We have been visiting Anaheim for most of our lives. We thought since we were here, we should learn a little of its history. We began at Muzeo, housed in Anaheim’s Carnegie Library. This 1909 building has survived two World Wars, lived through the Great Depression and withstood the threat of destruction from urban development. Today, it is the last remaining example of Andrew Carnegie’s benevolence that funded the construction of five public libraries in Orange County shortly after the turn of the century.

We strolled the historical exhibition titled Anaheim: A Walk Through Local History which provides a storehouse of artifacts that highlight the history of Anaheim and the surrounding area.
Artifacts in the exhibition range from fossil findings and ancient Indian wares to 19th-Century winery and citrus-farming tools, along with display cases filled with treasures from Anaheim and Orange County’s past. The exhibition has a unique collection of items that once belonged to the city’s founders and leaders, as well as memorabilia from Disneyland, Anaheim Stadium and other historic locations.

Many people credit Walt Disney with putting Anaheim on the map by establishing Disneyland in 1955. But a group of German immigrants marked the city's first claim to fame more than 150 years ago with wine grapes. So much history.
After history lessons, we ogled art at the 2020: A Calligraphy Exhibit. This was an exceptional collection of calligraphy pieces showcasing many hands of lettering, from traditional to contemporary styles.







Sandwiched between houses in a suburban neighborhood, Anaheim Cemetery is the oldest of Orange County’s three public graveyards. The city’s German settlers established it in 1866, buying several acres for a total of $100 so they could expand the family plots they had built on the grounds of their vineyards. I have always loved the history provided at a cemetery.
The cemetery became the final resting place for several local pioneers, including the Kraemers, for whom Kraemer Boulevard is named; the Langenbergers, Anaheim’s first pioneer family; and Dona Vincente y Serrano Sepulveda Yorba Carrillo, sister of Jose Andres Sepulveda, who owned what became the Irvine Ranch.
Rev. LP Webber is the Presbyterian clergyman who, in 1871, started the colony enterprise of Westminster. There, "he endeavored to assemble settlers who would cooperate in church, school and social matters."
Near the cemetery archway (the original entrance) is an angel perched atop a concrete monument. She heralds the grave of William Koenig, who was manager of the former Kohler & Frohling Winery in Anaheim and who died in 1911. He was the only colonist with any wine growing expertise and was instrumental in the success of this new town. His epitaph reads: “Koenig was his name / Noble was his heart / Honest toil his fame / Sadly too we part.” Interestingly, whoever engraved his marker spelled his name incorrectly, leaving the 'e' out. Wow.

Old history, old writing styles, and old friends. Old can be very good when in the right context. We had a fantastic, albeit too short, visit to Anaheim. We'll be back.