Burning of Santa Ana’s Chinatown
by Kimberly Dennin We have once again entered a time where violence, hate, and racism against Asian-Americans is at the forefront of the nations’ consciousness. Now that we are in […]
Historic Wintersburg
by Kimberly Dennin We have once again entered a time where violence, hate, and racism against Asian-Americans is at the forefront of the nations’ consciousness. Now that we are in […]
Memorial Day
by Kimberly Dennin Early Observances of Memorial Day Memorial Day as we know it now has its origins in local observances held in various towns and cities across America. These […]
Bones in Our Backyard
Updated: Jun 25, 2021 It might be difficult to imagine Orange County without shopping malls, freeways, housing and people, but if we go back far enough in time the area was […]
Annexation of Hawaii
By Kimberly Dennin Businessmen vs. Native Hawaiians The story of the annexation of Hawaii is one of the struggle between white businessmen after favorable trade conditions and native Hawaiians protecting […]
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: Your Guide to Santa Ana and Greater OC’s Murals
September 15th marked the start of Hispanic Heritage Month across the nation. Here at Heritage Museum of Orange County, we strive to honor Hispanic heritage not just for one month, […]
AANHPI Heritage Month is Year-Long at Heritage Museum of Orange County
As home to the largest Vietnamese population in the United States, Asian Americans make up about one-fifth of the population in Orange County. The Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific […]
Spring has sprung at Heritage Museum!
The adage goes that “April showers bring May flowers.” With parts of Southern California reaching an unprecedented two feet of rainfall this season, it’s no surprise to see so many […]
Orange County’s Hidden History of Labor Rights
Orange County has its humble beginnings in the agricultural industry. For decades, fruit and nut ventures brought prosperity to the county and its founders, creating a viable infrastructure for the […]
William Herbert Mortensen (1897-1965)
William Mortensen’s (1897-1965) ingenue belonged to the burgeoning movement of modernist photography between the 1920s and the 1950s, but his name rarely appears in its retrospectives. Known for occult, macabre […]
Rose Pruning and the History of Rose Gardens
By Cassandra Kesig History Believed to have been grown as garden plants first in Ancient Babylon, Ancient China was among the first civilizations to cultivate and hybridize roses. Presently, these […]
Memories of Laura Waddell
Compiled and written by HMOC’s Victorian Tea Society in remembrance of a dear friend and member. On Friday, November 12, Heritage Museum lost a dear friend and long-time Victorian Tea […]
The Life and Legend of Billy the Kid
There are several names that come to mind when we think of American outlaws: Jesse James, Butch Cassidy, Belle Starr, and Black Bart. Of course we can’t forget one of […]
Justice Thurgood Marshall
Early Life On July 2, 1908 Thoroughgood Marshall was born to William and Norma in Baltimore, Maryland. His mother was a school teacher and his father was a railroad porter. […]
The Zoot Suit Riots
Before the Zoot Suit Riots: When the United States entered World War II in 1941, the country experienced a labor shortage. Workers were needed in the agriculture industry, so an […]
Dropping of the Atomic Bomb
Before the U.S. entered WWII, they had already begun conducting research into the development of atomic weapons. In 1940 the U.S. government began funding an atomic weapons development program in […]
Holiday Blog Post & Celebrating with Citrus
By Betzaira Ruiz Update 12/14/21: Heritage Museum of Orange County has over 80 citrus trees on site! We grow grapefruit, lemons, tangerines, two different types of oranges (navel and valencia), […]
How the Kellogg House Found Its Forever Home at HMOC
An interview with Alice McCullough written by Dr. Amanda VanDenburgh, President of HMOC Board of Directors Alice worked for city of Santa Ana from 1975 to 1985. Her position of […]
