Tustin Area Historical Society

05/09/2026

We are proud to announce a new book from one of our wonderful historians/researchers. Tim Zierer has written a 300+ page book documenting 33 of our earliest residents who traveled 3000+ miles across the county, looking for a better life. (Family photos included.)

The book, Civil War Veterans of Tustin, California, is available through the Tustin Area Historical Society, Amaon.com, and Barnes & Noble.

https://tustinhistory.com/product/civil_war_veterans/

The American Civil War raged for four years and when it was over, more than 700,000 Americans were dead. There was hardly a family in the country that had not been touched by the conflict. The thirty-three Civil War veterans profiled in this book fought on many of the war's major battlefields, inclu...

04/10/2026

Glenn Sissel's innovative approach as Police Chief led to the implementation of numerous policies and departments that continue to benefit Tustin today, and his contributions were acknowledged as he was named Tustin’s Man of the Year in 1963. Hear his fascinating story on our Fairhaven Cemetery tour tomorrow morning.

04/09/2026

Undersheriff Robert Squires was the first Orange County Peace Officer to be fatally shot in the line of duty during a shootout with the notorious Tomato Springs Bandit. He was laid to rest at Fairhaven Memorial Park. Come and hear his story.

04/08/2026

Tustin’s history is well documented with our first Police Chief John Stanton. Say hello to our 2nd Chief of Police Jack Claborn! Chief Claborn also handled the duties of license collector and street superintendent! Join us on Saturday at our Fairhaven Cemetery Tour! We are still planning it- even if it’s raining. Law Enforcement doesn’t take the day off for rain so we aren’t either!

04/06/2026

This is Orange County’s first Sheriff, Richard Harris. Fun fact (well not for him)…He once accidentally shot himself in the leg because he didn’t know how to use his pistol! Come and learn about Sheriff Harris at our free Fairhaven Cemetery tour this Saturday, April 11th.

04/05/2026

Join us on Saturday, April 11th at 10am for a free walking tour at Fairhaven Cemetery, when we honor several Tustin Police Chiefs and notable Orange County Sheriffs. Come and hear about TPD Chief “Big John” Stanton, Tustin’s first police chief, who worked out of his home, and was the only police officer in our city for 14 years!

04/03/2026

Do you delight in tales of days gone by or have a passion for preserving and sharing the legacy of Tustin?

Well, the Tustin Area Historical Society invites you to attend an orientation on Saturday, April 18th to become one of our volunteers - maybe as a Tustin Area Museum guide, helping to preserve some of our artifacts & archives, or working with us when we are part of community events and exhibits.

No experience is required - just a desire to help. Call us at 714 731-5701 for more information or to RSVP. (Leave message if we're out of the office.)

04/02/2026

Tustin Historical Society Office Manager Donna Peery has a strange hobby. Whenever she finds antique photos in which the subject can be identified, she buys them, but never for the purpose of keeping them. Her hobby (more like an obsession) is to trace their family history, find their descendants and return the photo to their family members. This time, her recent find has a Tustin connection!
Meet little Arline Davis, born in 1896. Her father, Evan Davis, was in the oil business and in 1907 would build a large, 11 room house at the corner of East Palmyra and Center in Orange. Little Arline would grow up, attend college, marry Harry Beardsley and become the County Libriarian in the City of Orange. The Beardsley's would settle in Artesia, where Harry Beardsley was the manager of the Crescent Creamery and Dairy. Their only child, a daughter Patricia was born in 1932. Patricia would become the bride of Howard Sample and in 1958 would be hired as a 5th grade teacher in the Tustin Unified School District!
We are happy to share that the family of little Arline Davis has been found and the photo is being sent her great-grandson in Northern California.

03/23/2026

We thank everyone for reaching out regarding the fire at American Grub, which is located next to our museum. Fortunately, our museum's artifacts, historical photos, and documents were not damaged. We feel fortunate and blessed. Our thoughts are with American Grub and Swinging Door, our neighbors and friends, who were affected by the fire, and we hope they can reopen soon. We appreciate the quick response of OCFA and Tustin Police in containing the incident.

12/06/2025

If you're looking for a unique present for Tustin residents or expats, how about one of the Tustin Area Historical Society's books on Tustin history?

There's "Tustin, An Illustrated History", by Carol Jordan - a definitive overview of the city's history by one of our amazing historians!

Then Juanita Lovret, historian and columnist for the Tustin News for so many years, and her book, "Tustin as it once was", with lots of short-story remembrances of Tustin as she was growing up.

And then there is "Images of America: Tustin", by Guy Ball, - with over 200 photos of Tustin from the late 1800s to early 1970s. (You can purchase the book and arrange for a personal signing for your gift recipient if you want. Just call the museum.)

The Tustin Area Museum in Old Town Tustin is open from 11 to 3 pm today (Saturday) and 10 to 3 every Tuesday and Thursday. Or visit https://tustinhistory.com/store/ to order online.