Travis Erwin suggested this My Town Monday meme, so I'm giving it a whirl today.HOMETOWN: Anaheim, California
POPULATION -- 345,556 as of 2007. Anaheim is the 10th largest city in California and the 54th largest in the United States.
YOU SHOULD THINK OF MY TOWN WHEN ... you think of Disneyland. We're the only town in Orange County with our very own (fake) mountain. The park dominates the town in more ways than one.
ONE MUST SEE IF YOU VISIT -- Disney's California Adventure. There are other Magic Kingdom's around the world, but only one California Adventure.
ONE PLACE YOU SHOULD AVOID -- any filling station near the Disneyland Resort. Drive a few miles away into a residential area and you'll find cheaper gasoline.
FAMOUS RESIDENT -- Mickey Mouse who now lives in Toon Town.
RENOWNED ATHLETE -- pitcher Nolan Ryan of the Anaheim Angels, among other team players. Ryan threw four of seven no-hitters while he was with the Angels in the 1970's.
I couldn't think of anything in the "WITHOUT MY TOWN, THE WORLD WOULD NOT HAVE" category, so I'm substituting:
BIGGEST DISASTER... The Palm Lane Fire of 1982.
The fire started when high winds from a Santa Ana condition downed electrical lines. The flames spread, spread by the dry winds, and destroyed an entire block of apartment houses plus some other homes. Most of them had wood shake roofs which were banned afterwards because of their flammability. The fire started early in the day, just a few blocks from the home I now share with my husband. At the time, he lived there with his brother. Neither of them went to work that day. They stayed home, hosing the roof with water and watching the smoke. The fire got to within a block or two of our house before it was put out. We now have a class A roof instead of the wood shake.
I LIVE IN MY TOWN BECAUSE ... my husband already lived here when we married.
I MIGHT LEAVE ON DAY BECAUSE ... the neighborhood is changing and not for the better.
Linda
My Town Monday comes to us via Travis Erwin. Thanks, Travis! Click out his site to read his latest post and find links to the other participants.
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23 comments:
I've been to your town! We've visited Disneyland a few times with family (my sister lives outside of LA), and my favorite part is when Tinkerbell flies over the castle at night. So corny, but it thrills me every time.
We have Nolan Ryan in common, too--he played for the Texas Rangers for a while.
Good post. Even though I have never and probably will never visit any of the Disney habitats. I have never understood the popularity of wood shake roofs in California.
Hi Linda,
Very informative. I am not a Disney person myself, but you give us a good idea of what it's like to live near one of the parks.
Terrie
very cool!
We lived in CA when I was a kid, and I loved when having guests meant- oh darn- another trip to Disneyland. I have fond memories of that mountain... From way back when an E ticket meant something.
I've been to Disney World but never Disneyland. Though I have been to Anaheim and Orange County. Maybe I'll make it back one of these days.
I've also never been to any Disney thing (except the Disney store many moons ago----where too cheerful and perky people were everywhere!).
My son-in-law grew up there. He never thinks to put a coat on so it must be an ideal place weather-wise.
I didn't know that Milo Ventimiglia was born in Anaheim?
Britta, glad you enjoyed your visits to Anaheim.
Reb, I don't get the popularity of wood shake either. It's rustic looking, but safety should come first!
Terrie, forgot to mention the nightly sound of the fireworks during the summer, lol. A constant reminder.
Clare, ah, yes, I remember the ticket books. I bet there's a lot of people now who don't know where the "e-ticket ride" comment came from.
Hope you make it back to Disneyland sometime, Travis.
Debra, oh, yes, cheerful and perky are job requirements, I think. ;)
Linda
Patti, that's so typical of native Californians (not wearing a coat). I think when you grow up in a place where no one ever freezes to death, you just don't get that someone actually could. It never gets very cold here, maybe a dip into the upper 30's once in a while in the winter, but basically daytime temps range from the 50's through the 90's year round here in the OC. So yeah, weather-wise, it's great.
Shirley, I'm pretty sure Milo V. was born in Anaheim. It said so on the Internet, plus I remember seeing an article about him in an official city magazine last year.
Linda
I think I've heard of that famous resident of yours! I've never been to Califonia and think it's time to take a trip to check out the west coast Disney.
The many times I have been to California I loved it! And I have been to Disneyland, twice; the second better than the first as I was older and more sensible about what rides I wanted to go on. No mountain rides for me.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Linda.
Hey Linda, I get such a kick out of seeing the Matterhorn from the 5. I seem to find an excuse to get to Disneyland every couple of years. It's wholesome and wonderful.
There I go, accidentally leaving anonymous comments-- Kathleen
Oh yummy Peter Patrelli, my favorite! I remember E tickets. At an antique swapmeet I came across a couple of the old books. I had to explain to my friend who grew up in Texas about the E ticket saying. She never knew where it came from! Great post!
David, hope you can make it to the West Coast sometime. There's lots to see and do out here.
Barbara, lots of people agree about the roller coasters, but I still love 'em. I may have to see the chiropractor the next day, though. ;)
Kathleen, I usually recognize your anonymous comments!
Beth, Peter is one of my favorite heroes, too. It must have been fun to find the old ticket book. If it was typical, all the e-tickets were gone. I always came away with A tickets (how many times can you ride the caroussel?) but never any E tickets!
Linda
I've been to Disney in Florida three times already, but I've never been to Disney in California. You make me want to do there... with a full tank of gas. lol.
So sad about the neighborhood changing. It happens too often and in too many places. If people would only take pride in what they have and where they live (or move into), just think how wonderful our neighborhoods could be. So sad.
~Debbie
Debbie, it's a long drive to California. And our Disney Resort is a lot smaller than Disneyworld in Florida. There's a lot of other things to see and do here, though.
I think part of the problem with the neighborhood is the changing job situation. We used to have a lot of good-paying defense industry jobs around here, but no more. It doesn't help we're just down the street from a continuation school and the kids hang out and smoke meth on our corner. Sigh.
Linda
Linda, your comment, the neighborhood is changing, and not for the better-- funny how a neighborhood changes back again. -Kathleen
Thanks for the tip about gas prices.
Barrie, it's a good idea anywhere to look for a gas station that's a little off the beaten path, say a few blocks or more off the freeway. The prices are often lower, or so I've observed.
Glad you enjoyed your trip to Toronto.
Linda
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