim's, next to Lemon Heights Drug Store. (My mom still sees Mrs. Toth, the owner's wife.) Before Jamestown Village and Larwin Square opened, we'd have to go to downtown Santa Ana to do "real" shopping at the department stores. My father worked at First Western Bank there, and my grandfather owned a carpet store next to Walker's Market. At Tustin Tiller Days it seemed as if everyone knew everyone else. Adam's Hardware, Millie's Pink Poodle...the list goes on and on. We can't drive through Tustin, (where my 82 year-old mother still lives and attends the same church,) without a trip down memory lane. He grew up on Eveningside and Arroyo, and I on Windsor Lane. (The one that turned into Zig-Zag Lane, which is now Elizabeth Way.) We didn't meet, however, until I was 17 and he was 18. We married when I turned 18, and here we are - 34 years later!

Lynda 'Emery' Smith
Laguna Niguel

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Labels: Tustin

1 Comments:

We were the first owners of a new home in Tustin in 1957 -- it was called Bent Twig Lane. It was near Chirping Sparrow near Browning and Irvine Blvd.

I went to Tustin Memorial, Utt Intermediate and Tustin High School.

My mother worked at Larwin Square and I remember the Fiddler's Three restaurant on Irvine Blvd (oh....can still smell those burgers and fries with the Thousand Island dressing!)

We lived across the street from Mr. Nelson whom the school in Tustin was named after....Bill Nelson and his buddies would play guitars on the front porch when I was a kid....

I recall the old crossguard lady who could barely make it across the street on Irvine Blvd.....I remember teachers like Mr. Revere, Mrs. Saunders, Mrs. Hicks.....cannot remember my teacher in kindergarten though....nice, nice lady.

Tustin was quiet and just getting started....lovely place.

By Anonymous, at April 22, 2008 11:19 AM

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Tustin in the 1950's

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