Living Memorial Nominations – August 2018
The Costa Mesa Historical Society is currently accepting nominations for its Living Memorial Award.
52nd Anniversary of the Diego Sepulveda Adobe restoration
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…
Stephen O’Neil Highlights 2018’s Early California Days
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 Visits Boatbuilding Exhibit
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, Public Services Maintenance!
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.
Remembering Barbara Panian
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.
Society Volunteers Receive US President’s Volunteer Service Awards
Our all-volunteer staff contributes more than 6,000 hours per year to fulfill the Costa Mesa Historical Society’s mission to preserve and promote Costa Mesa history. At the March general meeting, President Dave Gardner presented the United States President’s Volunteer Service Awards to the following society volunteers: Kathy Bequette, Sharon Dearing, Art Goddard, Mary Ellen Goddard, Cindy Humphries, Bob Palazzola, Dave Rusher, Terry Shaw, Karl Von Herzen, Hope Von Herzen, Annette Watson, and Susan Weeks.
Tanks a Lot!!
Did you know there are stormwater exfiltration tanks buried underneath the yet-to-be-constructed parking lot? The pit to hold the exfiltration tank is more than 9 feet deep. After the tanks are in place they are surrounded with gravel. Finally, the tanks are covered over, ready for construction of the parking lot. Amazing, huh?
Getting Ready for Summer Heat
The west side of the historical society’s building at 1870 Anaheim Avenue is undergoing a major transformation from turf with shade trees to parking lot. With the removal of the shade trees, the society was faced with the prospect of an increased heating effect of the afternoon sun on our floor-to-ceiling plate glass windows. The solution? Insulation! A call to our friends at Ganahl Lumber netted us a donation of 14 sheets of rigid foam insulation. On…
Vintage, Not Rummage
If you were one of the several dozen smart shoppers who visited the Costa Mesa Historical Society on Sunday, February 18, you know the difference between “vintage” and “rummage”. Everything from school yearbooks to picture frames, small furniture pieces to historic bric-a-brac was available at reasonable prices. The sale of these collectible items not only generates cash for your society, but also frees up storage space at the society building. OK, you’re a smart shopper but missed…