History of Anaheim Hills
In 1970, the city of Anaheim decided to create the community of Anaheim Hills. It was an awe-inspiring success and the homes were sold out in just two years.
However, the history of Anaheim Hills extends back nearly two centuries. As with any overnight success, the road was longer than it first may appear.
The Yorba Family
Anaheim Hills was once part of the land granted to Jose' Antonio Yorba and his nephew Juan Pablo Peralta in July 1810. Yorba's land totaled 210,000 acres and was called Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana.
The Yorba family used much of this land in the Santa Ana Canyon area to raise livestock and to plant a large orchard and vineyard. Confirmation of the Yorba and Peralta grants came in June 1884 by patent decree of the United States District Court. The original Yorba lands were partitioned in 1868 to Andrew Glassell and A.B. Chapman and by 1885 the Jotham Bixby family had also acquired interest in the southeastern side of the Santa Ana Canyon.
Nohl Ranch
On October 6, 1943, Mr. and Mrs. Louis E. Nohl were granted a deed to the Bixby properties in the Santa Ana Canyon area. The 5,800 acres then known as the Nohl Ranch was used as pasture and grazing land for 1,100 head of cattle and also to raise avocados and approximately 23 acres of oranges. Mr. and Mrs. Nohl raised their family in a serene early Orange County farm environment. Dips in the Santa Ana Valley Irrigation Co. canal were memorable summer evening events. As north Orange County development began to explode in the 1960s, the value of grazing lands diminished compared to the immediate cash value for future home sites.
By the late 1960s, the Nohl family had already begun to sell small parcels of property for development by the cities of Orange and Anaheim. Anaheim, again seeking more water storage, dedicated a 920-million gallon reservoir and filtration plant in the Nohl Ranch Hills in April 1970. Finally, on October 30, 1970, 4,200 acres of the Nohl Ranch were deeded to Santa Anita Consolidated, Inc., with the intent to create a new planned community named Anaheim Hills. The city of Anaheim soon purchased 300 additional acres of the Nohl Ranch for a tournament-class golf course and park sites.
Expansion
A joint venture created by Texaco Ventures, Inc., and Anaheim Hills, Inc., was deeded the property for residential development purposes by August 1971. The general plan for developing Anaheim Hills called for constructing some of the finest homes in Orange County. The first neighborhood opened was Westridge in July 1972, selling out all 325 homes by early 1975. Residential development continued to grow as new neighborhoods were constructed by a variety of quality developers. Architectural integrity and landscape maintenance became the responsibilities of the Anaheim Hill Planned Community Association, a homeowner association that has oversight of these decisions. By the early 1980s, the population of this Anaheim community had grown to more than 15,000 residents.
The expansion of these affluent neighborhoods continued with Anaheim annexing the Bauer, Oak Hills and Wallace ranches for redevelopment in the mid 1980s adding another 1,300 acres to the city. Anaheim Hills offers the residents a wide variety of recreational opportunities including a tennis club, saddle club, riding and hiking trails, a variety of parks including a nature center as well as commercial shopping centers and places of worship. Public educational facilities are provided by the Orange County Unified School District and include elementary, middle school and high school campuses.
The developers of Anaheim Hills have been dedicated to preserving the natural environment of the ranch as much as possible during residential development. Long standing groves of sycamore, oak, eucalyptus and other indigenous trees have been bypassed during construction. Nearly 1,000 acres of land have already been dedicated to public agencies to ensure that this community maintains an atmosphere of natural beauty.
The City of Anaheim
Anaheim bears the distinction of being the first planned community in Southern California. In 1857, the community began with just 1,165 acres designated for city lots, housing and vineyards. The local economy centered around agriculture.
Today, the city of Anaheim has grown to cover most of the north Orange County Santa Ana River floodplain and a large portion of Santa Ana Canyon's southeastern slope.
This southeastern slope is the area now known as Anaheim Hills.
After World War II, Anaheim began a progressive growth eastward. New home development began to replace Valencia orange groves, which had depreciated in value. The residents voted to annex an additional 225 acres into their community in March 1946, extending the city limits from the original East Street to what is now known as State College Avenue. This annexation was the beginning of many to follow, and it signaled the end of Anaheim's economic dependence upon agriculture. The new Anaheim would be a modern residential, commercial and entertainment center.
Disneyland Construction
It was after Disneyland opened in 1955 that Anaheim's cheap land, low housing costs and low interest rates fueled a boom unlike any seen in Southern California before. The population grew from 14,556 in 1950 to over 104,000 ten years later. The civic leaders of Anaheim attracted the modern defense industry by setting aside an industrial zone in the northeastern part of the city. A company called Autonetics, which later became known as Rockwell International, moved to Anaheim in 1959 and became one of the city's largest employers. The community responded to this influx with more residential development and further eastward growth. The limits were pushed to the Santa Ana River by the early 1960s, then across the river into the Olive Hills.
As its population exploded, Anaheim worked out a land exchange with the city of Orange so it could build a much needed 60-million-gallon reservoir. The site for this reservoir was purchased from rancher Louis Nohl, cementing Anaheim's stake in the future development of the Nohl Ranch area.
Anaheim Hills Today
Today, after two centuries in the making, our distinguished community continues to grow. By the year 2008, the population of Anaheim Hills is expected to reach 100,000. We have shopping, dining, entertainment and modern conveniences within just minutes of our homes. We enjoy the lowest crime rate in the City and one of the lowest in all of Orange County. Our exclusive community environment provides us with a safe and quiet place to call home.
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