Orange County Historical Society

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.

Historian Eric Plunkett will discuss “The Books that Made Mission San Juan Capistrano,” at the next meeting of the Orange County Historical Society: Thurs., March 12, 2026, 7:30 p.m., at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal St., in Orange.

Few know that the first library in O.C. – assembled by the padres of Mission San Juan Capistrano – remains among the mission's collections. Annotations in some of the books tie them to some of the most important missionaries and events in the history of California and tell a fascinating story about how the mission was built, organized, and maintained. These very books were sources used in some of the earliest agricultural, ranching, and architectural developments in the county. Come hear the story of this library, its books, and how it helped shape our history.

Vietnamese Heritage Museum founder and president, Chau Thuy will discuss “The Vietnamese Diaspora and Little Saigon,” at OCHS' next meeting: Nov. 13, 2025, 7:30p.m., at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal St., in Orange.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and of the beginnings of the vibrant Vietnamese American community in the heart of Orange County. Come hear the story of the place and its people.

Rudy Boysen & the Boysenberry

Local historian and OCHS president Chris Jepsen will discuss “Rudy Boysen and the Boysenberry” at the Oct. 9, 2025 meeting of the Orange County Historical Society, held 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal St., in Orange. The event is open to the public.

The Boysenberry’s story is so improbable, it’s surprising it survived to go into commercial production. The tale winds across California like a vine – from Merced County, to Napa, to Fullerton, to Buena Park, to Tustin, and to Anaheim where Rudy Boysen (1895-1950) became the city’s beloved Parks Director. Come learn about the Boysenberry, the creative and hardworking Mr. Boysen, the critical contributions of Walter Knott, and how the berry – after nearly disappearing from the world at least twice – is making another comeback.