Friday, July 03, 2009

The Plunge at Hart Park

Anonymous asks if anyone can provide memories of going to the Plunge at Hart Park in Orange...

Does anyone remember the plunge at Hart park and the May festival they used to have there?

OC History Roundup has an article on Hart Park and the Plunge...
http://ochistorical.blogspot.com/2008/01/w-o-hart-park-orange.html

Daralee has a photo of the Plunge on her Flickr photoset of Old Town Orange...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/3376880161/

17 comments:

  1. remember that park and plunge like it was yesterday. Great memories.

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  2. Lee FredricksonJuly 03, 2009 9:14 PM

    When I was in 3d grade, we lived near the intersection of Washington Ave and Custer St. in Santa Ana. One summer day, at least 4 of us walked along the old Santa Fe railroad tracks from Washington Ave all the way up to Santiago Creek, and then along the creek until we got to Hart's Park. Financicially, things were tight with our family at the time (1968/1969 time frame), so when we saw the kids splashing in the pool at The Plunge, we were sad because we didn't have any money to go inside. We spent our time in the creek bed catching tadpoles in paper cups. When we got bored, we walked along the train tracks back to home. We were hot, tired, sweaty, but it was a good time for us. I look at a satellite map of that walk we took, and it amazes me - the stamina of our youth!

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  3. Although I lived i Garden Grove, I went to school at Immanuel Lutheran School in Orange. Come summer, one of my friends started talking about "The Plunge". The Plunge???? I'd never heard of "a plunge" and had no idea what she was talking about. Still, to this day, I get a chuckle out of the name . . . "The Plunge". I did go with her and plunged into the plunge, and it was fun. In fact, it was more fun for me than the pool in my own back yard. I guess when you're a kid, lots of things other people have look better than your own .;-) CJG

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  4. I lived in Orange from 1963 to 1970, from the ages of 10-18. I went to The Plunge every summer. Loved it. I once stuck my head through the iron bars that were the "windows" in the concrete wall that surrounded the pool. My head got stuck and I couldn't get it out. I thought my girlfriend was going to wet her pants she was laughing so hard. This same girlfriend once jumped into the pool after me and her chin collided with my head. I ended up with five stitches. And this was when we wore bathing caps! Orange was a wonderful place to grow up. In fact, I'm writing a book about it right now.

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    Replies
    1. Laurel (Jackson) VanceDecember 23, 2013 6:07 PM

      I would love for the chance to read your book. I grew up in Orange, as well. I now live in Missouri and I miss my old stomping grounds in the city of Orange. I went to the Plunge many times as a kid. So fun.

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  5. I lived in Garden Grove and went to Riverdale elementary school near the Santa Ana River. I took swimming lessons at The Plunge when I was 7 years old (1957) at five cents per lesson. Upon conpleation we dove for penneys in the shallow end. Then over to the food shack for chick-o-stick candy (5 cents). We would spend hours under the bridge looking for hobos, trying to climb the bamboo polls up into the underhang where we thought they lived. Also we would watch the girl's/women's softball team The Orange County Lionetts play over by the rock quary. Lots of memories of Garden Grove and Orange County. This blog is so cool. pw/pismo beach

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  7. I remember growing up in Orange in the 1960s. I have only happy memories. I attended kindergarten at the old El Modena Grammar School on Chapman Avenue, and 1rst through 6th grade, at Jordan Elementary. Orange groves were my play ground. I can still smell the orange blossoms and hear the melodic sound of the crickets as I lay in my bed at night. It was always a big treat to go to the Plunge at Hart Park. As a small child, I splashed in the kiddie pool and played beneath the beautiful, old fountain, As I got older, I was allowed to swim in the big pool. The kiddie pool now has a very large tree growing in the middle of it, while the big pool has been divided into two smaller pools. Old Towne Orange looks much as it did in the 1960s, though Orange overall has changed a great deal over the years. I remember going to the Orange Drive-In Theater and Knott's Berry Farm in the 60s, as well as Disneyland. Though my family moved to Sacramento County years ago (dragging me along, kicking and screaming) my heart is, and will always be, in Orange--my home town. Cindy French-Ferreri

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  8. I have a photo of the plunge, now two pools, on google earth. I went to school at Holy Family across the street on Glassel in the 60's. Never missed the May festival

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  9. My sister Valena and I love swimming at the plunge every summer. I remember the hugh amount of clorine they put in that water. You could smell it before you even saw any water.

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  10. Yes I do! Spent my whole childhood summers there. Would walk there almost everyday in the summer, all the way from Fairhaven and Yorba. And that was after we would collect bottles and return them to the store to get money for The Plunge!!! My most favorite memories!
    Carol Legacy

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  11. I would love to see a photo of the old fountain that we little ones could wade in!

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  12. I learned to swim at the plunge and they did put in a lot of clorine. Remember the snack bar there, those strips of taffy. I spent many hours at the plunge my mom would drop us off then pick us up after the session ended. What fun. I also remember the kids wading pool outside the plunge. Good times

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  13. I remember going to The Plunge and the May festival! The last year I remember going to the May Festival was 1982, it was also the year I discovered the Orange International Street Fair! :)

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  14. Yes indeed, I remember with fondness the plunge at Hart Park! I lived in Orange from August 1965 until May 1978, and spent many summer afternoons at Hart Park and the plunge. We used to hike up and down Santiago Creek; traveling between Hart Park and the junction of the Santa Ana River.

    The plunge was usually quite busy, had small locker spaces, and yet was loads of fun. Lots of the smaller kids would play in the fountain that was located outside of the plunge area itself.

    Across from the park, on Glassell, down from Holy Family church was a Hawaiian-themed miniature golf course. It had wonderful tropical decor, including huge Tiki gods, Tiki torches, water elements and, if memory serves me correctly, an erupting volcano. Hawaiian music played while you putted around the course. It was great during summer evenings as a nocturnal breeze seemed to occur, rendering an island-like atmosphere.

    Next door was a tropical-themed family restaurant (OC was loaded with them in the 1960s).

    Great park with wonderful memories!

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  15. i learned to swim at the plunge and can remember the heavy chlorine smell of the big pool ... would watch the orange lionettes, nancy ito, joan joyne and others play on summer nights ... the may festival and a downtown orange pancake breakfast were yearly events ... left orange in february 1971 and missed the 14 year old pony league run that summer ...

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  16. Elizabeth AtwoodJune 19, 2013 3:37 PM

    Ooohh, I'm a little late on commenting :) but I grew up near Hart Park. Born and raised. Great memories of walking to the Plunge in the summer and ALWAYS attending the May Festival. I lived off of Cambridge and could hear the festival at night...and the smell of orange blossoms from our tree. Perfect childhood memories of my life in Orange.

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