Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a population of 336,265, making it the most populous city in Orange County and the 10th most populous city in California. Anaheim is the second largest city in Orange County in terms of land area (after Irvine) and is known for its theme parks, sports teams, and convention center.

Anaheim was founded by fifty German families in 1857 and incorporated as the second city in Los Angeles County on March 18, 1876. The city developed into an industrial center, producing electronics, aircraft parts and canned fruit. It is the site of the Disneyland Resort, a world-famous grouping of theme parks and hotels which opened in 1955, Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Honda Center and the Anaheim Convention Center.

Anaheim's city limits extend from Cypress in the west to the Riverside County line in the east and encompass a diverse collection of neighborhoods and communities. Anaheim Hills is a master-planned community located in the city's eastern stretches that is home to many sports stars and executives. Downtown Anaheim has three mixed-use historic districts, the largest of which is the Anaheim Colony. The Anaheim Resort, a commercial district, includes Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and numerous hotels and retail complexes. The Platinum Triangle, a neo-urban redevelopment district surrounding Angel Stadium, is planned to be populated with mixed-use streets and high-rises. Finally, Anaheim Canyon is an industrial district north of SR 91 and east of SR 57.

History

Anaheim in 1879

Anaheim's name is a blend of "Ana", after the nearby Santa Ana River, and "heim", a common German language place name compound originally meaning "home".

The city of Anaheim was founded in 1857 by 50 German-Americans who were residents of San Francisco and whose families had originated in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Franconia in Bavaria.^{[citation needed]} After traveling through the state looking for a suitable area to grow grapes, the group decided to purchase a 1,165 acres (4.71 km²) parcel from Juan Pacifico Ontiveros' large Rancho San Juan Cajon de Santa Ana in present day Orange County for $2 per acre.

For $750 a share, the group formed the Anaheim Vineyard Company. Their new community was named Annaheim, meaning "home by the Santa Anna River" in German. The name later was altered to Anaheim. To the Spanish-speaking neighbors, the settlement was known as Campo Alem%uFFFDn (English: German Field).

Anaheim in 1890

Although grape and wine-making was their primary objective, the majority of the 50 settlers were mechanics, carpenters and craftsmen with no experience in wine-making. The community set aside 40 acres for a town center and a school was the first building erected there. The first home was built in 1857, the Anaheim Gazette newspaper was established in 1870 and a hotel in 1871. For 25 years, the area was the largest wine producer in California. However, in 1884, a disease infected the grape vines and by the following year the entire industry was destroyed. Other crops %uFFFD walnuts, lemons and oranges %uFFFD soon filled the void. Fruits and vegetables had become viable cash crops when the Los Angeles %uFFFD Orange County region was connected to the continental railroad network in 1887.

Anaheim High School, ca.1900

The famous Polish actress Helena Modjeska settled in Anaheim with her husband and various friends, among them Henryk Sienkiewicz, Julian Sypniewski and Lucjan Paprocki. While living in Anaheim, Helena Modjeska became good friends with Clementine Langenberger, the second wife of August Langenberger. Helena Street and Clementine Street are named after these two ladies, and the streets are located adjacent to each other as a symbol of the strong friendship which Helena Modjeska and Clementine Lagenberger shared. Modjeska Park in West Anaheim, is also named after Helena Modjeska.

Anaheim in 1922

During the first half of the 20th century, before Disneyland opened its doors to the public, Anaheim was a massive rural community inhabited by orange groves, and the landowners who farmed them. One of the landowners was Bennett Payne Baxter, who owned much land in northeast Anaheim that today is the location of Angel Stadium, He came up with many new ideas for irrigating orange groves and shared his ideas with other landowners. He was not only successful, he helped other landowners and businesspeople succeed as well. Ben Baxter and other landowners helped to make Anaheim a thriving rural community before Disneyland changed the city forever. Today, a street runs along Edison Park which is named Baxter Street. Also during this time, Rudolph Boysen served as Anaheim's first Park Superintendent from 1921 to 1950. Boysen created a hybrid berry which Walter Knott later named the boysenberry, after Rudy Boysen. Boysen Park in East Anaheim was also named after him.

Aerial view of Anaheim and Disneyland in 1965

The Disneyland theme park was constructed in Anaheim from July 16, 1954 to July 17, 1955, and opened to the public on July 17, 1955. From this day, it has become one of the world's most visited tourist attractions, with over 650 million visitors since its grand opening. The location was formerly 160 acres (0.65 km²) of orange and walnut trees, some of which remain inside Disneyland property. Hotels and motels began to spread and residential districts soon followed, with increasing property values. In 2001, Disney's California Adventure, since renamed Disney California Adventure Park in 2010, the most expansive project in the theme park's history, opened to the public.

During the large expansion of the Disneyland resort in the 1990s, the city of Anaheim recognized the Anaheim Resort area as a tourist destination. It includes the Disneyland Resort, the Anaheim Convention Center, the Honda Center, and Angel Stadium. In 2007, the city celebrated its sesquicentennial.

Geography

Anaheim is located at 33%uFFFD50'10?N 117%uFFFD53'23?W? / ?33.836165%uFFFDN 117.889769%uFFFDW. and is approximately 25 miles (40 km) south east of Downtown Los Angeles.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 50.8 square miles (132 km²). 49.8 square miles (129 km²) of it is land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km²) of it (1.92%) is water.

The current federal Office of Management and Budget metropolitan designation for Orange County is "Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA".

Cityscape

The city recognizes several districts, including the Anaheim Resort (the area surrounding Disneyland), Anaheim Canyon (an industrial area north of the Riverside Freeway and east of the Orange Freeway), and the Platinum Triangle (the area surrounding Angel Stadium). Anaheim Hills also maintains a distinct identity.

Panorama of part of East Anaheim in the Santa Ana Canyon

Communities and neighborhoods

The Anaheim Convention Center

Downtown Anaheim is located in the heart of the Colony Historic District. Downtown is the administrative heart of the city where you find City Hall, Anaheim West Tower, Anaheim Police Headquarters, the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce and the Main Library. Anaheim Ice (formerly Disney Ice), the Downtown Anaheim Farmer's Market, a food hall in a historic 1919 Sunkist packing house, and the Center Street Promenade are also located in Downtown Anaheim. In the Fall of 2007, The Muzeo, the newest major museum in Orange County, opened its doors for the first time and is located next to Anaheim West Tower. Pearson Park is also located in Downtown Anaheim, and is named after Charles Pearson, who was Mayor of Anaheim during the time Walt Disney opened Disneyland in Anaheim. One of the major attractions located in Pearson Park is the Pearson Park Amphitheater. In the Colony Historic District just west of Downtown Anaheim is the Mother Colony House, which was built by George Hanson and was the first house built in Anaheim, the Founder of Anaheim. Today, it is Anaheim's and Orange County's oldest museum still open to the public. The Stoffel House is a Victorian Mansion located next door to the Mother Colony House. Originally the Victorian Home was occupied by the Stoffel Family, early pioneer residents of Anaheim. The home served as headquarters for the local Red Cross until the early 1990s. In 2010%uFFFD2011, the Woelke-Stoeffel house became refurnished and is now part of the Founder's Park complex. Founder's Park includes the Mother Colony house and a carriage house, which serves as a museum of Anaheim's agricultural history. These three buildings are open every first Saturday from 9 to 12 pm.

Climate

Like many other South Coast cities, Anaheim maintains a Mediterranean climate, enjoying warm winters and hot summers.

Economy

Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland during the park's 50th anniversary celebration

Anaheim is based on a tourism economy, meaning that tourism is its main source of income. In addition to The Walt Disney Company being the city's largest employer, the Disneyland Resort itself contributes about $4.7 billion annually to Southern California's economy. It also produces $255 million in taxes every year. Another source of tourism is the Anaheim Convention Center, which is home to many important national conferences. Many hotels, especially in the city's Resort district, serve theme park tourists and conventiongoers.

The Anaheim Canyon business park makes up 63% of Anaheim's industrial space and is the largest industrial district in Orange County. Anaheim Canyon is also home to the second largest business park in Orange County. Anaheim Canyon houses 2,600 businesses, which employ over 55,000 workers

Several notable companies have corporate offices and/or headquarters within Anaheim.

Top employers

According to the City's 2012 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Retail

Larger retail centers include the power centers Anaheim Plaza in western Anaheim (347,000 ft2), and Anaheim Town Square in East Anaheim (374,000 ft2), as well as the Anaheim GardenWalk lifestyle center (440,000 ft2 of retail, dining and entertainment located in the Anaheim Resort).

Attractions

• Adventure City
• Anaheim GardenWalk
• Anaheim Convention Center, Largest convention center on West Coast
• Angel Stadium of Anaheim
• Battle of the Dance dinner theater (closed in 2012)
• Disneyland Resort
  • Disneyland
  • Disney California Adventure Park
  • Downtown Disney
    • ESPN Zone
    • House of Blues
• The Grove of Anaheim, formerly the Sun Theater, formerly Tinseltown Studios
• Honda Center, formerly the "Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim"
• Anaheim Ice, Public rink for 6,000 skaters per week
• American Sports Centers, Home of U.S. Men%uFFFDs National Volleyball Team
• Flightdeck Flight Simulation Center
• Anaheim Hills Golf Course
• Dad Miller Golf Course
• Oak Canyon Nature Center
• MUZEO, Art Museum located in Downtown Anaheim
• Anaheim/OC Walk of Stars

Sports teams

Street banners promoting the Mighty Ducks, now the Ducks and Angels.

Current teams

• NHL team: Anaheim Ducks %uFFFD 2007 Stanley Cup Champions
• MLB team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim %uFFFD 2002 World Series Champions
• AFL team: Los Angeles Kiss

Defunct teams

• NLL team: Anaheim Storm (Folded after 2004%uFFFD2005 season because of low attendance)
• NFL team: Los Angeles Rams played in Anaheim from 1980 through 1994 before moving to their current home of St. Louis.
• World Football League team: The Southern California Sun played at Anaheim Stadium from 1974%uFFFD1975.
• Arena Football League team: Anaheim Piranhas played at the Arrowhead Pond from 1994 to 1997.
• Roller Hockey International team: Anaheim Bullfrogs played in the RHI from 1993 to 1997 and 1999, winning the Murphy Cup Championship twice.
• American Basketball Association team: Anaheim Amigos played at the Anaheim Convention Center during the 1967%uFFFD68 Season, then moved to Los Angeles.
• ABA2000 team: Southern California Surf played at the Anaheim Convention Center from 2001%uFFFD2002.
• NBADL team: Anaheim Arsenal played at the Anaheim Convention Center from 2006%uFFFD2009. The team moved to Springfield, Massachusetts and was renamed for the 2009%uFFFD2010 season.
• World Team Tennis: The Anaheim Oranges played in 1978.
• Continental Indoor Soccer League Team: The Anaheim Splash, played from 1994 to 1997.
• California Surf of the now defunct North American Soccer League played from 1978 to 1981.

Court battle against the Angels

Angel Stadium of Anaheim in 2003.