Orange County Chronicles

by Phil Brigandi

Orange County is one of the best-known, yet least understood, counties in California. The popular image of beautiful people in beach cities is certainly accurate. But the Orange County that is often overlooked includes workaday lives in Anaheim, the barrios of Santa Ana, townhouse living in Brea and the diverse communities of Little Saigon, Little Texas, Los Rios, La Habra and Silverado Canyon. Modern Orange County offers very little sense of history, and it sometimes seems as if the urbanization of the 1960s is all that defines the place. Orange County historian Phil Brigandi fills in the gaps with this collection of essays that explores the very creation of the county, as well as pressing issues of race, citrus, attractions and annexation.

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 22, 2013

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a generally quick read highlighting the little-known aspects of Orange County history. I appreciated the breadth of history covered by this book, as I have been hard pressed to find any books that discuss the overall story of how Orange County, and its 34 incorporated cities, came into being. It was full of fascinating little facts that were, at least for me, largely unknown. For example, I was COMPLETELY in the dark about the fact that Orange County was NOT named after numerous orange trees being planted here, but rather for the idealized desire for solicitors to give the area a "semi-tropical" vibe. All of the boundary disputes and developments of different communities and cities were really interesting to read about as well, as it seems that early developers were often heated about the separation of cities and incorporation as independent areas. I recommend this as a quick read that delves into the journey of the way-makers of Orange County from Spanish exploration to current times, all within the short span of 145 pages. The pictures and images were also a great addition in highlighting the topics of discussion and gave color (although not literal color) to the stories and developments of the movers and shakers of the county. My only criticism is a lack of focus on current times past 1950, which would definitely require more than 145 pages. However, I feel that I would like to know more about the ways in which he county boomed after 1950 and the major changes that have made OC what it is today. With that being said, I appreciate the discussion of this important story and I feel it is a great opener to further learning about the history of OC.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick book with interesting information about Orange County. This is not a complete history, but focuses on specific era's throughout the county's development.