Orange County Historical Society

Happy birthday, Orange County!

The Birth of Orange County – Orange County Historical Society The Birth of Orange County Phil Brigandi (2010) In 1850, the new State of California was broken up into 27 different counties. What is now Orange County was simply the southern end of Los Angeles County. It took nearly 20 years of struggle before Orange County was born in 1889. The story begins in 1...

We just learned that we lost another friend and former board member a few months ago...

Earl J. Nickles (1936–2026) Earl Nickles, headed for the 2013 OCHS "Show & Tell Night" Another wonderful member of the Orange County historical community passed away in...

Harriet Friis (1932-2026)

Our good friend, longtime OCHS volunteer Harriet Friis, passed away on July 5th. Many will remember her as the friendly face that greeted you at the door at our meetings. Over the decades she hosted our board meetings in her home, providing refreshments at our general meetings (remember the OCHS citrus punch?), found us a home at her much-loved Trinity Episcopal Church, served on our board, and contributed in countless other ways.

Harriet was a librarian for the Long Beach Public Library system. She loved travel and was active in many organizations including OCHS, PEO, Trinity’s senior group, and the Orange Union High School reunions.

Her husband, the late J. J. Friis, published many local history books through his Friis-Pioneer Press, and also served on our board. Recently, Harriet donated her family’s impressive historical library and the remaining Friis-Pioneer Press book stock to OCHS. Her efforts will continue to benefit the Society and the study of local history for many years to come. We will miss her warmth, wit and kindness.

A memorial service for Harriet will be held at 2pm, July 16th, 2026 at (of course) Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal St., Orange. Her official obituary is posted in the comments section below.

Fri., May 29 is the LAST DAY to buy tickets for the 2026 OCHS Annual Dinner: “The ‘Pirates’ of Orange County,” with historian Eric Plunkett! Tickets (and details) are still available through www.OrangeCountyHistory.org

Buffet includes: roasted tri tip with shallot demi glaze, chicken piccata, mashed potatoes, saffron rice pilaf, seasonal vegetables, field green salad, rolls and butter, and NY-style cheesecake with strawberry puree.

Pirate-ish attire (although mostly historically inaccurate) is encouraged but not mandatory. This event is open to members and non-members alike, so bring yer shipmates! Confirmations will be made via email.

For tickets, visit
www.OrangeCountyHistory.org

Never miss a new program on OCHS' YouTube Channel. Click this link and then SUBSCRIBE! Already, we have over 50 full programs available. The more subscribers and "likes" we get, the more YouTube will promote our local history programs to others. As always, thanks for your support, friends!

Orange County Historical Society [CA] This is the official YouTube Channel for the Orange County Historical Society [CA]. Orange County Historical Society is a research, archival, and educational organization, dedicated to the discovery, preservation, and dissemination of the history of Orange County, of its people, and the surrounding....

“O.C. in the Colonial & Revolutionary War Era,” will be the subject of local historian and OCHS president Chris Jepsen's program at the next OCHS meeting: Thurs., May 14, 2026, 7:30 p.m., at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal St., Orange.

As we celebrate America’s 250th, we often use the term “Colonial America” to evoke the 13 colonies on the East Coast. But California was also an American colony (albeit Spanish) at the time, and plenty of history was made here also. This broad overview will provide perspective on what you may have thought of as two separate chapters of history but which are, in fact, not only concurrent but related.

Meet Ethel Jacobson.

Now, you may know the names Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Charles Bukowski, and Ron Koertge as poets who have roots in Orange County but check out this article about an early/mid-20th century Orange County, particularly Anaheim, poet who wrote poetry tied to local history, community life, and regional identity.

“Pirates” of Orange County is the theme of OCHS' Annual Dinner on June 11, 2026. Historian Eric Plunkett will discuss his new book, "The Saga of Orange County’s “Pirates”: Hippolyte Bouchard’s Attack on Mission San Juan Capistrano in 1818." This event will be held at the Alta Vista Country Club in Placentia. OCHS membership is not required, so bring yer shipmates! For details and tickets, see https://www.orangecountyhistory.org/wp/?p=2529 Pirate-ish attire is encouraged but certainly not mandatory.

Kelley Brugmann of the Irvine Ranch Conservancy will discuss "Irvine Ranch's Rich History Through Landscape Reflections," at OCHS' next meeting: Apr. 9, 2026, 7:30pm, at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal St., in Orange.

The Irvine Ranch was shaped by generations of dedicated stewards over more than 150 years. For more than 20 years, the Irvine Ranch Conservancy has continued that legacy, protecting and restoring this remarkable landscape for the future while inviting the community to experience its beauty. Discover a rare expanse of preserved O.C. open space, where monuments, historic sites, and striking geological features reveal the stories of the land.

Brugmann is a lifelong Orange Countian with over 25 years of experience in environmental education. She previously supported public programs at OC Parks’ historic sites and now serves as Program Manager for Community Engagement and Education at Irvine Ranch Conservancy.