This September Mary Ellen Goddard, archivist for the historical society, will be offering four free hourlong seminars on archival practice. Topics include ethics, search methods, cataloguing, boxing/storage, preservation, and acquisition criteria. All society volunteers are invited to learn how archivists can help researchers take advantage of our rich collection. To learn more, sign up below or call us at 949-631-5918.
Augustin Espinoza is a history and political science major from Vanguard University who will be interning with the historical society over the fall term. Augustin will work on Mondays and Fridays for the next few months for a total of 90 hours, culminating in a letter grade. His primary work will be to develop a finding aid for Nell Murbarger’s non-local photographs. Next time you see him, be sure to say hello!
Stop by our booth this September 21-23 at the 71st Annual Costa Mesa-Newport Harbor Lions Club Fish Fry in Fairview Park!
Historical Society Charter Member Henry S. “Hank” Panian passed from this life on July 14. In addition to his career as a history professor at Orange Coast College and a dedicated family man, Hank made time for community service and your Historical Society. Hank became a charter member of the Historical Society in 1966. Since that time he has: Served with distinction on our board of directors Co-authored the Historical Society Quarterly from 1977-1987 Served as a…
The Costa Mesa Historical Society is currently accepting nominations for its Living Memorial Award.
August 28 marks the 52nd anniversary of the restoration of the Diego Sepulveda Adobe. Originally built in the early 1800s as an outpost for vaqueros from Mission San Juan Capistrano, the adobe is not just Costa Mesa’s oldest building, it’s one of the oldest in Orange County. In 1961 clapboard walls that had been built around the original building caught fire, reminding historians, among others, of the adobe structure beneath. The Segerstrom family donated the adobe’s 5-acre…
Lovers of local history enjoyed tours of the Diego Sepulveda Adobe, live music by the Sweetwater Creek Band, and plenty of snacks at this year’s Early California Days event in Estancia Park. A talk by cultural anthropologist Stephen O’Neil highlighted the day. O’Neil began with Spanish accounts of the Portolá expedition, then enriched the narrative with native perspectives. He drew a vivid picture of pre-colonial abundance: of water, trade, and people. O’Neil also updated the record on…
Newport Beach Mayor Marshall “Duffy” Duffield made a surprise visit on June 7 to the Costa Mesa Historical Society’s boatbuilding exhibit. According to exhibit curator Nancy Pedersen, “He is a really nice man and a fellow Newport High grad. Duffy liked the exhibit and his comment was ‘you need more room!’ I agree. It’s a rich history!” Duffield is no stranger to the area’s boatbuilding tradition. He invented the popular Duffy electric boat. The Hull Story is…
THANK YOU to City of Costa Mesa Public Services Maintenance Superintendents Jim Ortiz and Doug Lovell and crews for their responsiveness and upkeep of our Museum buildings exteriors and park grounds.
Society member and volunteer Barbara Panian passed away on March 30, 2018. Residents of Costa Mesa since 1956, Barbara and Hank Panian raised their family in the College Park neighborhood. Long-time docents at the Diego Sepulveda Adobe, Barbara and Hank were involved in the early days of the Society and attended many community events over the years. We offer our sincere condolences to Hank & family for their loss.