Orange County, California: History
The history of Orange County, California, spans thousands of years, beginning with Acjachemen indigenous peoples who lived off the land through hunting, fishing, and gathering. Later, Shoshonean-speaking tribes, including the Juaneño and Gabrielino, settled in the area. Spanish colonization began in 1769 with expeditions and the establishment of missions like Mission San Juan Capistrano. Under Spanish and later Mexican rule, large land grants formed ranchos, which dominated the economy through cattle ranching.
One of the first land grants in Orange County under Spanish Rule was Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana which was given to José Antonio Yorba and Juan Pablo Peralta (nephew) in 1810, the year of the commencement of the war of Mexican Independence.
After California became part of the United States in 1850, the Gold Rush spurred demand for beef, boosting the local economy. However, environmental challenges and legal disputes over land ownership led many rancheros to sell their lands, often to American settlers. The first American-founded town, Anaheim, was established in 1857 by German immigrants. Other towns like Santa Ana and Orange soon followed, supported by agriculture and improved irrigation.
The arrival of railroads in the 1870s and a real estate boom in the 1880s fueled rapid growth. In 1889, Orange County officially separated from Los Angeles County, with Santa Ana as its seat. Agriculture, especially citrus, dominated until the mid-20th century, alongside oil discoveries and transportation developments like highways and railways.
World War II brought military bases and postwar population growth. By the 1950s, suburban development replaced farmland, and cities rapidly incorporated. The Disneyland Resort 1955 opening marked the rise of tourism.
In 1994, Robert Citron was serving as Treasurer-Tax Collector and chose leveraging strategies with county investments that ended in Chapter 9 bankruptcy for the County, costing 3,000 jobs at the county and $1.64 billion in losses.