Back Into the County’s Past

The idea was to show children how they might have lived at the turn of the century. And Saturday, volunteers demonstrated clog dancing, rug weaving and spinning and sold dime hot dogs and nickel lemonade to about 800 people at the grand opening of the Exploratory Learning Center in Santa Ana. The event launched a science and history project, offering tours and hands-on enrichment programs for students, on 11 sacres at 3101 W. Harvard St.

So far, the center’s facilities include the restored 1898 Kellogg House, the 1899 Maag farmhouse and water tower, an orange grove and herb garden. The Exploratory Learning Center, which incorporates the now defunct Experience Center, a hands-on science program in Irvine, is a public-private enterprise, with support from foundations, corporations, individuals, and local and state governments. the City of Santa Ana, Orange the County of Orange, the Santa Ana Unified School District and the State of California.

Tours are available for the public on the first and third Saturdays from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. and for school children on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Admission is free. For more information, call (714) 540-0404.