Preservationists, Church Consider a Memorial Grove for Placentia

A Placentia church and a local preservationist group may plant a memorial orange grove to atone for the loss to the community last month when the city’s last remaining stand of citrus was bulldozed for new homes.

Blessed Sacrament Church was built in 1961 on an orange grove. Initial plans for the sanctuary called for some of the trees to remain, but they were removed. The Episcopal church’s pastor, the Rev. David Baumann, proposed planting a memorial grove to help fill the void of trees on the church site and in the community.

Baumann said he came up with the idea while walking by the housing development site and lamenting the loss of the last grove. “I realized we could have one right there,” he said. He called members of Preserve Our Past and pitched his idea as “a historic reminder of the earliest industry of the city.”

John Penner, who founded Preserve Our Past last year, said his group organized to try to save the 3.6-acre Brower grove, which was one of the first to harvest Valencia oranges, the type preferred for juice. But a petition to put the issue on the ballot fell more than 2,000 signatures short. He said his group is hopeful about Baumann’s plan but not yet convinced.

“We’re not sure if this will happen,” he said. “But losing the last orange grove was pretty tough.”

Penner said the grove as planned would have 40 orange trees on a half-acre of church property at Angelina Drive and Morse Avenue. It would have an entrance, benches and a plaque explaining the significance of the citrus industry in Placentia’s history.

A task force of church members and preservationists will draft a report on how to raise money for the initial project, estimated to cost about $10,000, and for maintaining it in coming years, possibly by starting a foundation. Penner proposes that the preservation group and the congregation of Blessed Sacrament split the expense. The church’s board will vote on the proposal March 12.

Baumann said the church alone cannot take on the responsibility of planting and maintaining the grove. “This is a nonsectarian project that will succeed only if the community gets involved,” he said.