Vanishing Orange County (Images of America)

Orange County formally separated from Los Angeles County in 1889, and there’s been no looking back. Wilderness gave way to rich farmlands, where oranges, lemons, avocados, and walnuts made agriculture the new county’s most important industry; the region was actually named for the prevalence of its citrus groves. The 20th century brought with it plenty of entrepreneurs, including Walter Knott and later Walt Disney, along with the aerospace industry, oil drilling, beach culture, and more. But the more popular “the O.C.” became, the more the past began to be lost to development and sprawl. This evocative compendium of photographs revisits many of the places locals held near and dear, including the Golden Bear nightclub, Japanese Village Deer Park, Lion Country Safari, plus popular stores, restaurants, and, of course, the ever-shrinking farmlands. Many of these images are courtesy of the Orange County Archives, and others came from the author’s private collection.