Second, there was already talk of creating an "Orange County" out of the southern end of Los Angeles County. Finally, the Glassell family once lived in Orange County, Virginia, so the name had a familiar ring. (In the same way, the Glassell family's old plantation had been called Richland.)" The city never got its name based on a poker game, that is an old myth.

The small town was incorporated on April 6, 1888, under the general laws of the state of California. Orange was the only city in Orange County to be planned and built around a plaza, earned it the nickname Plaza City. Orange was the first developed town site to be served by the California Southern Railroad when the nation's second transcontinental rail line reached Orange County.

The town experienced its first growth spurt during the last decade of the 19th century (as did many of the surrounding communities), thanks to ever-increasing demands for California-grown citrus fruits, a period some refer to as the "Orange Era." Southern California's real estate "boom" of 1886-1888, fueled by railroad rate wars, also contributed to a marked increase in population.

Like most cities in Orange County, agriculture formed the backbone of the local economy, and growth thereafter was slow and steady until the 1950s, when a second real estate boom spurred development. Inspired by the development of a region-wide freeway system which connected Los Angeles' urban center with outlying areas like Orange, large tracts of housing were developed from the 1950s to the early 1970s, and this continues today, albeit at a much slower pace, at the eastern edge of the city.

The city has a total area of 25.2 square miles, 24.8 square miles of which is land and 0.4 square miles of which is water. The total area is 1.75% water.

Southern California is well-known for year-round pleasant weather:

• On average, the warmest month is August.
• The highest recorded temperature was 110 °F in 1985.
• On average, the coolest month is December.
• The lowest recorded temperature was 22 °F in 1950.
• The maximum average precipitation occurs in January.

The period of April through November is warm to hot and dry with average high temperatures of 74 - 84 °F and lows of 52 - 64 °F. Due to the moderating effect of the ocean, temperatures are cooler than more inland areas of Orange County, where temperatures frequently exceed 90 °F and occasionally reach 100 °F. The period of November through March is somewhat rainy, as shown in the table to right.

The Orange County area is also subject to the phenomena typical of a microclimate. As such, the temperatures can vary as much as 18 °F between inland areas and the coast, with a temperature gradient of over one degree per mile from the coast inland. California also has a weather phenomenon called "June Gloom or May Gray", which sometimes brings overcast or foggy skies in the morning on the coast, but usually gives way to sunny skies by noon, during late spring and early summer.

The Orange County area averages 15 inches of precipitation annually, which mainly occurs during the winter and spring (November thru April) with generally light rain showers, but sometimes as heavy rainfall and thunderstorms. Coastal Torrance receives slightly less rainfall, while the mountains receive slightly more. Snowfall is extremely rare in the city basin, but the mountains within city limits typically receive snowfall every winter.

Old Towne, Orange Historic District, a one square-mile around the original plaza, contains many of the original structures built in the period after the city's incorporation. It is a vibrant commercial district, containing Orange County's oldest operating bank and the oldest operating soda fountain. The Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, and is the largest National Register District in California. The Old Towne Preservation Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining the district.

Orange is unique among the region and the state in that it has the second largest concentration of historic buildings. A list of all of the buildings and sites in Orange appears in the National Register of Historic Places.

• Bungalow
• Craftsman Bungalow
• Arts and Crafts Movement
• Hip roof cottage
• Mediterranean Revival architecture
• Prairie Style architecture
• Spanish Colonial Revival architecture
• Victorian architecture

Demographics

The 2010 United States Census reported that Orange city had a population of 136,416. The racial makeup of Orange city was 91,522 White, 2,227 African American, 993 Native American, 15,350 Asian, 352 Pacific Islander, 20,567 from other races, and 5,405 from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 52,014 persons.

Breaking out the Hispanic and Latino population, the racial and ethnic composition of the population was 46.8% non-Hispanic white, 1.4% non-Hispanic black, 0.2% Hispanic black, 0.7% Native American, 3.2% Vietnamese, 2.1% Filipino, 5.9% other Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 0.2% non-Hispanic reporting some other race, 4.0% reporting two or more races and 38.1% Hispanic or Latino.

As of the census of 2000, there were 128,821 people, 40,930 households, and 30,165 families residing in the city. The population density is 5,506.4 inhabitants per square mile. There were 41,904 housing units at an average density of 1,791.2 per square mile.

The racial makeup of the city is 80.50% White, 0.29 African American, 0.78% Native American, 10.5% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 6.82% from other races, and none from two or more races. 10.16% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 40,930 households, out of which 37.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% are married couples living together, 11.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 26.3% are non-families. 19.5% of all households are made up of individuals, and 6.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.02 and the average family size is 3.43.

The population is spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100 females, there are 100.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 98.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $58,994, and the median income for a family is $64,573 (these figures had risen to $75,024 and $85,730 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males have a median income of $42,144 versus $34,159 for females. The per capita income for the city is $24,294. 10.0% of the population and 6.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 12.5% of those under the age of 18 and 7.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Orange is home to parks, lakes, a small zoo, a university, and a wildlife sanctuary.

The Block at Orange, a large, outdoor shopping and entertainment center, is located on the western edge of the city. It features Old Navy, Hollister, Ann Taylor Factory Store, and Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5th as well as high quality entertainment venues including AMC Theatres, Dave & Buster's, Vans Skatepark and Lucky Strike Bowling Center.

Historically, the plaza has been primarily home to a wide variety of antique shops—and has become a well known destination amongst antique collectors. A more recent trend has brought clothing boutiques, and several casual and upscale restaurants. It also features two Starbucks locations, mirroring each other on opposite ends of the plaza, RadioShack, Wells Fargo bank, a Masonic lodge, and is within walking distance of Chapman University and the newly reconstructed public library. Films such as That Thing You Do starring Tom Hanks, Accepted staring Justin Long, and Big Momma's House were all filmed in the historical Old Town Orange.

The Woman’s Club of Orange Organized February 1915, is located near the plaza in the Old Towne District. Their clubhouse, built in 1923-1924, is entered in the National Register of Historic Places. In 2009 Woman's Club of Orange, a member of the General Federation of Women's clubs, is still a very active and vibrant club of 180 members. Their annual Flower Show, celebrating its 72nd year in April is a major city event.

For over 100 years, during Labor Day Weekend, the plaza plays host to the Orange International Street Fair. Friends, families and neighbors get together to experience a variety of food, music and dance from cultures around the world. The profits from the event go to non-profit charities that help people in the community.

The "Villa Park Orchards Association" packing house, located along the former Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (now BNSF Railway) mainline, is the sole remaining fruit packing operation in Orange County.

The Lewis Ainsworth House is the city's only restored house museum.

Automobile

Like most cities in Southern California, the primary means of transportation is the automobile. Orange is situated near many state freeways, as well as Interstate 5, also known as the Santa Ana Freeway. The junction of "the 5" with two state highways (SR 57 "Orange Freeway" and SR 22 "Garden Grove Freeway"), commonly called the "Orange Crush", is one of the busiest interchanges in Orange County, and is located on the southwestern edge of the city. The eastern areas of Orange are served by the Eastern and Foothill Toll Roads, two of California's first toll highways, which connect the city with the cities of Irvine and Rancho Santa Margarita. Most highways do not go through Orange but rather begin or end there. The 55 is born of the 91 in the northeast of the city, while the 22 and the 57 both spring from the southwest.

Rail

Rail connections to Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, and Northern San Diego County by the Metrolink regional commuter rail network. The Orange Metrolink station's platform is situated adjacent to the former Santa Fe depot in the downtown Historic District, which is also home to an Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) bus station, is the second busiest station of the entire Metrolink train system due to its position serving as a transfer station for the Orange County and the IEOC Metrolink lines. The former Santa Fe mainline links the cities of Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Diego via a junction north of the station.

Airports

John Wayne Airport (SNA) in nearby Santa Ana, California, provides daily scheduled airline service for the area.

Schools, colleges and universities

• Chapman University — Home of the Panthers
• Santiago Canyon College — Home of the Hawks
• Orange High School — Home of the Panthers
• El Modena High School — Home of the Vanguards
• Orange Unified School District — Public School District for Orange and surrounding areas
• Lutheran High School of Orange County — Home of the Lancers
• Eldorado Emerson Private School — preschool and K-12
• Miscellany

Because of its classic "small town" look, many television shows and motion pictures have selected the Historic District (and other parts of Orange) as a backdrop.

In 1978 and 1979, the California Sunshine was a professional soccer team that played regular season games in Orange. The city roots for major league teams: the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of baseball and the Anaheim Ducks of ice hockey, across the Santa Ana River in Anaheim.

• Toni Childs, singer
• Gaddi Vasquez, Orange High Class of 1973, former Orange County Supervisor and Director of the Peace Corps under George W. Bush.
• Robert H. Schuller, founding Pastor of the Crystal Cathedral.
• Don Aase, born in Orange, MLB player.
• Garrett Atkins, MLB player for the Baltimore Orioles and Colorado Rockies.
• James Blaylock, novelist and creator of the Steampunk genre.
• Bert Blyleven, MLB player who played in the California Angels and once owned a cafe in nearby Villa Park.
• Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch, Christian Holocaust survivor, best known for her autobiography The Hiding Place which was later made into a movie of the same name.
• Professional skateboarder Ronnie Creager was born in Orange and lives there.
• Rob Deer, MLB player for the San Francisco Giants, Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, and San Diego Padres.
• Robby Gordon, NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver.
• Casey Janssen, MLB player, was born in Orange.
• Ruby Keeler, movie actress and part-time Orange resident, is buried in Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Orange Park Acres, east of the city limits.
• Novelist Dean Koontz once resided in Orange Hills and set many of his novels, such as The Bad Place, in the area.
• Anna Leahy, poet.
• Jason Lee, actor and former professional skater.
• Justin Lehr, MLB player for the Cincinnati Reds, Oakland Athletics, and Milwaukee Brewers.
• Hunter Mahan, PGA Tour golfer, was born in Orange.
• Scott McAdams, former mayor of Sitka, Alaska and Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Alaska in 2010, was born in Orange.
• Mark Trumbo Professional MLB Baseball Player. Currently first baseman for Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
• Abe Walsh, author and former publisher for the National Rifle Association was born in Orange.
• Placentia, California

Primarily known as a bedroom community, Placentia is known for its quiet neighborhoods and strong public safety. While I haven’t lived here (yet), I’ve helped many people buy and sell their homes in this charming area.

Placentia is a city in northern Orange County, California. The population was 50,533 at the 2010 census, up from 46,488 at the 2000 census. This includes the community of Atwood, which is included in the city of Placentia, and is located in its southernmost quadrant.

In the southwest, or downtown area, is the Placita-Santa Fe District, which boasts some of the best Mexican restaurants in Orange County. People come from all parts of Orange County to dine in the popular downtown area.

Currently, Placentia has a $20,000,000 metrolink project scheduled to start in the downtown area in 2013. This project is in conjunction with the Orange County Transit Authority (OCTA), and will assist in the continued revitalization of the area, which is also scheduled for the building of more transit oriented housing to complement the train station, mixed use, retail and entertainment. All designed to enhance Placentia's unique presence in Orange County.

Placentia is also working with the OCTA on the 'OC Bridges' project. The project, combined with the city of Fullerton, provides approximately $580,000,000 in funding to build underpasses and/or overpasses at the major north-south roadways in the two cities. The roadways are Lakeview, Ave., Rose/Tustin, Orangethorpe Ave., Kraemer Blvd. , Placentia Ave., State College Blvd. and Raymond Ave. The project currently has Placentia Ave. underway, with all crossings to be completed by 2017.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.6 square miles. 6.6 square miles of it is land and 0.22% is water.

The 57 Freeway (Orange Freeway) runs through the southwest section of Placentia. The 91 Freeway (Riverside Freeway) passes directly south of the city.

Districts in Placentia include the Neighborhood of La Jolla, and the formerly unincorporated community of Atwood.

Local

Placentia is a Charter city with an elected city council and professional city manager.

State and Federal

In the state legislature, Placentia is located in the 29th Senate District and in the 72nd Assembly District.

Federally, Placentia is located in California's 40th and 42nd congressional districts.

The 2010 United States Census reported that Placentia had a population of 50,533. The racial makeup of Placentia was 31,373 White, 914 African American, 386 Native American, 7,531 Asian, 74 Pacific Islander, 8,247 from other races, and 2,008 from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18,416 persons.

Breaking out the Hispanic and Latino population, the racial and ethnic composition of the population was 44.7% non-Hispanic white, 1.8% black or African American, 0.8% Native American, 3.1% Filipino, 2.9% Chinese, 2.7% Vietnamese, 1.9% Korean, 1.8% Asian Indian, 1.0% Japanese, 1.4% other Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.1% non-Hispanic reporting some other race, 4.0% reporting two or more races and 36.4% Hispanic or Latino.

As of the census of 2000, there were 46,488 people, 15,037 households, and 11,683 families residing in the city. The population density was 7,051.3 inhabitants per square mile. There were 15,326 housing units at an average density of 2,324.6 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 67.76% White, 1.77% African American, 0.83% Native American, 11.16% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander 13.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 31.10% of the population.

There were 15,037 households out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.5% were married alternative couples living together, 50.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.07 and the average family size was 3.42.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.0% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $62,803, and the median income for a family was $68,976. These figures had risen to $77,496 and $83,674 respectively as of a 2007 estimate. Males had a median income of $46,956 versus $34,184 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,843. About 5.7% of families and 8.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

Public schools

Placentia is a part of the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District (PYLUSD).

There are three high schools in the city:

• El Dorado High School.
• Valencia High School. The oldest high school in Placentia, opened in 1933. VHS offers an IB program as well as a technology track known as ValTech.
• El Camino Real High School. Named a "Model Continuation High School" by the California State Department of Education.

In addition, Placentia supports three public middle schools: Kraemer Middle School, Valadez Middle School Academy, and Tuffree Middle School.

The city houses numerous public elementary schools: Brookhaven Elementary, George Key Elementary, Golden Elementary, Morse Elementary, Melrose Elementary, Ruby Drive Elementary, Sierra Vista Elementary, Tynes Elementary, Van Buren Elementary, and Wagner Elementary.

Independent schools

The Parkview School provides an independent study K-12 school for students who are "homeschoolers, student actors, junior athletes, chronically ill, or in various other situations for which an alternative to classroom-based instruction is desirable."

• Agent Orange, punk band
• James Cameron, director
• Michael Chang, professional tennis player
• D-Loc, rapper
• Chris Draft, NFL pro football player
• Janet Evans, Olympic swimmer
• Jason Freese, Musician, Green Day
• Josh Freese, Musician, Weezer
• Charles Edward Fuller, theologian
• Kottonmouth Kings, hip hop group
• Daryl F. Mallett, author & actor
• Phil Nevin, baseball player
• Jill Nicolini, actress, news reporter
• Audrina Patridge, The Hills reality television star
• Kherington Payne, So You Think You Can Dance contestant, Pussycat Doll
• Johnny Richter, rapper
• Dick Schofield, baseball player
• Julie Swail, Olympic water polo player, Olympic Triathlete
• Brett Tomko, baseball player