 If the walls
of this historic courthouse could speak, the stories they would tell!
Built in 1900, the Old Orange County Courthouse is a historical landmark.
Architect C.I. Strange, received the commission to build this photo perfect
property after placing 2nd in a contest. It seems he won the contract when
it was discovered that the first place recipient had bribed county supervisors
in order to win. California Museums
The building lost a tower
in a 1933 earthquake but most of the 3-story red stone building is original.
It's oak columns, marble stairs and wrought iron rails are conducive to
sound, which echoes throughout the halls of this monument to time.
Silent film star Bebe Daniels was
tried here after racing her sports car through the Santa Anta streets at
a whopping 56 miles per hour in 1921. In 1951 the McCracken
child molestation/murder case was televised from here.
Hollywood took notice and began
making films such as:
Compulsion
with Orson Welles
Norma Rae
with Sally Field
Gideon's Trumpet
with Henry Fonda
Frances
with Jessica Lange
Family Matters series,
Jaleel White "Urkel" |
1959
1979
1979
1982
1990s |
Admission to the old courthouse
is free and tours are self-guided, except for Tuesdays from 10AM-2PM,
beginning at the third floor lobby rotunda. Open Monday-Friday, 9AM-5PM.
Location: 211 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana
SANTA ANA
 |
