Santa Ana Valley facts for kids
The Santa Ana Valley is a busy and important area located in Orange County, California. It's split right down the middle by the Santa Ana River. This valley is where you'll find many of Orange County's main business areas. Lots of well-known cities are here, including Anaheim, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Irvine, Orange, Placentia, Santa Ana, and Yorba Linda.
The Story of Santa Ana Valley
This valley got its name, Vallejo de Santa Ana, way back in 1769. This happened during an important trip led by Gaspar de Portolá. A friar named Junípero Serra was also part of this group, along with Sargeant José Antonio Yorba and José Manuel Nieto.
The closest mission, which was like an early settlement and church, to the Santa Ana Valley is Mission San Juan Capistrano. It was built east of the San Joaquin Hills, in what is now the city of San Juan Capistrano.
Old Ranches of the Valley
Long ago, big areas of land called Ranchos of California were set up in the Santa Ana Valley. These were large farms or ranches given by the government. Here are some of the famous ones in this area:
- Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana
- Rancho San Joaquin
- Rancho Lomas de Santiago
- Rancho San Juan Cajón de Santa Ana
See also
In Spanish: Valle de Santa Ana (California) para niños
