Tustin, Ca

History Of Tustin, California
Tustin is a city that is proud of its small-town heritage. Although it is growing in population, city officials and
residents want to hold on to the city’s old-fashioned atmosphere.The story of Tustin begins with the land itself. It
is situated on the floodplain of the Santa Ana River and its tributary, Santiago Creek, south and west of the
Santa Ana Mountains. The most prominent landmark in the Tustin area is a hill known as “Red Hill” which is 347
feet high. The soil on Red Hill turned red when ancient volcanic activity deposited cinnabarite (mercury) in the
sandstone hill. The Native Americans than inhabited the Tustin area prior to the Spaniards called the hill
“Katuktu” defined as “Hill of Prominence” or “Place of Refuge”.Tustin was founded in 1868 by Columbus Tustin,
a Philadelphia farmer and entrepreneur. But the town’s growth was rather slow compared with neighboring Santa
Ana and Orange. It took nearly 60 years before the predominantly farming community grew to 500 residents and
incorporated.In the early days, what was then called “Tustin City” lived in the shadows of Santa Ana. But many
Tustin residents did not seem to mind. They cherished their citrus and eucalyptus trees, the view of nearby hills
and the small-town atmosphere.The trees eventually gave way to development as houses, shops and industrial
sites sprang up. In 1942, the US Navy established a base for use of blimps for antisubmarine patrols. The US
Marine Corps took over the base in 1951, and until it’s recent closure, was used as a helicopter air station.The
Tustin Historical Society looks for artifacts from the city’s pioneer days and the city is continuously working to
preserve old buildings through strict laws regulation demolition of historic structures.
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