Anaheim, a city most well-known for its theme parks, resorts, world class sporting activities and convention center, also has a rich and multi-cultural history. The Orange County city is a part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. It is the most heavily populated city in the county. It is the second largest city in the county in land area terms. The story of Anaheim mimics the Great American Dream that most immigrants in this great land shared and worked hard to make true. The history of Anaheim is gripping and a tale well told.
Anaheim was actually founded in 1857 by a group of about 50 German immigrant families. The Anaheim ‘Colony” as it was called then was situated near the banks of the river Santa Ana. The name comes from the Anna of the river and “heim’ which translates to home in German. Later it was modified to be named as Anaheim.
It was recognized as the second city and incorporated in the Los Angeles County on March 18 1876. The German families turned to wine making when they successfully grew grapes in the area. Within 10 years the number of wineries grew to 47 and scores of vineyards.
The Yaqui Indians hailing from Mexico were hired by these German families to work the land and dig ditches. Then they brought in Chinese labor to tend to the crops. The enterprising Chinese families quickly set up their own settlement in the Downtown area and grew rapidly. They started barber shops, tailoring shops, laundries and trading outlets. The fast growing Chinese settlement became the backbone of the flourishing trade economy of the city.
The calamitous virus attacks killed most of the vines in the 1880’s and the farmers turned to oranges to supplement their income. Slowly there was an influx of industry and the city grew fast. Fruit processing was the major industry during the early years. Anaheim was also known as the wine factory of America. Later Grapes were replaced by citrus fruits, walnuts and prunes.
There are a few sites that portray the cultural significance of the city. They should definitely feature on the sightseeing list of every tourist to this great city.
1955 was an important year in the history of Anaheim. Happy with growing grapes and Citrus fruits till now the city was thrust into the limelight with the Santa Ana (I-5) Freeway being built. Walt Disney established the legendary Disneyland in this year. Walt Disney’s Disneyland and resort put the city on the world tourism map.
Slowly the city grew into an industrial center with contributions from the electronics and aircraft parts industry. The Anaheim Convention center and Sports arenas like the Honda Center and Angel stadium have also played an important role in the growth of the area. The international sporting events are a big draw. Global events are held here and people flock here from all parts of the world to enjoy the theme parks and sports facilities.
The city has grown manifold and is the richest one in the entire Orange County. The growth of tourism is fuelled by able administration and good infrastructure. The combination of adventure, theme parks, great hotels and wonderful food has made Anaheim the most sought after vacation spot in the world. It is the dream of every child, and many an adult to visit this great city!
If you are here on business for some tradeshow, you may not find enough time to soak into the history. And the new city may get you hassled with the tradeshow preparations unless you have help at hand. Exponents knows Anaheim like no other. We can help you woo the audience here with a stunning booth. And we can take it a step further by transporting it, storing it and managing it on-site! Is that what you have been looking for? Let’s talk.