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Description

Among The Rarest Early Orange County Promotional Tracts

Early and extremely rare promotional pamphlet for Santa Ana, published in Los Angeles in 1885.

The pamphlet pre-dates the formation of Orange County by referendum of June 4, 1889.  In his monumental catalog 50, John Howell quoted Thomas W. Streeter as follows:

This is a modest and interesting account of the Valley. At this time, the rail-road from Los Angeles had reached as far as the town of Santa Ana, which with a population of 2500 but “increasing rapidly” is called the second in size and importance of [Los Angeles] county. The large scale map shows only five towns on the railroad between Santa Ana and Los Angeles.---TWS.

The final paragraph of entry 33 to Brigandi's Orange County 60 states:

Among the other noteworthy 19th century local promotional pamphlets are:

  • Anaheim, Southern California, Its History, Climate, Soil and Advantages for Home Seekers and Settlers (Anaheim Immigration Association, [1885])
  • The Santa Ana Valley of Southern California. Its Resources, Climate, Growth and Future (Santa Ana Valley Immigration Association, 1885)
  • History of Santa Ana City and Valley. Its Past, Flourishing Present, and Bright Future (Santa Ana, 1887)
  • Orange County, California. History, Soil, Climate, Resources, Advantages (Santa Ana Board of Trade, 1891)
  • the various versions of the W.W. Elliott & Co. pamphlets, known as Santa Ana Valley, California, Illustrated and Described (1886) and Orange, Cal. and its Surroundings Illustrated and Described (1886) . . . .

John McFadden

John McFadden came to California with his family, including brothers James, Robert and Archibald in the 1860s and 1870s. 

John McFadden first worked as a school teacher for a year in Grass Valley, California, and then joined his brothers in their business in present day Orange County, California.  The McFadden brothers established McFadden's Landing (now named the Newport pier), a pier and railroad, at the area now known as Newport Beach, where merchant sailing ships docked with their cargos.  The brothers were also early investors and farmers in the future Orange County.    

Rarity

The pamphlet is extremely rare.

We note 3 records in RBH:  Edward Eberstadt Catalog 136, #147 (1955); Thomas W. Streeter Sale #2996 (1968), and John Howell Catalog 50, #1627 (1980) (the Streeter copy).

Condition Description
Printed wrappers. 34 pages. Map on inner back cover.
Reference
Brigandi: An Orange Shelf, Sixty Books about the History of Orange County, California Selected and Annotated by Phil Brigandi (https://www.ochistoryland.com/orangeshelf).