National Register of Historic Places

Old Towne Orange Historic District

Orange, Orange County, California
Listed
July 10, 1997
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
97000617

About this property

The Old Towne, Orange Historic District, also known as Downtown Orange and colloquially as The Circle, is a one-square-mile district centered around Plaza Park in Orange, California. The district contains many of the original structures built following the city's incorporation and includes Orange County's oldest operating bank. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, it is the largest National Register District in California. The Old Towne Preservation Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining the district. According to State Historic Resource Surveys, Orange has the second-largest concentration of historic buildings in the state. A list of all buildings and sites in Orange that appear in the National Register of Historic Places can be found at National Register of Historic Places listings in Orange County, California.

Location

Orange, Orange County, California
33.78604, -117.85064

Categories

TRANSPORTATIONCOMMERCEINDUSTRYAGRICULTUREARCHITECTUREEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Old Towne Orange Historic District

This page lists Old Towne Orange Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Old Towne Orange Historic District report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

St. John's Lutheran Church
Industrial
0.1 mi
First Baptist Church of Orange
Industrial
0.1 mi
Culver, C. Z., House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Ainsworth, Lewis, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Plaza, The
Listed
0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Old Towne Orange Historic District listed on the National Register?

Old Towne Orange Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 10, 1997.

What type of historic resource is Old Towne Orange Historic District?

Old Towne Orange Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Old Towne Orange Historic District?

The period of significance for Old Towne Orange Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Old Towne Orange Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Old Towne Orange Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Orange County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Orange County.

Explore OrangeCounty ›

More historic places in California

Browse all historic places in California.

View Californiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

California history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Californiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Old Towne Orange Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report