| Olive Through the Ages
Historical descriptions | Maps
and photos | Olive
boundaries
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Thinking how I would describe Olive, I consulted historical
newpaper articles and old books in search of common, general statements
about the community. But over a period of 100 years—from 1892
to 1992—I found differing descriptions of Olive, based on the
industry currently driving the community's economy and affecting its
status in Orange County.
The vision of Olive as an enterprising town before the turn of the 19th
century is altered when the region is identified as a citrus haven because
of its fertile soil and mild climate. Towards the latter half of the
20th century, when real estate became increasingly valuable in Orange
County, Olive is viewed as a prime residential area. In recent times,
however, much of Olive's identity with its boomtown days and citrus
growing history has diminished with the loss of each recognizable landmark
from the past century, leaving this residential island with but a few
glimpses into its glory years of yesterday.
Instead of creating a single compilation from these various sources,
I thought I would include portions from each piece so you can see how
Olive was perceived at that point in time. It is interesting to compare
these descriptions of Olive and even more interesting to see how a particular
event in Olive's history was viewed in retrospect.
In regards to Olive's population for a given year, it is important to
note the boundaries of Olive changed during the course of 100 years,
expanding beyond the Olive Heights area during the citrus growing years,
and then scaling back to that region in the early 1960s when much of
the land surrounding Olive Heights was annexed to the City of Orange.
My thanks to Gordon McClelland for finding several of the textual sources
referenced on this page. Thanks also to Chris Jepsen of the Orange County
Archives; the Anaheim Heritage Center Disney Resort Reading Room; Sherman
Library and Gardens; Orange Public Library History Center, and Richard
Rutter for the historic images and/or source materials presented here.
NOTE: Click/tap the thumbnail images in the sections below to view larger
images in a separate browser window or tab.
Click/tap a link below to go to the historical description
of Olive for that given year:
1892
| 1899 | 1913
| 1930 | 1931
| 1954 | 1963
| 1992
Olive,
March 27, 1892
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| 1901 map of Orange County with Olive
and Rincon marked, among other cities of the era |
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Distance from Los Angeles, 36 miles; elevation,
231 feet; population, 300.
Leaving Rincon the train follows the windings of the Santa Ana River,
which courses through the low range of mountains dividing Orange and
San Bernardino counties, and after passing Yorba diverges at Olive,
a wide-awake and enterprising little town nestled at the foot of the
hills. The land surrounding the town is all in a high state of cultivation,
water in abundance for irrigation purposes being brought from the Santa
Ana River through a concrete tunnel, 700 feet long and six feet nine
inches in diameter, having a capacity of fully thirty heads of water.
The construction of this tunnel is now being completed at a cost of
$5000.
Active upon acres of oranges, vines and other luscious fruits have been
planted the past two years, and preparations are now being made for
heavy planting the coming season.
The principal manufacturing enterprise is the Olive Milling Company,
the only establishment of its kind in the county. This one establishment
ships over 125 tons of freight per week, and is obliged to run day and
night to fill its orders. The mill is run by water power, and of this
there is a sufficiency to run all the manufactories in the county were
they located with a view to utilizing the water.
Four passenger trains per day furnish ample transportation to all points.
Several stores, postoffice, blacksmith shops, express office and other
establishments furnish the necessities and luxuries of life. There are
good schools and a church hard by, and a comfortable hotel. Bonds will
soon be voted for a new schoolhouse to be located on sightly grounds,
overlooking the entire valley. Arrangements are now being made to put
in a fifteen-horse power Pelton wheel, to give the power necessary for
existing and projected manufacturing enterprises, and a small dynamo
will furnish electric light for residences, stores and shops.
As a residence locality Olive has not its superior in the Santa Ana
Valley. Its people are contented, prosperous and happy, and have great
faith in its ultimate importance, not only as a beautiful residence
portion of the valley, but also as a manufacturing center.
Besides the mill and warehouse of the Olive Milling Company, Small &
Hildreth have a general merchandise store, livery and warehouse and
D.J. Watson a grocery store. The Olive Hotel is run by F. Cowlin.
Source: ProQuest Historical Newspapers,
Los Angeles Times, Mar. 27, 1892
1892
| 1899 | 1913
| 1930 | 1931
| 1954 | 1963
| 1992
Olive
in 1899
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| Orange-Olive Road in 1899, looking
north towards Olive Heights |
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Olive is at the base of the foothills, on
the Santa Ana River, four miles north of Orange. There are some fine
residents on Olive heights and a fine large public school. The soil
about Olive is adapted to the raising of citrus and deciduous fruits.
Considerable hay, grain, wool and honey are shipped from this point.
The elevation about sea level is 228 feet. The Olive Flour Mill is located
here. The population of the precinct is about 675.
Source: Orange County Directory 1899-1900,
Santa Ana, Cal., p.167 (from the collection of Anaheim Heritage Center
Disney Resort Reading Room at the Muzeo)
1892
| 1899 | 1913
| 1930 | 1931
| 1954 | 1963
| 1992
Olive
in 1913
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| Orange-Olive Road at Lincoln Ave.
in 1912, looking east |
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When one travels from almost any of the
cities of Orange county in Riverside he is almost certain to pass through
Olive. Here is a place that should demand his attention. For variety,
quantity and quality of products, and for an outlook upon the rich Santa
Ana Valley, even to the ribbon of ocean in the distance, Olive is without
equal.
The village is situated upon the point of a range of hills between the
mouths of the Santa Ana and Santiago canyons. Gathered about this point
is a fertile, irrigated section of some three or four square miles known
as the Olive section, where oranges and lemons grow to perfection and
vegetable crops are gathered the year around. In many particulars the
district is much like Villa Park, which adjoins Olive on the south side
of the hills.
The story of Olive takes one back into the early days when the location
was known as Burruel Point. Forty-five years ago ruined adobes marked
the residences of early-day Spaniards, and along the river were ditches
in which these romantic pioneers took water on to their lands. From
that day to this the fertility of the section has never been questioned.
It is an old saying that whatever is planted at Olive grows and thrives,
and the saying is as true as it is of any place in the world.
Experiments have proven that Japanese persimmons, loquats, avocados
and cherimoyas grow well in this protected section. Old residents declare
with truth that Olive thermometers register from seven to eight degrees
higher in winter than do the thermometers down in the valley.
Winter vegetables are shipped continually during the season from the
depot of the Santa Fe, which passes through Olive, between Orange and
Riverside. Cabbages, tomatoes, potatoes, string beans, green peas, peppers
and other vegetables bring good prices.
Some of the best producing walnut and citrus fruit orchards of the county
are here. One of the most notable features of the development of the
section in the last five years has been the large number of new orchards
set out, in which the late Valencia is a favorite. Water from the Santa
Ana Valley Irrigation Co., the main canal of which passes through Olive,
and from an occasional pumping plant bring the fruit to an excellent
quality and quantity. Even tender nursery stock goes unharmed by frost
in the coldest snaps. As a sample of climate, U.E. Squires used to tell
of cotton that grew to be five years old on his place, at Christmas
bearing blooms and ripe cotton.
Located here is the mill of the Olive Milling Co., which gives employment
to about twenty-two men. Water power from the pipe line of the S.A.V.I.
Co. is the chief source of power, though steam power is also used. This
mill makes an excellent flour, cornmeal and food stuffs, utilizing so
far as possible the products of the county, and the mill itself has
a wide patronage among the people of the entire valley. The output of
this splendid institution in round figures is about $250,0000 annually.
Recently much interest has centered in the possibilities that Olive
may become oil-producing territory. Engineers who have examined the
section thoroughly know no reason why the deposits of oil found at Olinda
should not be found to extend cross the canyon. The Standard Oil Co.
has faith enough in the possibility to put up a derrick and begin drilling.
It has leased several hundred acres of hill land from the Jotham Bixby
Co., and has made overtures for leases on other lands adjoining.
Olive has many pretty houses and some very handsome ones; an excellent
school, situated upon "The Point," overlooking the valley;
a new German Lutheran church; a German private school; hotel, two stores
and other businesses that go to make up a village. On the railroad is
located a packing-house operated by a private firm.
Old-timers say that Olive got its name by reason of the fact that a
group of old olive trees, planted possibly three-fourths of a century
ago, grew upon the hillside. Well and good! Olives do grow most excellently
at Olive. The growing of olives was one of the first industries, perhaps,
but today Olive is a place of numerous industries. Cattle feed in the
uncultivated hills. Barley, beans, oranges, lemons, walnuts, apricots,
peaches, loquats persimmons, vegetables — oh well, name them all;
they all grow at Olive; and if versatility of horticulture and excellence
of climates amount to anything — and they certainly do —
Olive will get its share of attention in the future growth of Orange
county.
Source: Santa Ana Daily Register, 1913
(article courtesy of Gordon McClelland)
1892
| 1899 | 1913
| 1930 | 1931
| 1954 | 1963
| 1992
Olive
in 1930
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| Olive booster ad from 1930 |
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The town of Olive has many live and up-to-date
business houses, chief of which is three orange packing houses.
Olive is located right against the foothills in the center of the frostless
Valencia section, surrounded by many beautiful orange groves.
The Olive Improvement Association is composed of its leading citizens
and business people, who work for the best interests of the community.
Adjacent to Olive is one of the largest tile and brick plants in the
county, that does a thriving business.
The shipment of fruit from this district runs into several hundred carloads
of citrus fruits, the value of which runs into the million dollar mark.
The ladies of the Lutheran church have a live society which serves dinners
and is a social factor in the community.
The Parent-Teacher Association is another live organization of the community.
Olive has two fine schools, one the Olive Grammar school and the Lutheran
Parochial.
The following merchants and business men contributed to publish this
booster page: A.C. Fletcher, First National Bank, Mission Clay Products
Co., Olive Bakery, Olive Pharmacy, Olive Department Store, Olive Mercantile
Co., Olive Meat Market, Olive Heights Citrus Association, Art Middlebrook,
Olive Garage, Olive Hillside Groves, Olive Cafe.
Source: "'The Gateway to Santa Ana
Canyon' Extends Greetings to All, and Bids You Welcome to the
Orange County Fair," Orange Cal. Daily News, Orange County Fair
Edition, 1930 (ad from the collection of Sherman Library & Gardens)
1892
| 1899 | 1913
| 1930 | 1931
| 1954 | 1963
| 1992
Olive
in 1931
Olive is a new town built on the site of
an old settlement. It was one of the three oldest settlements in the
confines of the county, and was the original Santa Ana, or one of them.
The settlement that we now call Yorba was then called Upper Santa Ana,
and the little settlement at Olive was Lower Santa Ana.
But all vestige of this early settlement has disappeared. Not even a
wall of the old buildings is now to be seen to remind us of the past,
and a new settlement of entirely different character has taken its place.
The last of the old Yorba family to live there was one of the Burruels,
a son-in-law of Don Teodosio Yorba, with his family. The point on the
hill was named for him, and the place went by the name of Burruel Point,
until the present town of Olive was started during the boom of the 1880s.
From the old orchard of the Yorbas, which was of deciduous fruits and
olives, there remained a few old olive trees. These gave the name, which
was first Olive Point, afterwards shortened to Olive.
Some time after the founding of the town of Olive, there was built a
flouring mill, which was run by water-power from the canal of the Santa
Ana Valley Irrigation Company. This mill was owned and operated by local
business men of the county for a number of years, but was sold to the
Central Milling Company, who operated it for a few years. Now it is
abandoned. Olive has two tile factories which are putting out a good
product. It is on the Santa Fe line that runs through the Santa Ana
Canyon. The town, which has a population of 250, is now in the center
of orange groves.
Source: History of Orange County California:
Volume I, by Mrs. J.E. Pleasants, Los Angeles, CA: J.R. Finnell &
Sons Publishing Co., 1931 (from the collection of Sherman Library &
Gardens)
1892
| 1899 | 1913
| 1930 | 1931
| 1954 | 1963
| 1992
Olive,
July 18, 1954
The town Olive, gateway to Santa Ana Canyon,
is a community of beautiful homes set on the hills above the town. Scarlet
and magenta bougainvillea drape the hillsides. The Olive Civic Center
is nucleus for social and community affairs and is located near the
modern Olive Elementary school of which it is a part. The county library
branch is located in the building.
Two large packing plants, Olive Hillside Groves and the Olive Heights
Citrus Assn., are located in the town and last year 873 cars of citrus
fruit were shipped from the Santa Fe station.
The wholesale vegetable plant of Lawrence Kokx is located near the Santa
Fe tracks and large shipments of cabbage, tomatoes and corn are sent
out in seasonal shipments.
For many years the Santa Fe station has been a shipping point for cattle
and corrals have been located near the depot to fence shipments. Cattle
are shipped when half-grown from other states—including Oklahoma
and Colorado—and are handled by the Nohl ranch six miles up the
canyon. Some of the cattle are fattened on the ranch and some shipped
to Montana and other places.
St. Paul's Lutheran Church is located in Olive and the church has a
social hall and church school.
The Mission Clay Works has been in operation for many years, now manufacturing
pipe and at various times making tiles, bricks and urns and vases.
A new industry recently was established in the old Olive Flour Mill,
a concern assembling collapsible trailers. The mill has been used as
a grapefruit juice cannery and for other industries.
Source: "Olive County's Gateway To
Santa Ana Canyon: A Community Of Homes Set On Hillside," The Register,
Santa Ana, Cal., Sunday, July 18, 1954 (article from the collection
of Orange Public Library History Center)
1892
| 1899 | 1913
| 1930 | 1931
| 1954 | 1963
| 1992
Olive,
1963
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| Orange-Olive Road at Lincoln Ave.
in the late 1960s, looking east |
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The oldest community in Orange County, excepting
San Juan Capistrano, is the village now called Olive.
Like most boomtowns of the '80's, Olive went dormant until the 1920's
when a second mild boom drifted through the village. A bank was opened,
new store buildings were erected, a fruit-packing house and a tile plant
were opened, and real estate values moved upward to what they were in
1888. During the depression years the bank closed, the packing house
stopped operating, and but a few stores stayed in business. In 1958
a fire wiped out most of the business district.
At the present time, Olive is going through a new revival. Subdivisions
in and around the town are extending the residential area and the future
of the rural community is bright. The population is approximately 1000.
Source: Vol. 2., The Historical Volume
and Reference Works: Orange County, Whittier, CA: Historical Publishers,
1963 (from the collection of Sherman Library & Gardens)
1892
| 1899 | 1913
| 1930 | 1931
| 1954 | 1963
| 1992
Olive,
March 16, 1992
The fading hulk of a former orange-packing
plant. A splendid Victorian hilltop mansion. Venerable olive trees.
Like children playing hide and seek, bits and pieces of the past peek
from the corners of Olive, a tiny, unincorporated pocket of Orange County
bordered roughly by Lincoln Avenue, Eisenhower Park, Bixby Avenue and
Orange-Olive Road.
An article in the Orange Daily News on May 10, 1923, described
Olive as "a gem city nestling in the foothills, its brow tenderly
caressed by the golden California sun."
Residents now describe it as a cozy enclave with picket fences and stone
walls—a place where the crowing of roosters and clanging of church
bells aren't drowned out by the din of traffic.
There are no sidewalks. No street lights. No sewers.
From the top of the hill, the area's early settlers could look out over
a vast expanse of orange groves.
What residents see now from the peak are the rooftops of houses, apartments
and shopping centers.
Population: about 600; size: 37 acres; topography: olive trees, pepper
trees, and narrow, hilly streets; location: surrounded by Orange, its
boundaries are roughly Lincoln Avenue, Orange-Olive Road, Eisenhower
Park and Bixby Avenue.
Source: "Past is preserved in Olive:
Artifacts may be new link to history," by Gina Shaffer, The Orange
County Register, March 16, 1992 (article from the collection of Orange
Public Library History Center)
1892
| 1899 | 1913
| 1930 | 1931
| 1954 | 1963
| 1992
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