Orange County

The formerly wide-open space southeast of Los Angeles blossomed from cattle ranches into a center of citrus production by the early 20th century. Orange County separated from Los Angeles County in 1889; soon Anaheim and Santa Ana changed from farming communities to major cities while coastal communities grew beyond anyone's imagination. One of the most populous counties in the United States today, Orange County began in the mid-20th century to evolve from its bedroom-community status to bec...