CELEBRATE! : ORANGE COUNTY’S FIRST 100 YEARS : CREATING A COUNTY : THE WAY WE WERE IN 1892

Orange County in 1892 is still rustic territory, but three cities have been incorporated, and the railroads that will bring settlers--and generate new towns--have laid lines reaching from one end of the county to the other. With the railroads giving farmers access to markets as far away as the East Coast, agricultural production is booming, and citrus is becoming a major crop. There also is work to be found in the mining and oil industries. Ostrich farms help meet the demand for materials for ladies’ plumed hats. San Juan Hot Springs attracts people seeking relief from a variety of ills . And Mission San Juan Capistrano , founded in 1776, is a recognized historic landmark.

THE WAY WE ARE IN 1988

Orange County today is thriving with 27 incorporated cities and a population of 2.2 million. Railroads have given way to freeways, and agricultural acreage has steadily declined. With such attractions as Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, Anaheim Stadium and Mission San Juan Capistrano--as well as scenic beaches and coastal resorts--tourism has become a major industry. John Wayne Airport is one of the busiest in the nation, and the county’s skyline includes the distinctive Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove and the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa. And the old County Courthouse in Santa Ana survives as a graceful symbol of an earlier period.