YES, THE STEREOTYPES, THERE MUST BE MORE TO LIFE



Pendersleigh & Sons Cartography's map of South Orange County

NORTH ORANGE COUNTY

VISITING AND EXPLORING SOUTH COUNTY

ROCK THE VOTE

*****

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY

*****

ALISO VIEJO





City of Aliso Viejo Theatre Complex





COTO DE CAZA





Image source: At Home in Coto

DANA POINT







Dana Point harbor as seen from the end of Blue Lantern St.

IRVINE



Irvine Business Complex (image source: Irvine Chamber )

LADERA RANCH





Ladera Ranch (image source: DMB )

LAGUNA BEACH





View from Crescent Bay Point Park

LAGUNA HILLS



Taj Mahal Medical Center

LAGUNA NIGUEL



The Chet Holifield Federal Building

LAGUNA WOODS



Laguna Woods 76 - 1966

LAKE FOREST



Serrano Adobe - Lake Forest

LAS FLORES





Las Flores (image source: OC Real Estate Voice )

MISSION VIEJO





Mission Viejo Lake (image source: Kelly Law Office )

MODJESKA CANYON





Madame Modjeska in the garden of "Arden"

NEWPORT BEACH





Newport Beach Skyline at Night (image source: Fine Art America )

NORTH TUSTIN



Cowan Heights in North Tustin (image source: Jansen Team )

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA





Rancho Santa Margarita (image source: OC Book )

SAN CLEMENTE





San Clemente in the 1950s

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO



Mission San Juan Capistrano

SANTIAGO CANYON









Cook's Corner in Santiago Canyon (image source: The Hamblogger )

SILVERADO





Silverado, California (image source: Captured By Mark )

TRABUCO CANYON



Trabuco Canyon (image source: Shawn Barry )

TUSTIN





Tustin blimp hangars

*For the purpose of this blog entry, “white” refers to non-Latino whites only

** For the purpose of this blog entry, “Latino” refers to Latinos of any race and ethnicity







*****





Follow Eric's Blog and check out more episodes of California Fool's Gold *****

Most of us know the stereotypes and are familiar with the frequent characterizations of. It’s supposedly culture-less and even somehow history-less. Anyone who’s spent any time inhas no doubt heard the same hollow, bafflingly ignorant observations made of about that richly cultured city yet sadly, many(who ought to no better) still nevertheless cling to the dated, and increasingly disconnected stereotypes about their neighbors to the south.Of course anyone who’s spent any time in Orange County knows that the popular images of that County have as little in common with reality as the prevailing stereotypes of Los Angeles do. I'll acknowledge that there’s a degree of truth to some of them but as Orange County grows more urban, more diverse, more liberal, and more interesting, spreading them reveals more about the vastness of the spreader's ignorance than their insight or knowledge about the subject.As ofroughly 31% ofwere registeredwhereas 42% were registeredso neither corporate political party can claim the majority (for now although the percentage of the former grows whilst the latter declines). Of all Orange Countians, 45% speak a language other thanat home. With a population that is 44%, 34%, 18%, 2%, and 1%, there is no racial or ethnic majority.magazine recently placed Orange County above Los Angeles County in its list of the most diverse communities. Orange also has the third largest county population in California, just behind that of. But Orange’s population density is contained much higher. 1,472.3/km2 versus San Diego’s is 260/km2,making it more than five times as dense as the second biggest county in the state and therefore hardly a big, sleepy suburb.I suspect that part of the Orange County's continuing image problem stems from the fact that whereas Los Angeles has an army of intelligent, informed academic, intellectual, and literary boosters, many of Orange County’s enthusiasts are rather less convincing. In my view,is now superior to thein almost every regard. However, when it comes to their annual "lists, a disproportionate amount of winners are puzzlingly in– the bustling(not Orange)to Los Angeles’s. Saying that the best things about one's county are located outside of it isn't exactly a ringing endorsement and seems to betray a disappointing sense of inferiority. I, for one, would love to see a "best of" list that only includes Orange County.In myI pointed out that Orange County that North Orange County is home to the largest population ofoutside ofas well as home to the vibrant ethnic enclaves of, and. Most of the greatandperformers (and their fans) bypass Los Angeles to play and dance in venues like, the, and. There’s lots of great architecture – the City of Orange includes three(three times as many as are located in) in addition to its many, lovelyhomes.’sis a major hub of high culture. It’s also, of course, home to the popularandtheme parks.“What about South County?” you may well be asking at this point. Well, admittedly I know a lot less about South County than North (and still have loads to experience in the North). There certainly seem to quite a few more (frequently gated) master-planned communities in South County than in North County. Many of the towns seem only to have incorporated in the last couple of decades -- although their histories could be said to begin with the earliest human habitation thousands of years ago.Even within clusters of red tile uniformity there are surprises and delights, sometimes all the more enjoyable because they're unexpected. ExploringI was surprised to find two enormousera blimp hangars – two of the largest freestanding wooden structures on the planet -- and a surrounding, abandoned military base.’s prescribed and managed normalcy is clearly the work of a unique brand of madness that I enjoyed trying to wrap my head around. And most recently I rediscovered-- a left-leaning arts colony full of richand(as well as stunning natural scenery). So to encourage more votes (and therefore more explorations by me of South County), here’s a primer to introduce you to the essentials about the region’s communities to entice you to vote.The greatfamously said that “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” He was right, of course, and I suggest that anyone eager to characterize Orange County explore it first -- preferably on foot. The worst way to see Orange County is probably from a car speeding down the freeway, which will limit one's experience to views of architecturally impressive freeway interchanges, freeway walls, and tree tops. If you're not up for walking or biking, there are also several public rail options including, andlines. It's also traversed by's. The dominant bus system is the), the 78 lines of which access every city in the county. Smaller bus lines include'sandIf you're taking a boat from, you can take aboat.Of all communities in the South County, right now(in) andin are tied for second place and representing South County. To vote vote for Orange County neighborhoods and communities , vote. To vote for other, vote. To vote for, voteFor thousands of years before the, what’s now South Orange County was home to thenation. All ofwas claimed forin 1769 and the conquerors called the indigenous people. In 1822, what's now South County became part of the newly-independent country of. Orange County remained part of Mexico until 1848, when thedefeated Mexico in war. In 1850, when California became a state, what’s now Orange County was made part of Los Angeles County. Orange County remained part of thefor almost half a century, until 11 March, 1889 when Orange County seceded.In 1900 there were still fewer than 20,000 residents spread across the then-new, mostly agricultural county. Thesaw significant growth and the region’s population first surpassed 100,000. In theandOrange County grew incredibly quickly. Since then, every decade has seen further growth although most of the stereotypes seem to be trapped in this era from half a century ago. The South County region is bordered byto the northeast,to the southwest,to the northwest, and theto the southwest. And now for the communities...had been an unincorporated community since around 1990, and incorporated as a city in 2001, making it the newest city in the county. As of 2010 the demographic breakdown was roughly 62% white, 20% Asian, 17% Latino, and 2% black. Its primary attractions are theand. In 2006 the community gained widespread attention when the principal ofbanned school dances in a-like situation covered by theandis a guard-gated community founded in 1968, one of Orange County's oldest and most expensive master-planned communities. As of 2010 the population was 82% white, 8% Latino, 6% Asian, and 1% black. Coto de Caza (meaning "game preserve") was envisioned as a hunting lodge. It’s currently home to two eighteen-hole golf courses and two clubhouses as well as theis named after the headland of Dana Point, a popular port for ships involved with the hide trade with nearby. It was in turn named after, author of. The harbor contains a replica of his ship,. The hide trade reached its peak in theandand nowadays people are more likelyto visit to attend the, which has taken place annually since 1972.is also held annually, in September. The population is roughly 76% white, 17% Latino of any race, 3% Asian, and 1% black.is a master planned community mostly developed by theafter the 1960s. It incorporated as a city in 1971. The layout was designed by the great architectand Irvine Company employeeand is nominally divided into housing developments euphemistically referred to as. Although one of the safest cities in the country, it’s also one of the most disparaged for its sterile and managedaspirations. To read more about Irvine,is a planned, unincorporated master-planned community. Construction of the community began in 1999 on portions of thecattle ranch, at that time the largest remaining working ranch in Orange County. Like Irvine it consists of neighborhood "villages" including, and. As of 2010 the population was 69% white, 13% Latino of any race, 12% Asian, and 2% black.is a quirky, affluent community in South Orange County. It is widely known for its vibrant arts scene and environmental treasures. It has far more registered Democrats than Republicans and is home to an well-established gay scene. It's quite possibly the most beautiful spot in the county. To read more about it,incorporated in 1991. It annexedin 1996 and the(including) in 2000. For several decades before incorporation thehas been a local landmark (since 1964). As of 2010 the population was 73% white, 21% Latino of any race, 13% Asian, and 1% black. Laguna Niguel is a master planned community. In 1959,established Laguna Niguel one of the first master planned communities in California. In 1973,opened. A one-million square-foot ziggurat built forand designed by William Pereira was featured in the films(1975),(1983), and(1995). The city incorporated in 1989. As of 2010 its population was 73% white, 14% Latino of any race, 9% Asian, and 1% black.About 90% of the city ofconsists of, a retirement community formerly known asConstruction of Leisure World began in 1963. The city’s median population is 78 years old. The city of Laguna Woods incorporated in 1999. As of 2010 the population was 84% white, 10% Asian, 4% Latino, and 1% black.grew out of the community of, which was established in the 1880s. It’s named after two artificial, condo-lined lakes. Lake Forest incorporated as a city in 1991. Since incorporation, Lake Forest has expanded its limits to include the communities ofand, two master planned developments. One of its parks,, is home to some of the oldest buildings in the county including the, the old, and. As of 2010 the population was 57% white, 25% Latino, 13% Asian, 2% black, and 1% Native American.is a small, unincorporated community with a population that in 2010 was about 65% white, 17% Latino, 13% Asian, and 2% black. It’s home to thedog/skate park andis located in Orange County’s, and was developed by, current president of the Irvine Company. The master-planned community is the second largest in the country, exceeded in size only by. By several measures it’s one of the safest communities of its size in the country. It was for much of its existence undeveloped grazing land. The population as of 2010 was roughly 69% white, 17% Latino, 9% Asian, and 1% black. In entertainment it was the birthplace of actor/musician, actor/writer/producer, actor, and drummerand).is an unincorporated suburban community on the western slope of the. Most of the canyon is bordered by theand it’s home of the. Modjeska is named afterstage actress, who between 1888 and 1906, made her home,(now a) there. Later, in 1966, thewas incorporated in Modjeska before moving to Laguna Beach.began afterdefied naysayers by successfully navigating a 105-ton steamer namedinto a then-unnamed harbor. This promptedto buy a large ranch that included the port. Newport Beach incorporated in 1906, a year after thearrived from Los Angeles making it the oldest city in South County. In 1923 it annexed. In 2002 it annexed(which has Orange County's highest per capita income),, and. In 2008 it annexed annexed. Completed in 1970, Newport Beach’s 17-storyis the oldest skyscraper in Orange County. The population today is roughly 82% white, 7% Latino, 7% Asian, and 1% black. The TV showwas set in Newport Beach (although mostly filmed in Los Angeles's). On the other hand, much ofwas actually filmed there.Unincorporatedis Orange County’s largest). Its population is roughly 75% white, 13% Latino, 8% Asian, and 1% black. Communities within the North Tustin CDP also include, andis a master planned community named afterin San Diego County. The city is located on lands formerly owned (along withand) byand his partner, who purchased the ranchos in 1882. Despite its relatively long history, it only incorporated as a city in 2000, at which point it took thetitlefromin the. The population today is roughly 67% white, 19% Latino, 9% Asian, and 2% black. Supposedly it is the most frequent filming location for a television series titledis the most southern city in Orange County, located more than 200 kilometers from the furthest reaches ofand is considerably closer to San Diego. It’s named after, one of the. It is mostly the result of the vision of, a formermayor who purchased 8.1 km2 which he wanted to resemble a Spanish resort town. Indeed, its slogan isIt was the setting of the film(2005) and theseries,. It’s also the birthplace of actress(aka) and musician). The population is roughly 76% white, 17% Latino, 4% Asian, 1% black, and 1% Native American. To read more about it,is centered around, founded in 1776. As with San Clemente, many of the strip malls and homes are built in the Spanish revival style. It was until recently the famed, springtime home of an iconic population of(Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) that wintered in’s songwas recorded by, andis an unincorporated community inbetweenand. Within it are the smaller developments ofand theas well as, a biker bar built in 1884.Unincorporatedwas founded in 1878, at the edge of. As its name suggests, it was located near several silver mines. In theit became a popular vacation retreat for the area’s hot springs.Unincorporatedis a small community located in the foothills of theand partly within the Cleveland National Forest. "Trabuco” is Spanish for “blunderbuss.” Legend has it that it’s named after one such firearm that was lost in the canyon by one of’s expedition’s party in 1769.includes the neighborhoods of, planned community, and upscale, golf-centric. Tustin’s Old Town arose in theand still contains several buildings from the era as well as some lovelyandhomes nearby. One well-known house, The, was built in 1950 by a civil engineer who collected the rocks on various job sites in the. The most impressive structures, however, are the aforementioned 29,000 square meter, 59 meter high blimp hangars which were used as’sin(2009). To read more about Tustin,