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What is the purpose of the Orange Community Historical
Society?
Check out our mission statement on
the homepage. In a nutshell, the historical
society’s goal is to collect and preserve items representing Orange’s
history—books, newspapers, photos, and more—so that future generations can
enjoy and refer to them, gaining a better understanding of the past. In addition to collecting these
items, the historical society holds many events designed to inform the public
about the fascinating history of Orange. [Back To
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Is
the Orange Community Historical Society the same as the Old Towne Preservation
Association?
No. Although both organizations are concerned with preserving the heritage of Orange, their missions are different.
The Orange Community Historical Society focuses on the city of Orange and the communities within its boundaries, like El Modena and Olive. It collects and preserves the history of these communities by adding to the local history archives and through events like the bimonthly programs (which are open to the public).
The Old Towne Preservation Association focuses on preserving and enhancing Old Towne Orange, the downtown neighborhood on the National Register of Historic Places.
Click here for more information about OTPA
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When does the historical society meet?
Typically the historical society holds a program, open to the public, on the fourth Thursday of odd months. Dates, times, and locations are, however, subject to change. For current information, refer to our Events page or contact us at
cbusterrun@mailbug.com
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Does Orange have an archival collection?
Yes. However, currently access the
collection is limited until fall of 2006, due to expansion of the Main
Library. When the facility reopens, it will have a new name,
Main Library & History Center,
and new address, 407 E. Chapman
Avenue. (The street number is
actually a “new/old” address.
Orange’s original Main Library – fondly remembered locally as the “Carnegie
Library” due to its funding by international philanthropist Andrew Carnegie
-- carried the address of 407 E. Chapman Ave. from 1908 to 1960. But then
the Carnegie Library was torn down to make room for the current Main Library
building, and the street address became 101 N. Center Street. In the new
addition will be a local history room!
The local history
collection includes the Florence Flippen Smiley Memorial Archives, on
permanent loan from the Orange Community Historical Society, as well as
items acquired by the library through purchase or donation. Within the
collection are books, periodicals, photographs, manuscripts, maps,
pamphlets, ephemera, and artifacts. A variety of subject areas are
represented, with particular emphasis on the citrus industry, old
businesses, civic and religious organizations, and city agencies.
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How can I donate items to the archives?
While the Main Library
is closed for construction, Call the reference desk of the Taft Branch of
the Orange Public Library for details on the donation process (which is
quite painless!): (714) 288-2436, or leave a voicemail message at (714)
288-2472. Copies can be made of photographs and documents, if you want to
retain the original while sharing the content with the community. Remember,
today’s information and images are tomorrow’s history, so consider
documenting and donating current as well as past materials.
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How can I get a copy of something housed in the archives?
While the Main Library
is closed for construction, most of the archives are in storage. Call the
Reference Desk at the Taft Branch of the Orange Public Library to find out
if we can access the material you need. Allow time for us to bring it to the
Taft Branch, if it is accessible. The library can have copy photographs made
of most of the photographs in the collection (unless some other entity holds
the reproduction rights).[Back
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Where are the historic parts of the city?
The history of Orange is everywhere you look. The Plaza and the
Old Towne neighborhood are among the most obvious examples of historic Orange, but other historic sites are far-flung.
The
Irvine Regional Park (1 Irvine Park Rd, at the intersection of Katella
Ave. and Jamboree Rd.) celebrated its centennial in 1997; once known as Orange
County Park, it has been featured in a number of films, including “Topper,”
starring Cary Grant, and “Lassie Come Home.”
Between the park and the Plaza is the unincorporated community of El Modena, originally an independent small town largely settled by Quakers. Moreno’s Mexican Restaurant (4328 E. Chapman Ave.) was once used as a Quaker church, and Fred Kelly Stadium (also on E. Chapman Ave.) is named for an Olympic gold medal-winner who graduated from Orange Union High School in 1911. At the north end of Orange is Olive, another unincorporated community. There are historic homes in the hills of Olive, as well as the 1938 auditorium (once the Olive Civic Center) of Olive Elementary School. At the corner of Orange-Olive Rd. and Lincoln Ave. is a plaque commemorating the site of Old Santa Ana, the town established there after Jose Antonio Yorba, a solider in the Portola expedition of 1769, petitioned for and received a land grant.
There are even historic trees and weirs in Orange. History is in every corner of the city—you just have to know where to look! That’s where the Orange Community Historical Society can help.
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How can I learn
more?
Attend
a historical society meeting! You’re sure to hear fun and interesting
stories about the good ol’ days in Orange. Lots of books have been written
about Orange history. You can find many of them at the
Orange Public Library, and be sure to check out the local history
website at
www.cityoforange.org/localhistory for information and historical
photographs! Also check out our Links Page.
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