• Free Lecture: News Stories of Early Fullerton!

    I’ll be giving a free lecture this Friday, May 5 at ModelMania during the Downtown Fullerton Art Walk. The subject of my talk will be “News Stories of Early Fullerton.” The Local History Room of the Fullerton Public Library has microfilm from the Fullerton Tribune newspaper stretching back to 1893. I am in the process of reading…

  • Fullerton Tribune Headlines: 1904

    The following is from a work-in-progress about the history of Fullerton. You can support my ongoing research and writing on Patreon. The Local History Room of the Fullerton Public Library has microfilm from the Fullerton Tribune newspaper stretching back to 1893. I am in the process of reading over the microfilm, year by year, to get…

  • Remembering the 1970 Student Strike at CSUF

    Remembering the 1970 Student Strike at CSUF

    The following is from a work-in-progress about the history of Fullerton. You can support my ongoing research and writing on Patreon. In the Spring semester of 1970, in the midst of the Vietnam War and growing student movements across the country, a minor revolution happened locally involving thousands of student protesters, riot police, violence, the takeover…

  • Oral Histories: Jewel Plummer Cobb

    Oral Histories: Jewel Plummer Cobb

    The following is from a work-in-progress about the history of Fullerton. You can support my ongoing research and writing on Patreon. “Be kind, everyone is fighting a hard battle.” –Jewel Plummer Cobb In an age when young people tend to idolize celebrities, and ignore those making real contributions to the world, it is refreshing to hear…

  • Oral Histories: George Mickle

    The following is from a work-in-progress about the history of Fullerton. You can support my ongoing research and writing on Patreon. In 1978, George Mickle was interviewed by Anne Riley for the Fullerton College Oral History Program. Mickle was a groundskeeper for Fullerton Union High School and Fullerton College from 1926 until 1941. Here are some…

  • Oral Histories: Charlotte “Polly” Gobar Snyder

    The following is from a work-in-progress about the history of Fullerton. You can support my ongoing research and writing on Patreon. Charlotte “Polly” Gobar Snyder was interviewed in 1981 for the Fullerton College Oral History Program. Here are some highlights from this interview.  She was born in Durand, Wisconsin around 1899. Her father was Dr. Frank…

  • Fullerton Tribune: 1903 Headlines

    The following is from a work-in-progress about the history of Fullerton. You can support my ongoing research and writing on Patreon. The Local History Room of the Fullerton Public Library has microfilm from the Fullerton Tribune newspaper stretching back to 1893. I am in the process of reading over the microfilm, year by year, to get…

  • Oral Histories: Orla Jencks

    The following is from a work-in-progress about the history of Fullerton. You can support my ongoing research and writing on Patreon. Orla Jencks was interviewed in 1971 by Anne Riley for the Fullerton College Oral History Program. Here are some highlights from this interview, along with some historic photos of things he mentions. He was born…

  • Photographs (Then and Now): Harbor and Commonwealth 1889/2023

    The following is from a work-in-progress about the history of Fullerton. You can support my ongoing research and writing on Patreon. For this series of posts, I will find a historic photo of Fullerton and then juxtapose it with a photo of the same subject matter today, from approximately the same angle. For this first post,…

  • Oral Histories: Anthony Ondaro

    The following is from a work-in-progress about the history of Fullerton. You can support my ongoing research and writing on Patreon. Anthony Ondaro (of Brea) was interviewed in 1971 by Sonia Eagle Dias for the CSUF Oral History program. Here’s what I learned from reading this interview, with some historical context provided by the excellent web…