Historic Photos of Orange County, A Review

I was contacted by Turner Publishing in December to review a book called "Historic Photos of Orange County". I jumped at the chance to review it. I love books.

I have lived in Orange County since I was 11 years old. I was looking forward to see photos of the origins and beginnings of this County, I live in.

I received the book, which is a 10" by 10" coffee table size. It has a beautiful shiny laminated cover on it. The photos inside are all black and white.

The book is split into four chapters ranging from the 1870's to the late 1960's. There is a huge range of places that they covered in Orange County, from north county to the beaches.

If you live in Orange County, California, or have ever lived in Orange County; this book is a must have. It has you dwelling on the past. It's amazing to see some of the places that I go to everyday, fifty to sixty years ago. It is simply beautiful.

Here is a description of the book from their website:

Perpetual sunshine, palm trees, miles of unbroken beaches, yachts, cliff-top mansions, millionaires—these are the images of Orange County that come to mind for many people, and there is much truth in this depiction, for Orange County is a place of boundless natural wonders that attracts more than 25 million tourists a year. However, the full story of Orange County is far more complex. It’s a story of Juañeno Indians, conquistadors, Franciscan padres, rancheros, wildcatters, artists, and filmmakers. Historic Photos of Orange County offers some 200 images drawn from the county’s fascinating past, from the mission ruins of San Juan Capistrano, to the turn-of-the-century celery fields of Westminster, to the eye-popping fantasia of a young Disneyland.

By East Coast standards, Orange County is a relative baby—just over a century old—and tiny compared to most California counties; but its population is second only to neighboring Los Angeles County and growing every day. This volume captures the story of Orange County’s evolution from a sleepy backwater suburb of Los Angeles to an international tourist destination.

This would also be an awesome gift; ranging from house warming parties to birthdays.

It's retail price is $39.99.

You can find it on the publisher's site, and also on Amazon.

Turner Publishing also has other Historic Photos from several other places, like Austin, TX, Las Vegas, NV, and The White House.