In the distant past, the Shoshone Indians came to dwell along the coast and in the lower canyons of the mountains. Theirs was a simple form of existence: they lived off of the abundance of the land.

In 1769, Gaspar de Portola, a military man and Spanish aristocrat, was appointed governor of Lower California. He commanded an expedition traveling northward into the literally unmapped and half mythical territory of Alta California. His assignment was to seek out the legendary Bay of Monterey. He was also to secure the Spanish claim to his vast frontier against any invasion from Russian trappers or British colonizers. Portola called upon Father Junipero Serra, president of the Mexico City Missionary College, to assist in this monumental undertaking.

It was late in July in 1769 when this first party of European explorers reached the boundaries of present-day Orange County. Members of the expedition named the region "The Valley of Saint Anne" (Santa Ana). It was to this valley that Father Serra returned six years later, where he proceeded with the work of establishing the Church and converting the local people.

While the East Coast of North America was engaged in revolution and spectacular change, the West Coast too was undergoing a quiet and almost undetected transformation. Father Serra dedicated the Mission of San Juan Capistrano, Orange County's first permanent settlement, on November 1, 1776. The Mission became a self-sustaining unit based upon an agricultural economy. Its chapel and adjoining structure were the first signs of civilization erected upon the fertile, virgin soil of the Santa Ana Region.

In 1801, Jose Antonio Yorba, a volunteer in the Portola expedition, also returned to Santa Ana. He established the county's first rancho (Santiago de Santa Ana) in what are today the cities of Villa Park, Orange, Tustin, Costa Mesa and Santa Ana.

Following Mexico's liberation from Spanish rule in 1821, the extensive land holdings of the Capistrano Mission were subdivided and awarded to a number of distinguished war heroes. By this time Yorba's Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana had grown to resemble a feudal manor, and the romantic rancho era of Orange County had been ushered in.

Cattle were introduced into the area in 1834. A prosperous hide and tallow industry developed. Southern California became a virtual suburb of New England as sailing ships loaded with cargo traveled back and forth between coasts. In 1835, author-seaman Richard Henry Dana arrived at what is today known as Dana Point. He later immortalized Spanish Orange County in his book "Two Years Before the Mast" by describing it as "the only romantic spot on the Coast." The Spanish California tradition of a carefree lifestyle, fiestas with music and dancing, bear and bull fights, rodeos, and gracious hospitality, survived until the 1860.

A severe drought brought an end to the cattle industry. Pioneers, such as James Irvine, capitalized on the economic downfall of the ranchos. Irvine, an Irish immigrant, established a 110,000-acre sheep ranch that is today one of the most valuable pieces of real estate in America.

In 1887, silver was discovered in the Santa Ana Mountains. Hundreds of fortune seekers flocked to the "diggings." Land speculators and farmers came by rail from the East to settle in such boomtowns as Buena Park, Fullerton and El Toro.

Orange County was formally organized as a political entity separate from the County of Los Angeles in 1889. The wilderness had finally given way to irrigated farmlands and prosperous communities. A year-round harvest of Valencia oranges, lemons, avocados, and walnuts made agriculture the single most important industry in the fledgling county. And with orange groves beginning to proliferate throughout the area (150,000 orange trees), the new county was named for the fruit: "Orange County."

The twentieth century brought with it many industrious individuals such as Walter Knott, a farmer turned entrepreneur, who founded the Knott legacy in Buena Park.

During the years that followed, Orange County witnessed the discovery of oil in Huntington Beach, the birth of the aerospace industry on the Irvine Ranch, and filming of several Hollywood classics in the Newport area.

In 1955, Walt Disney opened his Magic Kingdom in Anaheim. Noted as the pioneer of animated films, Disney revolutionized the entertainment world again with his "theme park" recreation concept.

For travelers we have gas prices, road conditions, and real-time airport status and travel reservations. Local weather includes current weather conditions, 7 day forecast, radar and satellite images.

Orange County California Entertainment
Orange County California Information
Orange County California Business Information
and Some Spanish Information

Orange County California

Airport Code SNA

Orange County Transportation

Traffic Reports, Orange County gas prices, diesel prices, bus, rail and airport schedules
Airport Code SNA

Orange County North Traffic Map

Orange County South Traffic Map


Orange County Gas Prices

Orange County Diesel Prices

OCTA Bus Transit

OCTA Metrolink Map & Schedules

OCTA & 91 Express Lanes

John Wayne Airport-Orange County Airport

John Wayne Airport-Orange County Airport Status

Orange County Business Information
Orange County Small Business Information

Orange County

Orange County

Orange County Harbors Beaches & Parks

Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau

Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Orange County

South Coast AQMD, South Coast Air Quality Management District

Orange County Historical Organizations

Orange County Museum of Art

Orange County Public Library

Orange County Public Library Everything Teen
Orange County Public Library Kids Page

Orange County Performing Arts
Orange County Living Arts

Orange County Cities

Aliso Viejo California

Anaheim California

Anaheim Hills California

Brea California

Buena Park California

City of Buena Park California

Buena Park Chamber of Commerce

Buena Park Historical Society

Clark Regional Park

Buena Park Library

Buena Park Library Teen Calender
Buena Park Children's Library

Buena Park Gas Prices

Buena Park California Weather & Forecast

Capistrano Beach California

Corona del Mar California

Coto De Caza California

Cliff Haven California

Costa Mesa California

Cypress California

Dana Point California

El Toro California

Fountain Valley California

Foothill Ranch California

Fullerton California

Garden Grove California

Galivan California

Hansen California

Huntington Beach

Huntington Beach is Surf City USA

Huntington Beach Art Galleries, Art Centers, Theater & Museums

Irvine California

Irvine Performing Arts
Irvine Living Arts

La Habra California

La Habra Heights California

La Palma California

Ladera Ranch California

Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach Performing Arts
Laguna Beach Living Arts

Laguna Hills California

Laguna Niguel California

Laguna Woods California

Ninety percent of the City's 4 square miles is contained within the senior citizen gated community of Laguna Woods Village.

Lake Forest California

Las Flores California

Los Alamitos California

Malibu California

Mesa Verde California

Midway City California

Mission Viejo California

Modjeska California

Newport Beach California

City of Newport Beach California

Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce

Newport Beach Conference & Visitors Bureau

Upper Newport Bay

Newport Beach Public Library

Newport Beach Public Library Teens
Newport Beach Public Library Newport Kids

Newport Beach Gas Prices

Newport Beach Weather & Forecast

Orange California

Elevation 148 feet.

Placentia California

Elevation 239 feet.

City of Placentia California

Placentia Chamber of Commerce

George Key Ranch Historical Park

Placentia Library
Placentia Library Children's Department

Placentia Gas Prices

Placentia California Weather & Forecast

Rancho Santa Margarita California

Elevation 895 feet.

Rossmoor California

San Clemente California

San Juan Capistrano

The downtown area features the Mission San Juan Capistrano and the Los Rios Historic District. They all are within walking distance of each other.

San Juan Hot Springs California

Santa Ana California

Airport Code SNA

Seal Beach California

Silverado California

South Santa Ana California

Smeltzer California

Stanton California

Surfside California

Top of the World California

Trabuco Canyon California

Tustin California

Villa Park California

Westminster California

Yorba Linda California

California's National Parks

All Thirty California National Parks, Monuments, Historic Sites and Trails, Preserves, Seashores and Memorials by Location

Death Valley National Park California

Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park Junior Ranger and Webranger Programs

Joshua Tree National Park California

Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park Junior Ranger Program

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park California

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park Junior Ranger Program

All California and Nevada Road Conditions

Call 511 from most cellphones, or 877-687-6237.
Cellphone calls to 511 may be misdirected near state lines.

Orange County & Mountain Highways

Travel Reservations
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Contact: Tim@dwgt.net

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