HISTORICAL SOCIETIES

Diversification is the operative term among historical groups within cities in Orange County. Advisory boards appointed by individual city councils recombine with smaller societies of citizens attempting to protect ancient structures from being razed by developers. Some groups are associated with particular historical landmarks; some serve as research libraries and offer their archives to the public; others offer group outings to visit historical sites but have no particular headquarters. The Pickwick Hotel, used as a workshop by the Anaheim Historical Society, met its demise by a wrecking ball in September, 1987; board meetings are today held at a member’s bed-and-breakfast house. Public libraries are additional historical resources: the Elizabeth J. Schultz History Room, Anaheim Public Library; the Launer Room, Fullerton Public Library; the Santa Ana History Room, Santa Ana Public Library, and the Local History Collection, Yorba Linda Public Library.

ANAHEIM

Anaheim Historical Society

P.O. Box 927

Anaheim 92815

Facilities: None. No headquarters at the current time. The only historical buildings still standing in downtown Anaheim are the Anaheim Museum (old Carnegie Anaheim Public Library, built in 1908, rededicated in 1988) and the restored old Kramer Building--until recently housing the Bank of America

Contact: Dan Doller, president, (714) 774-6770

Cost/dues: $10 individual; $15 couple

Members: 180

Mother Colony Advisory Board

Anaheim Public Library

500 W. Broadway

Anaheim 92805

Mother Colony Household

P.O. Box 3246

Anaheim 92603

Facilities: Mother Colony House Museum, 414 N. West St., Anaheim (circa 1857)

Hours: 1:30-4 p.m. Sunday. Group tours by appointment Tuesdays or Wednesdays

Contact: Harold Baustrap, chairman, or Mary Lou Begert, local history curator, (714) 999-1850

Cost/dues: Advisory board members appointed by the Anaheim City Council; the auxiliary Mother Colony Household accepts memberships through the mail; use the post office box above. $5 donation per person

Members: 200

BREA

Brea Historical Society

P.O. Box 9764

Brea 92621

Facilities: Small display rooms, Old City Hall, 401 S. Brea Blvd.

Hours: Open by appointment only

Contact: Inez C. Fanning, president, (714) 529-2993

Cost/dues: $10 individual; $15 couple; $25 supporting members

Members: 90

BUENA PARK

Buena Park Historical Society

7842 Whitaker St.

Buena Park 90621

Facilities: Whitaker Jaynes House and the Bacon House, 7842 Whitaker St.

Hours: 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Thursdays; 1-4 p.m. second Sunday of each month

Contact: Roberta Knisley, (714) 522-2788 or (714) 521-9900, Ext. 302

Cost/dues: $10 individual; $12.50 couple; $15 family

Members: 100

COSTA MESA

Costa Mesa Historical Society

P.O. Box 1764

1870 Anaheim St.

Costa Mesa 92628

Facilities: Diego Sepulveda Adobe, 1900 Adams Ave.; SAAB wing branch Santa Ana Army Air Base, 1870 Anaheim St.

Hours: Adobe: noon-4 p.m. Saturdays and the second and fourth Sundays of every month; SAAB wing branch, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday or by appointment

Contact: Charles Beecher, president, (714) 631-5918

Cost/dues: $10 individual; $12 family

Members: 100

CYPRESS

Cypress Heritage Committee

5700 Orange Ave.

Cypress 90630

Facilities: No museum. Buildings in the community older than 1945 have been identified and documented; heritage status will be sought where applicable.

Contact: Gretchen Snyder or Malcolm Johnson, (714) 229-6794 or (714) 229-6780; Joan Edwards, president, (714) 826-3207

Cost/dues: None

Members: 15

DANA POINT

Dana Point/Capistrano Beach Historical Society

P.O. Box 544

Dana Point 92629

Facilities: Documents preserved (including an architect’s 1924 map of the area) will be put on display in City Hall (33282 Street of the Golden Lantern) this summer. Statue of a hide drogher (a person who traded hides and furs) has been commissioned for display on the bluff top. This full-size bronze sculpture should be completed by October. The society hopes to reclaim Indian artifacts recovered from the area.

Contact: Elizabeth M. Bamattre, president, (714) 661-0317

Cost/dues: $10 individual; $20 family; $2 seniors/students

Members: 60

EL TORO

Saddleback Area Historical Society

P.O. Box 156

El Toro 92630

Facilities: Heritage Hill Historical Park, 25151 Serrano Road features the Cerrano Adobe original to its site (circa 1863); El Toro Grammar School (1890); St. George’s Episcopal Mission (1891) and the Harvey Bennett Ranch House (1908). A research library and offices are housed here.

Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Tours at 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Contact: (714) 855-2028; Nancy Thatcher, (714) 586-8488

Cost/dues: $7.50

Members: 209

FOUNTAIN VALLEY

Fountain Valley Historical Society

P.O. Box 8592

Fountain Valley 92728

Facilities: Talbert Real Estate Office; Japanese Bath House and Tank House; gazebo, and replica of an old firehouse with Seagrave fire engine (in working order), 17641 Los Alamos St.

Hours: By appointment only on weekends

Contact: Diddy Lammers, president, (714) 962-3453; James Dick, curator, (714) 962-5157

Cost/dues: $10

Members: 125

GARDEN GROVE

Garden Grove Historical Society

12174 Euclid St.

Garden Grove 92640

(714) 530-8871

Facilities: The Stanley House Museum

Hours: 1:30-4 p.m. Sunday

Contact: Denis Witcher, president, or Neil Sprinkle, curator, (714) 530-8871

Cost/dues: $5

Members: 200

HUNTINGTON BEACH

Huntington Beach Historical Society

19820 Beach Blvd.

Huntington Beach 92640

Facilities: Newland House, 19820 Beach Blvd.

Hours: 2-4:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; noon-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Contact: (714) 962-5777

Cost/dues: $2 senior citizen or student; $10 individual; $15 sustaining; $25 family

Members: 200

IRVINE

Irvine Historical Society

5 Rancho San Joaquin

Irvine 92715

Facilities: Rancho San Joaquin restored farmhouse (circa 1886), 5 Rancho San Joaquin

Hours: 1-5 p.m. Tuesday and Sunday

Contact: Edward Portmann, president, (714) 786-4112

Cost/dues: $20 individual; $25 family

Members: 300

LA HABRA

La Habra Old Settlers Historical Society

600 Linden Lane

La Habra 90631

Facilities: Restored Caboose at La Habra Children’s Museum, 301 S. Euclid St.

Hours: Museum hours 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Caboose tour with docent available through reservations or upon request.

Contact: Esther Cramer, historian, (213) 697-1271

Cost/dues: $5

Members: 125

LAGUNA HILLS

Leisure World Historical Society of Laguna Hills

P.O. Box 2220

Laguna Hills 92653

Facilities: Oral history collection, archival collection; office in Leisure World Administration Building, 23522 Paseo de Valencia, Room 25

Hours: 10 a.m.-noon and 2-4 p.m. Monday through Friday

Contact: (714) 951-2330

Cost/dues: $10

Members: 220

LOS ALAMITOS

Los Alamitos Museum Assn.

P.O. Box 15

11062 Los Alamitos Blvd.

Los Alamitos 90720

Facilities: Museum in restored adobe firehouse station

Hours: 2-4 p.m. Tuesday and Sunday

Contact: Johanna M. Zinter, president, (213) 596-2761; Margrit Kendrick, curator (213) 431-8865

Cost/dues: $10 individual; $15 family

Members: 150

NEWPORT BEACH

Newport Beach Historical Society

P.O. Box 1428

Newport Beach 92663

Facilities: Research library

Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday

Contact: Bill Grundy, president (714) 675-6161; W.O. Hendricks, director, Sherman Library, 614 Dahlia Ave., Corona del Mar 92625 (714) 673-1880

Cost/dues: $10

Members: 600

ORANGE

Orange Community Historical Society

P.O. Box 5484

Orange 92613

Facilities: Florence Flippen Smily Memorial Archives (on permanent loan to the Orange Public Library, 101 North Center St.), being developed into a history room; ask for help from the reference desk. Biennial historic home tour in Orange offered on the second Sunday in October every other year (sponsored in collaboration with the American Assn. of University Women).

Hours: Library hours 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Contact: Veral Pitsenbarger, president, (714) 633-6561; Joanne Coontz, vice president, (714) 637-8156

Cost/dues: $5 individual; $6 family

Members: More than 300 households

PLACENTIA

Placentia Founders Society

P.O. Box 304

Placentia 92670

Facilities: Bradford House, 136 Palm Circle

Hours: 2-4 p.m. first Sunday of each month

Contact: Max Ellis, president, (714) 528-1479

Cost/dues: $10

Members: 75

Placentia Historical Committee

401 E. Chapman Ave.

Placentia 92670

Facilities: Currently proposing 39 buildings be designated as historical sites by the City Council

Contact: Larry DeGraff, chairman, (714) 773-2660; Jack Slota, assistant city administrator, (714) 993-8117

Members: Nine, appointed by the City Council

SAN CLEMENTE

San Clemente Historical Society

P.O. Box 283

San Clemente 92672

Facilities: By its own description, this is “the only U-Haul historical museum” in Orange County, with mementos from the founders and from Richard Nixon’s stay. Pending funds from the city, members hope to have space for a museum in city founder Ole Hanson’s home, Casa Romantica.

Contact: Charles Ashbaugh, president, (714) 492-3142; Dorothy Fuller, vice president, (714) 498-0381

Cost/dues: $10 individual; $15 family

Members: 50

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

Capistrano Indian Council

27762 Ortega Highway

P.O. Box 304

San Juan Capistrano 92693

Facilities: Harrison House and Miguel Parra Adobe (Indian office and museum), 27832 Ortega Highway

Hours: Tours by appointment only

Contact: Helen McMullen, (714) 493-4775

Cost/dues: $15 for non-Indians

Members: 60

Cultural Arts and Heritage Commission

City of San Juan Capistrano

32400 Paseo Adelanto

San Juan Capistrano 92675

Facilities: Montanez Adobe, 31745 Los Rios St.

Hours: Open only for special occasions

Contact: Jennifer Williams, (714) 493-1171

Cost/dues: Members of this advisory body are appointed by the San Juan Capistrano City Council

Members: 5

San Juan Capistrano Historical Society

31831 Los Rios St.

San Juan Capistrano 92675

Facilities: O’Neill Museum (restored home)

Hours: 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 12-3 p.m. Sunday. Walking tour of the historic downtown every Sunday departs at 1 p.m. from El Peon, the pottery shop across from the mission.

Contact: (714) 493-8444

Cost/dues: $15

Members: 350

SANTA ANA

Old Courthouse Museum Society

Hall of Administration, Room 144

10 Civic Center Plaza

Santa Ana 92701

Facilities: Old Orange County Courthouse, 211 W. Santa Ana Blvd.

Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday; docents give tours 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday. Special tours available but prior arrangements must be made

Contact: Jane Gothhold, president, (213) 947-6506; to schedule tours, contact the historical programs department, County of Orange, (714) 834-3703

Cost/dues: $3 individuals; $5 couples

Members: 150

Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society

120 W. Civic Center Drive

Santa Ana 92701

Facilities: Howe-Waffle House & Medical Museum, 120 W. Civic Center Drive, Santa Ana

Hours: 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Tuesdays; 11 a.m.-2 p.m. third Saturday of each month

Contact: (714) 547-9645; George Heaney, president, (714) 542-4003; Diann Marsh, vice president/director, (714) 558-1328

Cost/dues: $7.50 individual; $10 family

Members: 225

SEAL BEACH

Seal Beach Historical and Cultural Society

P.O. Box 152

Seal Beach 90740

Facilities: Pacific Electric Red Car Museum, 707 Electric Ave.

Hours: 1-5 p.m. second and fourth Saturday of each month

Contact: Barbara Rountree, president, (213) 431-7435; Virginia Hadley, (213) 598-0954

Cost/dues: $10 individual; $15 family

Members: 45

TUSTIN

Tustin Area Historical Society

P.O. Box 185

Tustin 92681

Facilities: Tustin Area Museum, 395 El Camino Real Hours: Open with docents 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. first Saturday of each month. Can be visited at other times by entering through adjacent Chamber of Commerce office.

Contact: (714) 731-5701; David Nisson, president, (714) 730-2171; Evelyn Ojeda, registrar, (714) 633-7097

Cost/dues: $10

Members: 475

VILLA PARK

Villa Park Historical Society

18101 Charter Road

Villa Park 92667

Facilities: Museum at Villa Park Elementary School

Hours: None. Building designated an earthquake hazard.

Contact: C.E. Parker, president, (714) 637-8146

Cost/dues: $5

Members: Dormant, hope to reactivate in September

WESTMINSTER

Westminster Historical Society

P.O. Box 182

Westminster 92683

Facilities: McCoy Hare House at Heritage Park, Beach Boulevard and Hazard Avenue. The Westminster Museum, 14102 Hoover St., is currently closed to the public. Operations will be moved to the Midway City Women’s Club House and contents will be distributed among the (John) Warren family home, Pump House, and the Big Red Barn at Blakey Park, (named after Leaora Blakey), east of Newland Street on Westminster Boulevard.

Hours: 1-4 p.m. third Sunday of each month

Contact: (714) 891-1126; Jean Brewster, president, (714) 893-2838; Joy Neugebauer, chairman, (714) 893-0134

Cost/dues: $5 individual; $7:50 family

Members: 90

YORBA LINDA

Yorba Linda Heritage Museum

P.O. Box 705

Yorba Linda 92686

Facilities: A so-called “museum in a basket”: artifacts are exhibited on request, generally at schools or libraries. An informal catalogue is kept of the antique clothing, implements (such as winches with hand cranes and buckets for cesspools, the first water pipes made of wood wrapped with heavy gauge wire), and early photographs. The library is currently being remodeled and may have a little area for the heritage museum. An old-timers’ picnic is held every September.

Contact: Robert Cochran, president, (714) 777-1708.

Cost/dues: $5

Members: 150

* This list does not include societies with specialties such as the histories of archeology, railroads, black history, citrus ranching, marine history, military history, the Santa Ana mountains or natural history. Only the minimal cost of membership is provided; categories such as sponsor, patron, organization, supporting or life memberships are often available for an additional cost.

Source: County of Orange Environmental Management Agency and individual groups