This chapter basically covers Old Ranch Country Club from 1978 through the remodel of 1988. During this time the club underwent great change as it continued to grow under general managers Dean Kring and Harry Davis, and the tennis side continued to expand under Bob Litrich and his new assistant Lynn Stiles. But like all … Read more
This is the first in a series of posts about all the places to eat around here over the years. The development of the Rossmoor Shopping center is an interesting story, but too long to deal with here, so look here instead. The original, very ambitious plans for the Rossmoor Center were … Read more
Probably no incident irritates Rossmoor residents more than the annexation of the Rossmoor Shopping Center by the City of Seal Beach. “If we only had those sales tax dollars… if we only had those property tax dollars…” are familiar refrains from Rossmoor old-timers and newcomers. alike. Probably most irritating for the old-timers was the suddenness … Read more
This is an article I originally wrote for the Seal Beach Sun in July 2014. The 100th anniversary of Seal Beach comes up next year, but we are already in the middle of some other significant anniversaries. Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the actual naming of Seal Beach (changed from Bay City in … Read more
What royalty or heads of state have graced the West OC/East LB area with their presence? It seems to not be a very long list. In 1915 former US President William Howard Taft repaid a political favor to Phillip A. Stanton (who as speaker of the California Assembly in 1909 derailed some anti-Japanese legislation that … Read more
With the Santa Ana and Irvine-centric bias (not to mention the Disneyland fanboy-ism) of the mainstream Orange County Historical Establishment, accomplishments in our little corner of the word often gets overlooked, especially when it comes to being included in lists of Orange County “firsts.” So we felt compelled to attempt to set the record straight. … Read more
NOTE: Okay, this will be a work in progress, but we’ve got to start somewhere. If you have information to add, please do. Since we are right on the edge of but still within Hollywood’s Thirty-Mile Zone (the TMZ, hence the name of the TV news show) , the Seal Beach-Los Alamitos-Rossmoor area sees a … Read more
For all of you who nostalgically remember the larger groves of Eucalyptus trees that once stood in this area — in particular near Gum Grove Park and by the Old Ranch Country Club — there is an interesting discussion going on at the Orange County History Facebook site. Also, Nathan Masters, the bard of Los … Read more
Here are two books that cover the local history of two communities. SEAL BEACH: A BRIEF HISTORY by Larry Strawther — History Press $17.99 The wooden pier, tree-lined Main Street and ocean views, coupled with a prosperous and happy community, led Forbes magazine to name Seal Beach one of the five friendliest towns in America. … Read more
Because we’ve been doing some research for its 150th anniversary, we’ve been on a bit of an Anaheim Landing kick lately. Orange County’s first port was officially founded in 1864 although fishermen and even the US Army had used the area before that, but not apparently on a permanent, lasting basis. As one might guess … Read more