Buy A Coke for Bear on Harbor Blvd

Photo of the actual bear taken in the 1950s or 60s. The man in the photo
had the last name, "McCoy", his wife donated the photo to
Janet Filbeck who in turn sent us this digitized copy.

A number of OCThen readers recall visiting a bear in a cage on Harbor Blvd (or Westminster), perhaps at a dairy in Garden Grove.  You could buy a Coke or a soda for a nickel and give it to the bear to drink.  It was a little bit of cheap amusement after a trip out to the farm fields of Garden Grove, back in the day.

It makes me wonder if Coca-Cola used this piece of history for its series of "Polar Bears drinking Coke" commercials.

In that time, it was common for businesses in the farming areas of Orange County to use caged wild animals as a way to lure families in.

Here are the comments I found regarding the Bear in the Cage...

Anonymous (July 11, 2009) - Anyone remember the bear in a cage on Harbor Blvd between Santa Ana and Costa Mesa? And the buffalo ranch. Great memories. Thanks!

Anonymous (Nov 17, 2010) - Does anyone remember bear that drank soda? It was in Orange County, I think it was on Harbor Blvd. It was in a fenced in area, and you could purchase cokes or other soda pop from a machine, and the bear would drink it for your amusement. It must have been in the early 1960's.

Doug Reeder (June 4, 2012) - Another highlight was stopping along old Harbor Blvd. on the way to the beach area to see the bear in the cage. For a nickle the bear man would give a small bottle of Coke to the bear and he would drink it holding it between his front paws.

Anonymous (Jan 6, 2013) - And the guy with the bear was Frank ( Manny ) Mc Cubbins.

Philetus (Jan 15, 2013) - The dairy on Westminster before Harbor with the zoo had a bear (or gorilla, I can't remember which) in a cage out front with a coke machine you could buy a coke and give it to the bear

Glendora Hammond (Dec 1, 2013) - That poor bear was on Harbor. He loved Orange pop and was so abused. His cage was tiny and he paced back and forth. I felt so sorry for him.

Janet Filbeck (Dec 1, 2013) - I remember the bear in front of a store on a chain. They would bring the bear from his cage in the morning and take him back later in the day. I don't remember it being in a cage during the day. We would buy it coke and it was fun as a kid watching it drink it. It was a fun memory as a kid. This is a picture of the bear being taken to the front of the store. Given to me by a friend of mine and her husband is in the back. His last name is Mc Coy. This picture was taken in the late 50's or early 60's she said.

Carole Tibbets (Dec 1, 2013) - The bear was on Harbor Blvd., next to the driving range, between Edinger and Warner. Later, Frank had a small zoo and after, he got rid of the zoo animals, he started a boarding stables, before, he moved to Oregon. I boarded my horse there for about 8 years.

Anyone with memories of this please post a comment...

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Memories of Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, and Garden Grove

Huntington Beach Pier - Browse other vintage Huntington
Beach photos and postcards.

An anonymous OCThen reader submits their memories of growing up in Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, and Garden Grove....

I grew up in OC. I was born in 1958 in Whittier CA and moved to Costa Mesa from 1960 - 1968 (on Elden Street near 22nd Street) and then to Huntington Beach (Bushard & Adams) and then (Brookhurst and Victoria)and then to Garden Grove on (Morningside Dr in the Buena-Clinton area)and then on Blue Spruce near harbor Blvd) I attended Lindbergh Elementary School in Costa Mesa, Gisler Intermediate in HB and Doig Junior High and Santiago High in GG.

COSTA MESA - there was a little hamburger stand on Newport Blvd near 22nd St named Russ's or something like that, it was like In & Out food before In & Out. I remember going to McDonald's near the Blue Chip Stamp Store. Ramsey's Drug Store on Newport Blvd. A Circle K or something like that where we would buy ICEE'S at during the summer, near Charlie's Chili. Pat's Liquor Store with the apartment above it on Newport and 22nd St. There was also a Der Weinerschnitzel on Harbor across from Theodore Robbins Ford where my parents bought a brand new 65 Mustang that I got to drive in High School. There was a Costa Mesa Park with a big airplane at the park that they had the fair in. There was a parade, was it called the Fish Fry? Going to Disneyland & Knott's. I remember the A-E ticket books at Disneyland. We walked to Lindbergh on Orange St and there was a house that had a statue of a bull on the corner in their yard.

HUNTINGTON BEACH - going surfing at lifegaurd station 13 at the end of Brookhurst before and after school and all summer long. Going roller skating at a rink on Newport Blvd near Superior? Two Guys store on Brookhurst and Adams across the street from Save on. There was also a Thrifty's that we would buy double scoops for 5 cents a scoop. We would ride bikes all over. Hang out at Gisler and had so many friends. 

GARDEN GROVE - I hated the move from HB to GG but grew to love it there. We lived in an apartment that is now a gang area but it was safe back then. There was a huge slide and trampoline place on 17th St. I worked at a Jack in the Box across from Honor Plaza. We would walk to school and spend our lunch money at a Winchell's Donut Shop on the way to Doig Jr High. At Santiago we hung out at Del Taco and Bob's Big Boy after the football games in the 70's. Denny's we would go to and stay there until early in the mornings. Learned how to sneak into Disneyland by pitching in and having someone get there hand stamped and then we would transfer that stamp to 5 to 10 friends and go hang out and dance at that Terrace Theater with live bands that went up and down during the summer. There was a Sambo's Restaurant on Harbor Blvd that we had our pre-game football meals at.

So many memories and so much fun. Can we go back and do it again? Anybody live in any of these areas and does any of this ring a bell? 

Thanks for the fun!

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Army Navy Surplus Store Garden Grove

Mark White submits his memories of working at his father's Army Navy Surplus store at 9651 Garden Grove Blvd (between Gilbert and Brookhurst) during the 1950s...

I grew up in Garden Grove and grew up in my Dad’s Army Navy Surplus Store at 9651 Garden Grove Blvd, today it is a Korean Restaurant. I worked there from the middle of elementary school, the 1950’s, first sweeping and straightening up sections. On a Saturday I might sweep the store, using oiled sawdust and then be in charge of straightening all of the electrical section or camping gear or to stock the tools. I loved it.

Outside the door was a red Coca Cola Vending machine Dad had purchased, yes as surplus, and then purchased the 12 oz coke and stocked it himself. He would make his kids, me, buy a coke after being paid for working. With that you should have decent insight into my Dad. Every Saturday until I was on “payroll” he would buy me lunch from Zestos across the street. I can smell Zestos now. In my humble opinion, Zestos and In-n-Out ran neck and neck.

One anniversary for he and Mom, he bought a gorgeous ship's barometer and temperature set. Done in wood and brass it was beautiful on my mothers den wall. He came rushing home months later and took both telling my mother he could pay the mortgage with the money he was going to make on the set. That was Dad.

The store had camping gear, canvas, clothing, work shoes and much much more. Today Kids love Dickies. We sold the real thing, grey and tan work pants. Men from all over would come at regular intervals to buy their “gear”. When a customer my Dad recongnized as a Dickies customer would walk in the door, Dad might rush to the clothes section grab the size 40 waist 32 in seam the man would need and have the pants set for display. “Walk around the store and see what else you need and get these in a box in a moment”.

When we got Levis and army gear was popular in the sixties... I was in heaven. “What size in men’s pants do you think I need”, would ask a lovely Rancho Alamitos Senior Cheerleader. “Oh, well, turn around and let me guess”. My Dad said, “always guess two sizes smaller and hand them the proper size and one size bigger, when the young customer says these are too big for me it makes them feel good”. What a great job... What a great job, sorry lost it for a sec with some awesome memories.

Everyone from babes to boys scouts came in that store. I included a picture, I am thinking the year is 1959. My Grandfathers black Cadillac is on the side, my Dad’s truck is in front of the store. The coke machine is visible just to the right of the door in front of the store. Sorry no pictures of the soon to be hippie kids buying jeans but it sure is a hoard of wonderful memories for this Orange County Kid.

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Did the Beach Boys Play in Garden Grove?

Anonymous believes he saw The Beach Boys perform at the grand opening of a building supply store during the 1960s, and wonders if anyone else remembers that...

Back in 1960 when I moved to Garden Grove, there was a building supply store on the southwest corner of Westminster and Brookhurst, the name which I cannot remember. Anyway, for some reason, I distinctly remember for the grand opening, a band performing in the parking lot. The name of the band was the Beach Boys. I remember the band passing out albums and I believe the picture had the band on a jeep-like vehicle with palm fronds on the roof. Surfin' Safari? According to amazon.com, this album was originally released in 1962.

Am I hallucinating? Is this a false memory that over time has become real?

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Strawberry Festival and Fields of Orange County

An anonymous OCThen reader remembers the Strawberry Festival and several other "freakin cool" stuff that was unique to Orange County...

Alot of people dont remember the things that were soo freakin cool and unique to OC, like Costa Mesa's fish fry parade on Harbor, or Knotts Scary farm back when they could chase you down the street, remeber how awsome the OP pro used to be?, how about the strawberry festival, best of all- the strawberry fields, I remember riding bikes with a bunch of buddies and sneaking onto the strawberry fields and just feasting on those bad boys until the guy with the whip came and chased us away.
Does anyone remember the jungle jumps in Los Alamitos?
Good times, glad I grew up in the "real" OC!

I used to remember the Christmas Parade that would run through downtown Santa Ana in the 1980s. I used to work at the central library there, and would crawl up to the roof and watch the parade from there.

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Over The Line in Garden Grove

Mike Floyd submits memories of growing up in Garden Grove during the 1950s, and playing a game called "Over the Line"...

My name is Mike Floyd and our family moved to Garden Grove in 1953 from Lakewood, Cal. I have many, many memories of growing up there but will focus on one.

Most of my friends played sports and we loved playing "Over-the-Line" at Garden Grove's JV field. Four can play so it was easy to get a game up. We would ride our bikes and play ball for a two hours and the best part of the game was that if you hit a ball over the 12 foot chain-link fence for a home run, you'd have to climb it and get the ball back. The great part was there were apricot and peach trees back there and we'd always raid them for snacks until the owner would come running out yelling. I think his name was Earl Culp.

Then, about noon, we'd ride down to downtown and get some carmel corn and a snow cone at some little shop on Euclid. The old guy always ground out the ice fresh so you really got a real slushy cone.

Then, we'd ride over to Wheelers and Phillips and get a Hollywood Bar and a double cola and go lay under the shade at Euclid park and really relax. I think since we had bombarded our systems with sugar, we'd never want to start another over-the-line game.

I remember Judkins Music and Priscilla's Cake Box and Raisins Market on Harbor and of course, Belisles, with the greatest fresh Strawberry Pie ever... and the Cape Cod House, north of Chapman on Harbor where I always got some unbelievable abalone.

I lived there from '53 thru '64 and I could probably write book on all the memories. This is a good forum. Maybe I'll write about all the tough guys that went around looking for fights. Or my famous fight by the bus barn at Garden Grove High in 1961 with Danny D'Bruin...yeah, that's a classic.

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Burning Trash in the Backyard

Anonymous submits various memories of living in Garden Grove during the 1960s and 1970s, and interesting, includes a memory of using an incinerator to burn trash in the backyard...

I was born in Anaheim, Garden Park Hospital, a little local small hospital now gone, but grew up in Garden Grove in the 60's and 70's. Went to Gilbert Elementary (still there), Zeyen Elementary, Marie L. Hare, and Rancho Alamitos.

When I was really little I remember that our phone number had a word at the beginning. Ours was R-I and then the rest of the number. Our phone number area was called Richmond (R-I). Also, we had a party line on our phone, so we could overhear our neighbors conversations on the phone, of course, we were suppose to be respectful of their privacy, and you were not suppose to talk over 10 minutes at a time.

I also remember that we had an incinerator in our back yard to burn trash, eventually the city made it illegal, and then we took our trash to the dump, which is now Irvine!

I remember how Turtle Rock used to be very visible from miles around.

Some other memories:

Big Bernies Delicatessen: They had great sandwiches and pickles.

Piccolio's Shoe Repair: That man scared me as a child, he didn't like children.

Copper Penny: Both of my older sister worked as waitresses at that restaurant, everyone tried to dig the pennies out of the counter!

I really didn't think much at the time that I was living in such a wonderful community, but now that I think back, that was a wonderful time!

When we moved into Santa Ana in 1978, we had an incinerator in the backyard too. We didn't use it for trash burning however. But I thought it was cool we were one of the few houses left that still had one. My dad ended up converting it into a strawberry planter.

But I remember from 1969-1971, we lived in Yokohama, Japan, just on the outskirts of town. The city did not offer trash service out there. So, the neighbors would bring out their trash each week and dump it into a large steel bin, and then set it on fire.

This was the opportunity for neighbors to mingle and talk and get up to date with everybody. Neighbors would bring out snacks, drinks, and hors d'oeuvres they made specifically for the occasion. It was like having a block party. If we hadn't had the neighborhood trash-burn, I don't think neighbors would have ever gotten to know each other.

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The Roller Garden in Garden Grove

Anyone remember skating at the Roller Garden in Garden Grove? It was located on Haster & Garden Grove Blvd, right by the 22 Freeway. I never went there, but drove past it all the time. Since I lived in Santa Ana, I always went to the Skate Ranch, though I also visited an outdoor skating rink at Camelot (Scamalot).

I've seen references to this skating rink being called both Roller Garden and Roller Dome. I'm not sure which was the official name, or if this rink had different names over time. Maybe someone knows the answer to that.

A couple of OCThen readers share their memories of the Roller Garden...

Chris said...

Does anyone remember a steakhouse in Garden Grove or Westminster called Mother, Jugs, Beef and Brew? My friend Kathy Lester used to sing there occasionally. I lost contact with her years ago so if you know of her please let me know.

Also, are there any skaters from Roller Garden in Garden Grove at GG Blvd. and Haster? It's gone now but in the late 60's and early 70's we had a blast on the weekends there.It was such a big part of our lives.

I want to say this is my favorite site. Love reading about all the things I forgot about but it breaks my heart that they're gone forever.

Pat /pismo beach said...

Chris, I remember the Roller Dome skating rink on gg blvd and haster. All of us from that general area would skate there on Friday and Saturday night in the late 50's and 60's. I couldn't wait until I was old enough to stay for the second session starting at 10:30pm. My parents bought my sister Melody the best high top percision skates from their skate store in the office area. Our friend Jody use to sing live sometimes while the owner played an organ up in the attic. We would go to "sock hops" once in awhile and dance in our socks on the rink floor during special times of the year. Remember the snack bar where you could get pizza or a sucide drink ( coke, rootbeer, orange mixed together). That was bad tasting, but we ordered it anyway. The men's bathroom offered black plastic combs from a machine for 10 cents and they would always break when you sat on them. My sis took lessons and entered several skating tournments (doubles) where we would travel to other cities like Bakersfield for competitions. Do remember any names of the people you knew there? Thanks for the post.

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Robert Schuller's Drive-In Church

I didn't know this, but before Robert Schuller occupied the Crystal Cathedral, he used to lead his congregation at a drive-in movie theater. A couple of OCThen readers share their memories...

Anonymous said...

Does anyone remember the old drive-in in Garden Grove where Dr. Schuller used to hold his church services on the roof of the snack bar? When you went into the drive-in you would stop a get one of the speakers for your car. I remember this being back in the late 40's.

Pat / pb said...

Old drive-in-church in Garden Grove. In the 60's we would walk through the orange grove across GG Blvd from where we lived and explore.Somewhere in the middle between gg blvd and chapman we came upon an old drive-in that looked like a ghost town. No signs of life and run down. I was 12 years old and went to Riverdale Elementary School. I think the entrance was off of Luis? Sometime around then and 1966 , Robert Shuller leased or bought the drive-in and turned it into his church. When we were in the 10th grade at Santigo High, we would drive to the church service sometimes on Sunday, grab a speaker for our window and listen and watch Shuller deliver his sermon standing on the roof of the snack bar with a single mike. Smoke and be in church at the same time, at a drive-in during the daytime. What a trip!

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The Lost Community of Bryant

Anonymous writes about living in an old community called "Bryant", near Garden Grove, during the 1950s...

My folks bought a home in the old Highland Subdivision (basically the homes between Chapman and Orangewood and Magnolia and HWY 39) in 1953. We lived on Dale Street a few houses down from Orangewood.

I was the first kindergarten class to attend Bryant Elementary School which opened in 1956. The school was named for the old farming community Bryant that use to be there in the 1940's. I attended elementary school there and later went to Marie L Hare Intermediate. Dale Street was the boundary between Garden Grove and the County that still had an Anaheim address. Our neighbors across the street were in Anaheim and we were in Garden Grove.

I also attended Rancho Alamitos and remember it being built. To the west of Rancho use to be a dairy farm and when playing out on the fields you could smell the cows.

I am posting because I read a comment about Atlantis Land. I remember it very well although I didn't not play there because it was too far away. It was tucked within the park where Bolsa Grande High School is. I remember the grand opening because the Garden Grove Theater played the 1961 Geopge Pal movie Atlantis the Lost Continent.

One of my earliest memories is standing in a huge line filled with kids wanting to see the matinee showing of the 1958 7th Voyage of Sinbad at the Garden Grove Theater. There was a vacant lot next to the theater and a line of kids encircled the entire lot. In fact the first matinee was sold out and we had to wait for the 2nd showing but that's what you did. Mom gave me 50 cents and I bought admissions and popcorn with that.

Lots of good memories at the old Garden Grove Theater at the old Garden Grove Plaza.

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Garden Grove in the 1950s & 1960s

Linda asks if anyone remembers a girls softball field being there on Chapman & Dale, as well as a big slide on the corner of Beach & Acacia...

I grew up in Garden Grove in the 50's and 60's. Went to Lawrence Elementary, Alamitos Jr. High and Rancho Alamitos High School - graduated in 1973. Does anyone remember the girls softball field located on Chapman and Dale in Garden Grove (where there is now a 7-11?). Nobody believes me!

Also, anyone remember the big slide that was next to the Del Taco on Beach and Acacia? It was the kind you see now at the OC Fair where they give you the burlap potato sacks to sit on and you would get burn marks on your skin if you touched the slide on the way down? I remember when that Del Taco was built - we used to go hang out there. Now the hookers and druggies hang out in there - so sad.

Regarding the comments about the hippies: I don't remember the problems with them at Knott's - I could swear it was Disneyland!

I remember the place on Garden Grove Blvd. named Kiddie Land. I loved going there! It was small but then, so was I.

I remember going to the Strawberry Festival when it was at Garden Grove Park on Westminster Ave. near Bolsa Grande High School, not squeezed into the area on Euclid.

I also remember going to visit friends with my parents near Irvine Park and going up Chapman Ave. (no 22 Freeway yet) and Chapman east of the traffic circle at Glassell was a two-way dirt road surrounded by nothing but orange groves.

One correction: The restaurant located on Garden Grove Blvd. and Newland was called the Jolly Knight -loved that place and was really sorry to see it close.

Reading all the posts brought back a lot of memories - thanks!

Linda

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The Jolly Knight Restaurant, Garden Grove

Anonymous says his grandparents owned The Jolly Knight restaurant, which used to be in Garden Grove...

My grandparents owned The Jolly Knight. The street that the restaurant once stood is named: Ansell Court (after my grandparents).

I don't recall ever going there, but from what I understand it was an old English themed restaurant. Anyone else go there?

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Garden Grove in the 1960s-1980s

Pedro Yruretagpyena (pyruretagoyena@yahoo.com) offers some cool little tidbits of his memories growing up in Garden Grove, right on the border with Anaheim...

I grew up on songish st in garden grove, brookhurst and katella area in the 60's through the 80's. Anyone remember fishin at Kids Haven on chapman, ridin bikes in the field behind market basket on brookhurst and katella (later called Shopping Bag and then Fazios), boxing at the stanton gym, eating by the fire pits at Taco Bell on katella and beach or the one on katella near gilbert, levis at Red Eye, Pier 1 Imports, 5 cent scoops at Thrifty's, Al the ice cream man, glazed donuts from the Helms trucks, the burger joint on katella and nutwood (AJ's i think), Orange Julius on katella, A&W on chapman, or the cows in the fields north of katella and nutwood. Wow, some of this stuff I havent thought of until now.....

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Garden Grove & Anaheim in the 1960 & 70s

Gary offers the follow tidbit of his memories living in OC...

Graduated Magnolia High in '72. Lived at Katella/Brookhurst starting in '58 Across from the Shopping Bag grocery store. A&W on Ball Rd. OC Plaza at Chapman/Brookhurst Helen Grace had amazing sundaes. Zodys, Thriftys, Blue Chip redemption store, hitch-hiking to the beach. So many good memories of growing up, but Anaheim is a pit now. The houses used to be immaculate and well trimmed. So sad. Linbrook Bowl is still there.

He says "Anaheim is a pit now". I moved into Orange County in 1978, and back then I thought Anaheim was a pit. But I guess it's just a matter of perspectives. Where I lived in Santa Ana, the neighborhood was a pit. But, it's still a part of my youth, which is something you always hold on to.

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Chinchilla Farm in Garden Grove

Anonymous asks if anyone remembers the chinchilla farm in what appears to be Garden Grove...

Does anybody remember the chinchilla farm located on chapman ave, between magnolia and gilbert.I walked back to the cages to check them out when I was a kid ( punk ).

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Space Ball Trampoline of Garden Grove

Palanuk's Pen writes about memories of the "Space Ball Trampoline" in Garden Grove...

Garden Grove-Does anyone remember the "Space Ball Trampoline"? Best I can remember it was in front of the indoor swimming pool behind Winchell's donuts...I think!! We played there for hours. A big trampoline with a net in the middle with a hole in it that you passed a ball through to the other person. I graduated from Rancho Alamitos 1969 and lived on Plesant Pl off Lampson.

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Random Memories of Orange County

OCThen reader, Brian W, shares his memories of Orange County...

My dad, Brad Worley,just passed away in Tustin last month. I live in DC now, but damn I have a lot of OC memories.

Remember:

The Alligator Farm

Lion country Safari

Original Sam's pizza in Orange (in the sixtys it used to be my maternal grandfather, Lee Fugere's, deli and butcher shop) My mom said the everly brothers used to buy meat there.

The Green Garden chinese restaurant a few doors down from Original Sam's (near Main/C.H.O.C.)

The California Surf soccer team that played at Anaheim Stadium?

The Southern California Sun football team?

Anaheim Stadium when the Big a was the scoreboard?

Anaheim stadium when the Rams moved in.

Anyone ever have an Anaheim Rams bumper sticker.

Remember the Cinedome theatres near the Santa Ana river?

Tewinkle park BEFORE all the fancy landscaping, when there was just a big dirt hill that kids rode their Big Wheels down?

Brian W

OMG, yes I do remember the California Surf soccer team, I actually attended one of their games at Anaheim Stadium, and I want to say they played the Seattle Sounders that day.

And of course I remember the Cinedome. I would take my wife-to-be in those days, and there would hardly anyone there. We'd find a place away from other people, and just make out all movie long. Had there been any more people seated, we'd have probably been thrown out for indecency!

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Growin Up in Garden Grove, 1950s

Anonymous share some memories of growing up in Garden Grove in the 1950s...

What a fun trip down memory lane! I grew up in Garden Grove beginning in the mid-50's. Lived on Elmer Lane (south of Katella, between Magnolia and Dale). I went to Blessed Sacrament in 1st grade and then onto St. Polycarp when it was built. All my neighbors went to Marie L. Hare and then to Rancho. I begged my parents to let me go to Rancho BUT they sent me to Marywood where I met my best friend, Rosi, and today at 55 years old, we live 4 houses from each other in Costa Mesa!

Remember Copper Penny Restaurant? Helen Grace Ice Cream & Candy? Both at THE PLAZA (Chapman and Brookhurst). And Top Hatters run by the Women's Club of GG -- learned to square dance! The Pink Spot on Chapman? Zody's? Newberry's? Love's Pet Store? Buster Brown Shoes?

Knott's Berry Farm on a Sunday afternoon with my dad because it was FREE! Watching Disneyland Fireworks on summer nights at 9:00 from our front lawn and then when the trees began to grow, sitting on the top of our roof?

Life growing up in Garden Grove was the BEST! EVERY day was special because we felt safe and loved.

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Polo Fields of Garden Grove

An anonymous OCThen reader asks if anyone knew of a polo field or polo grounds in Garden Grove...

I moved to the Eastgate section of Garden Grove in 1959. I attended Rancho Alamitos High School and graduated in 1963. I remember hanging out at a polo field located near Garden Grove Blvd. and Magnolia. When I tell people about this they don't believe it was there. Could anyone please confirm this and maybe tell me the name of the field.

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Westminster, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, 1960-1970

OCThen reader, Joe Devine, submits his memories of growing up in Westminster, Garden Grove, and Santa Ana during the 1960s and 1970s.

I have great memories of growing up in the 60's and 70's in the Westminster,Garden Grove and Santa Ana areas. I attended St Barbra's Catholic school in Santa Ana and remember watching Army helocopters circling and landing in an area I believe turned into Mile Square Park. I wore out my 10 speed bike riding up and down the Santa Ana river trail bike path west to the beach past South Coast plaza mall when it was the newest thing. I also remember Atantisland and the Strawberry festival in Garden Grove. I moved away in 1990 but had a wonderful Disneyland visit in 2001. Thank goodness for memories it had changed so much. My sister turned me on to this site, she graduated from MaterDei in 1974.

I've never heard of "Atantisland". Perhaps he meant, "Atlantisland", either way I've never heard of it.

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