History and Events Blog

Diego Sepulveda Adobe Reopening

The grand reopening of the Diego Sepulveda on October 1st also celebrated this historic structure's 200th birthday. Mayor John Stephens and Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley spoke a few words and each presented the Historical Society's president Barbra Steck with framed certificates honoring the occasion. Head Docent Cindy Humphreys gave special recognition to Jason Minter and Daniel Jojola of the City of Costa Mesa and Mark Sauer of Sauer Construction for their dedicated efforts in renovating the…

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Read more about the article OCC Planetarium Event

OCC Planetarium Event

We have a very exciting event coming up on August 13th! We've connected with the Orange Coast College Planetarium to give our Historical Society members their very own exclusive showing. The sky has been an object of fascination for as long as humans have walked the earth. The movements of the spheres are ingrained in every culture on earth and have created mythologies, superstitions, and legends many people still recognize. Today, we turn our scientific tools toward…

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Read more about the article Interactive Map Featuring Orange County Historic Sites

Interactive Map Featuring Orange County Historic Sites

Last year, Preserve Orange County launched an interactive map featuring historic sites throughout the county. From their website: "What's on the map? The map includes all sites that are designated historic at county, state and national levels, under these programs: National Register of Historic Places National Historic Landmarks California Register of Historical Resources California Historical Landmarks California Points of Historical Interest Orange County Historic Sites Orange County Historical Site Plaques It also includes undesignated sites -- places…

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Read more about the article Fish Fry Coloring Contest Winners
1st place winner Abigail with her family

Fish Fry Coloring Contest Winners

For the 75th Annual Fish Fry, the Costa Mesa Historical Society hosted a children's coloring contest to reach out and hopefully spark an interest in local history. We received over 100 entries! While we had originally only planned on a single winner, we were blown away by the creativity and number of entries we received, so we decided to add a second and third place as well. Our three winners came by the Historical Society Museum today…

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Costa Mesa Small Business Appreciation Spotlight the Iconic ” El Matador ” – VIDEO

El Matador restaurant opened its door 56 years ago. The building was constructed in 1923, and is one of the most historic commercial storefronts in the city. Our friend Renee Pina takes us on a tour of this iconic restaurant.

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Peggy Gardner Display

  We have a new display at the museum! Peggy Gardner was a long-time friend of the Historical Society and a wonderful artist. To highlight Peggy's talent and honor her legacy, we've set up a display at the entry of the museum containing just a few of the many beautiful pieces that Peggy created. These limited edition pieces will be for sale, and all proceeds will go to the museum. As of now, the pieces are only…

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Read more about the article 2022 Fish Fry and Carnival

2022 Fish Fry and Carnival

The 75th Annual Fish Fry is back at its original location in Lions Park! The Fish Fry will take place June 3 - 5. Admission is free. Fish dinners are $15, and tickets for carnival rides are currently on sale for a discounted price. Get your ride tickets here. The Costa Mesa Historical Society will have a booth for all three days and we'll be selling books, postcards, and other goods! We also have something fun planned…

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