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Santa Ana, Bristol & McFadden, 1950s and 60s

by Steve
Thursday, December 06, 2007

An OCThen reader named Ruth had submitted the following memory of hers, growing up in Santa Ana, in the neighbor surrounding the intersection of Bristol St and McFadden, during the 1950s and 1960s...
My dad was transferred from Great Lakes, Ill to El Toro USMC, Ca in the early summer of 1955. We moved to Mc Fadden St (which was Fairview St back then) in Santa Ana. The Street was renamed to McFadden after the orange groves were mowed down between Raitt and which is now Fairview in 1957.

Orange County really grew when the 5 Interstate from San Diego, Santa Ana, and Las Angeles opened in 1956 making it easy to go to Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, and The Angles Stadium. I can remember the Mayor cutting the yellow ribbon off the (??) at the 1st Street exit by Prentice Park.

I remember walking through the farmland of cabbage patches, orange groves, corn fields and berry fields. We flew our kites without worry of losing them to power or phone lines.

On the corner of McFadden and Bristol was a Richfield gas station and my dad filling the car tank with less then 2 bucks. McDonald Burgers on Edinger Street were only 13 cents except on Tuesday-then they were only 10 cents. Also the A&P market opened on the corner of McFadden and Bristol in the late 1950s.

I went to Glenn L. Martin elementary school until I was in the 3rd grade then Monte Vista elementary opened in our area, and Emasculate Heart of Mary Church opened. I made my 1st Communion, Confirmation, and was married at that Church. I went to Smedley Junior High (or Smelly due to all the cows) and SA Valley High 1964-67.

I lived and worked in Orange County until 2006. Now I'm retired and live in a little town called Mentone, Ca, just down the hill from Big Bear. This little town population 5,000 with orange groves and avocado trees reminds me of the young growing days of Santa Ana. Thanks for this blogger and a walk down memory lane.
Ruth, rvx10@aol.com
I actually lived in the same neighborhood as Ruth, near the Bristol St and McFadden intersection, but from 1978-1985. It was technically on Richland Ave, right near Bristol St.

On the NE corner of Bristol and McFadden was a Church's Fried Chicken. On the NW corner, a 7-Eleven Store (I think it's still there). I had one of my bikes stolen at that 7-Eleven. On the SW corner was a large shopping center, with a "Me-n-Ed's" pizza parlor. Anyone remember Me-n-Ed's Pizza?

Today, there's an elementary school located on the corner of Bristol and McFadden, but it wasn't there when I lived there. It was just houses.

Ruth mentioned Raitt street. Did anyone know that Raitt St. is named after the same family that singer Bonnie Raitt is descended from? I think it was her great-uncle that was the physician. At least that's the story her family tells me. Several members of my wife's family were his patients. My wife's sister was delivered by Dr. Raitt.

It's funny that all the people on my wife's side of the family know the names of the doctors who delivered them. Santa Ana was a pretty close-knit community in the 1950s.

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6 Comments:

  • This was my neighborhood - and was a great place to grow up in the late 50's and early 60's. We could bike into town and shop (mainly look at toys at Toy City) or see a movie at the West Coast or State Theater. We played football and baseball in the street (S. Rosewood), which certainly aggravated the neighbors. All the houses had orange trees which supplied the ammunition for frequent neighborhood wars. After the football games we would hang out at Me n' Eds pizza - I could eat an entire meat and onion thin crust by myself. We shopped at the A&P, but sometimes picked up hot dogs at Denny's Dog House. Bet no one remembers that place.

    By Anonymous BC, at December 12, 2007 5:22 PM  

  • Me and several of my neighbors used to play in the cabbage fields on McFadden Street; now there's apartment buildings. We used to hang out at Me n Eds Pizza too, I remember the Dog House-affordable! My mom would pop popcorn and the neighborhood kids would come over to sit on top of the garage roof and watch fireworks from Disneyland, no builds in the way just a lot of fields. I think the West Coast or Broadway Theater had Tuesday family night; the whole family got in for 2 bucks which included popcorn and soda (mom and dad with 5 kids). We had an incinerator in the back yard and my sister used to tinker around with it and burned burnt down part of the back wooden fence-what fun we used to have!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at December 21, 2007 3:43 AM  

  • I lived on Pacific just a couple of blocks away. We moved there in 1975. Remember the Carnation ice cream shop next to Me and Eds? The Hippopotomus store? Howabout the Kodak film booth? There was a Phillips 66 gas station on the corner of Wilshire and Bristol. The Philippino market near the carwash. The owner was Benji. Wow...been a long time!

    By Anonymous leogent, at January 02, 2008 8:51 PM  

  • Me and Eds and the Carnation ice cream are still there

    By Blogger Robert, at January 12, 2008 8:01 PM  

  • I lived in Sanat Ana in some apartments on McFadden but I don't remember the address or cross street. There were many buildings and parking and alley between all the buildings. This was back in 1964. If anyone might remember them I would love to hear back. I do remember that In the front they had nice plants and huge colored spotlights that shined on the buildings. If anyone remembers that area you can email me at scootiehammond@aol.com I was just out of high school at that time.

    By Blogger Linda, at August 04, 2008 3:36 PM  

  • Oh, and I remember that we used to go a bar downtown called GG's Brown Derby (I think) - does anyone remember that. I met Bill Medley there at a Jam Session one morning.

    By Blogger Linda, at August 04, 2008 3:44 PM  

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