Orange County’s History and Why We’re Proud to Serve the Orange County Community
Humans have lived in present‑day Orange County for thousands of years. Shoshonean‑speaking peoples—ancestors of the Juaneño (Acjachemen) and Gabrielino (Tongva)—hunted, fished and gathered in the region. Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portolá’s 1769 overland expedition passed through, and Father Junípero Serra soon founded Mission San Gabriel (1771) and Mission San Juan Capistrano on November 1 ,1776.
Under Spanish rule, large ranchos were granted for grazing; after Mexico secularized the missions in 1834, nearly all of what would become Orange County was part of a rancho. American settlers arrived after the Mexican–American War; German immigrants founded Anaheim in 1857. A real‑estate boom in the 1880s spurred new towns and by August 1 1889 local residents successfully petitioned the state legislature to split from Los Angeles County and create Orange County, with Santa Ana as the county seat.
Agriculture—especially Valencia oranges—dominated the local economy into the mid‑20th century, while oil discoveries in the 1890s and early 1900s added wealth. Electric railways and later freeways connected the region; World War II brought military bases at El Toro and Seal Beach, post‑war suburbanization replaced farms with tract houses, Disneyland opened in 1955 and aerospace and tourism became major industries.
Today Orange County has more than 3 million residents and 34 incorporated cities. Its economy blends technology, tourism, healthcare and higher education, and the area enjoys a mild climate, beaches and master‑planned communities. We’re honored to serve the families and businesses of Orange County.