Last Santa Ana orange grove marked for development

[shesulsa]

Those of us old enough to remember driving past what seemed to be endless rows of orange trees just to get to Disneyland and the handful of us who remember the agriculture business while living in the OC might be melancholy at this news.

Dwight Schroeder, 82, grew up just down the road from the Sexlinger's orange grove. "In the evening, you'd smell the orange blossoms all around," he said. "It was really kind of nice."

But Santa Ana was growing, and by the late 1970s, the rows of fruit trees had been replaced by rows of houses. Still, the Sexlinger grove held on – passed from one generation to the next, still growing oranges.


In recent years, city officials have occasionally talked about acquiring the land and adding it to Portola Park, possibly even maintaining it as a legacy orange grove. "It was just explored," said Gerardo Mouet, the executive director of the city's parks agency. "But never in a serious way, because of money."

The beauty of that area is no more. With this and the travesty of the Irvine Ranch development, fat cats have paved over more natural beauty than can be told.

*sigh*

A tip of the hat to the old OC I grew up in.

 

[terryl965]

You know Shesulsa I can remember driving and seing all those orange tree and wonder how was orange juice made. My father always took us to Disneyland and we always ate at Belisle restaurant on the coner orange and Katella. Thank you for the memory today.:asian:

 

[14 Kempo]

Those of us old enough to remember driving past what seemed to be endless rows of orange trees just to get to Disneyland and the handful of us who remember the agriculture business while living in the OC might be melancholy at this news.



The beauty of that area is no more. With this and the travesty of the Irvine Ranch development, fat cats have paved over more natural beauty than can be told.

*sigh*

A tip of the hat to the old OC I grew up in.

I, too, grew up in Orange County. Lived there from 1959-2003. I remember all the orange groves, one after another. As they say, "Progress, intelligently planned" ... LOL ... we used to play in those orange groves. Oh yeah, and we used those orange groves to piss off alot of people too

 

[Kembudo-Kai Kempoka]

Also was in the OC from mid-seventies until 3 years ago. Amid the orange groves, strawberry fields, and bean fields of HB/FV area. I can remember when on the southbound 405 headed on field trips to O'Niel Park, the Fluor building was the last sign of civilization until you exited El Toro. In between? Orange groves.

Great places to chill as teens. Gone now. And the whole Ortega Hwy and Wagon Wheel area is all yuppie-fungus, too. Sickening, really.

D.

 

[shesulsa]

My father and I worked for The Irvine Company for a while and they used to have Company Picks. After they went through and got the creams of the crops they allowed TIC employees to come and load up with as much farm-fresh produce as they could carry - for free!

OH the corn! OH the strawberries! OH the green beans! And the sight of the looming El Toro hangars in the distance. Many a muddy Saturday we spent out there picking.

And now it's all gone.

 

[14 Kempo]

Well, those hangers are still there ... aren't they? I can't remember if I saw them last time I drove by ... LOL ... damn, I need to pay better attention.

 

[shesulsa]

Well, those hangers are still there ... aren't they? I can't remember if I saw them last time I drove by ... LOL ... damn, I need to pay better attention.

It's been a while since I've been down there but I'm pretty sure they're still there too. I just remember the illusion that they were jutting up into the sky from out the fields is all - crouched down, picking strawberries in agricultural acreage I remember thinking they were quite impressive. Last I was in the area, most of that land had also been developed.

 

[14 Kempo]

It's been a while since I've been down there but I'm pretty sure they're still there too. I just remember the illusion that they were jutting up into the sky from out the fields is all - crouched down, picking strawberries in agricultural acreage I remember thinking they were quite impressive. Last I was in the area, most of that land had also been developed.

Actually the base is gone, as I'm sure you know, but they hadn't started development as yet. The surrounding area, yes, definately. They are talking about a great park, but as far as I know, they still haven't started that. Did you live right there in the Irvine area? I was in Orange.

 

[terryl965]

I lived inFountain Valley and tought at Matre Die High school in Santa Anna.

 

[shesulsa]

Actually the base is gone, as I'm sure you know, but they hadn't started development as yet. The surrounding area, yes, definately. They are talking about a great park, but as far as I know, they still haven't started that. Did you live right there in the Irvine area? I was in Orange.

I lived in Fountain Valley on Mt. Matterhorn St. near the corner of Lilac and Harbor Blvd. Lilac crosses Harbor between Edinger and McFadden on the North side of the Big K and the south side of Chris N Pitt's BBQ.

 

[shesulsa]

I lived inFountain Valley and tought at Matre Die High school in Santa Anna.

Terry, I went to Los Amigos.

Later I lived in Anaheim at Euclid and Ball, then in Huntington Beach and Midway City about a mile away from Golden West College. Also lived over by Golden West and Westminster ... you know, West Treces?

 

[terryl965]

Terry, I went to Los Amigos.

Later I lived in Anaheim at Euclid and Ball, then in Huntington Beach and Midway City about a mile away from Golden West College. Also lived over by Golden West and Westminster ... you know, West Treces?

Yes You remember the Theatre that was on the corner of Harbor and Adams, and there was a Italian restaurant right behind it had the greatest Minestronie soup. I also tought at Huntington Beach high school and Marina high. Small world. Man I loved the Orange county fair and the Isreal fair too. The Santa Anna swap meet was great. I saw Aresmith and Guns and Roses at the Orange county convention theatre.

 

[tellner]

 

[14 Kempo]

I lived in Fountain Valley on Mt. Matterhorn St. near the corner of Lilac and Harbor Blvd. Lilac crosses Harbor between Edinger and McFadden on the North side of the Big K and the south side of Chris N Pitt's BBQ.

Yeah, I know the area ... not well, but know it. Were you a Fountain Valley HS gal?

 

[14 Kempo]

Terry, I went to Los Amigos.

Later I lived in Anaheim at Euclid and Ball, then in Huntington Beach and Midway City about a mile away from Golden West College. Also lived over by Golden West and Westminster ... you know, West Treces?

Damn, I replied too quick. I don't think I was aware of Los Amigos. I stayed my whole childhood in Orange, didn't travel around. I am a Villa Park alumni.

 

[zDom]

That is sad ...

I remember playing in orange groves (Born at St. Joseph's Hospital in the city of Orange )

Guess my grandparent's RV park may be the last place to see orange trees in Orange County?

http://www.orangeland.com/

 

[Kembudo-Kai Kempoka]

FVHS Grad, 1983. Seems odd, looking at how spread we are on the globe, to have so many on this site having come from that same base area.

The big hangars from the Tustin Avionics base are still up...visible from, like, a 16 lane stretch of the 5.

D.

 

[shesulsa]

Yes You remember the Theatre that was on the corner of Harbor and Adams, and there was a Italian restaurant right behind it had the greatest Minestronie soup. I also tought at Huntington Beach high school and Marina high. Small world. Man I loved the Orange county fair and the Isreal fair too. The Santa Anna swap meet was great. I saw Aresmith and Guns and Roses at the Orange county convention theatre.

Aw, the OC Fair was fun AND the swap meet! Do you remember the Chop Chop Man?

"New York
L.A.
Non-Stop
Back and forth, back and forth, keep on moving back and forth..."

:lol2:

AND! ... heh heh heh ... a-and ... ... I saw The Red Hot Chili Peppers in Costa Mesa by the coast when they were a popular small-time band ... when they wore tube socks for stage apparrel! DAMN those were the days!!

 

[shesulsa]

FVHS Grad, 1983. Seems odd, looking at how spread we are on the globe, to have so many on this site having come from that same base area.

The big hangars from the Tustin Avionics base are still up...visible from, like, a 16 lane stretch of the 5.

D.

Hey, I graduated in 83 also! What Jr. Hi did you go to? (pm if you want)

 

[Tames D]

Also was in the OC from mid-seventies until 3 years ago. Amid the orange groves, strawberry fields, and bean fields of HB/FV area. I can remember when on the southbound 405 headed on field trips to O'Niel Park, the Fluor building was the last sign of civilization until you exited El Toro. In between? Orange groves.

Great places to chill as teens. Gone now. And the whole Ortega Hwy and Wagon Wheel area is all yuppie-fungus, too. Sickening, really.

D.

Ahhhh O'neil Park. One of my favorite places...