The area now known as Orange was founded in 1871 by two Los Angeles lawyers, Alfred Beck Chapman and Andrew Glassell, and was initially called “Richland”. How the city came to acquire its current name is a captivating story. The name Orange County was created to encourage immigration to the area. The name implies that oranges and other citrus fruits can thrive in the region, making it ideal for anyone who wants to move to the area for a living.
Over the years, many citrus, avocado and berry farms were established in the county, with Walter Knott's blackberry farm being one of the most remarkable spaces. This led to the growth of the community. As the community expanded, it was given the name Richland. The name was later changed from Richland to Orange when Washington declined his request for a post office.
Orange County has many Republican voters from culturally conservative Asian, American, Latino and Middle Eastern immigrant groups. Shopping in Orange County focuses on regional malls, large power plants and smaller malls. There are also significant Taiwanese, Chinese and Korean communities, particularly in western Orange County. Other Fortune 1000 companies in Orange County include Beckman Coulter in Brea, Quiksilver in Huntington Beach and Apria Healthcare Group in Lake Forest.
San Junipero Serra y Ferrer and the first members of the Portolá expedition arrived in present-day San Diego, south of present-day Orange County, in the middle and end of 1769. The majority of Orange County's population resides in one of the two shallow coastal valleys found in the watershed, the Santa Ana Valley and the Saddleback Valley. In the 1910s, Orange County agriculture was mainly focused on grain, hay and potatoes by small farmers, who accounted for 60% of the county's exports. In 1969, Richard Nixon, a native of Orange County born in Yorba Linda, became the 37th president of the United States. The city was built on the square and remained the only city in all of Orange County that was built around the square.
Cultural and entertainment facilities include the Disneyland Resort, Angel Stadium, Cathedral of Christ (formerly Crystal Cathedral), City National Grove of Anaheim, a live concert hall, Discovery Cube in Orange County, Honda Center (home of Anaheim Ducks NHL team), and Anaheim Convention Center. Orange County is bounded to the southwest by Pacific Ocean, to north by Los Angeles County, to northeast by San Bernardino County, to east by Riverside County and to southeast by San Diego County. Orange County was established when state government isolated part of Los Angeles County where it is located. The Orange County Plain Dealer (January 1898 to May 8, 1952) was a newspaper based primarily in Anaheim and successor to The Independent bought by James E.
In 1980s Orange County became second most populated county in California as population exceeded two million for first time. Some institutions that are not based in Orange County have satellite campuses such as University of Southern California, National University, Pepperdine University and Springfield College.
