Orange County Scoop
OC History

The stories behindthe sunshine.

Short reads on how Orange County became Orange County: the people, places and turning points that still shape where we live.

Home/Stories/OC History
  1. 1889
    1872 to 1889
    Orange County had a name before it had the groves
    OC Time Machine

    Orange County had a name before it had the groves

    The name was proposed in 1872, when citrus was still a promise. It took nearly 20 years, and a split from Los Angeles County, to make it official.

    Santa Ana2 min readRead story →
  2. 1930s
    1930s to 1940s
    Crystal Cove is a beach day with a backstory
    Hidden OC

    Crystal Cove is a beach day with a backstory

    Forty-six vintage cottages from a 1930s seaside colony still sit at the mouth of Los Trancos Creek. Some can even be booked for the night.

    Laguna Beach2 min readRead story →
  3. 2008
    2000 to 2010
    The water story hiding in plain sight
    Hidden OC

    The water story hiding in plain sight

    Orange County’s ingenuity does not always come with a skyline view.

    Anaheim4 min readRead story →
  4. Today
    More stories on the way

    New OC History stories land in the Thursday newsletter first. Know a story we should tell?

The Scoop Weekly

Stay in the know.

Weekly OC events, new restaurant openings and the car show calendar — delivered to your inbox every Thursday morning.