Foothills Sentry August 2024

Foothills Sentry Page 2 AUGUST 2024 jadtec.com 714-282-0828 jadt ec.com $ 15 95 /mo as low as SECURITY JADTEC HELPING YOU PROTECT WHAT MATTERS MOST aco4202 For more of the story, see the book “Gobernador -- Of Mexican California -- The Memoirs of Pio de Je- sus Pico” by Douglas West- fall, found at SpecialBooks.com. Richard Sallstrom discovered a 180-year-old Spanish cannonball in his yard. The relic has been au- thenticated. A Spanish cannonball in Orange By Douglas Westfall, National Historian Nearly a quarter of a century ago, a hiker walking along San- tiago Creek noticed something round in the creek bed. Trying to pick up the baseball-sized object, he found it was quite heavy. Con- tinuing to search in the wet sand, he found four more -- five Span- ish cannonballs! That area was later proved to be on the old El Camino Real (The Royal Way) that ran north through Orange and exited through what is today El Camino Real Park. These were later prov- en to be dropped by Major John C. Fremont during the Mexican- American War, on his way to cap- ture the Mexican Governor Pio Pico in Los Angeles. Yet, just last month, another Spanish cannonball was discov- ered by Richard Sallstrom in his yard in Orange. This cannonball, however, was miles away from the other location and on high ground. Why he would find it there is a wonder, for Sallstrom lives east of the 55 Freeway and north of Collins Avenue, and over a mile west of the Santiago Creek and recharge basins. How the cannonball arrived here, is even a better story. Mexican Governor Pio de Jesus Pico IV was staying at the casa of Teodosio Yorba, up in Olive to- day. Pico knew of Fremont's loca- tion, as word had passed through the Yorba families that he was there and probably headed to Los Angeles. From Pico's diary: "I left Los Angeles about ten or eleven o'clock at night. We arrived at the rancho headquar- ters of Teodosio Yorba called Santiago de Santa Ana. Fremont was encamped with his forces at the home of José Antonio Yorba at a distance of about one and a half leagues [3.9 miles] from the house of Teodosio, his brother. The next day I continued to San Juan Capistrano, arriving there at sunset or shortly after." Fremont and troops then marched to Los Angeles, only to find Pico was not there. Pico had departed up through Santiago Canyon toward the Rancho San- ta Margarita and then on to the Mission San Juan Capistrano -- which Pico had sold to his sister Ysidora's husband, Juan Forster. Sallstrom's cannonball seems an oddity, although Pico would have had an entourage, and prob- ably a cannon in case of a skir- mish with the Americans. As they traveled through the Santiago Canyon in Orange, a cannonball could have been dropped into the creek – again, back in 1846. In 1916, the Santa Ana River and Santiago Creek overflowed their banks. The Santa Ana large- ly flooded west, and the Santiago flooded south. The 1916 Orange County Flood Map shows the Santiago overran where Sall- strom lives today, and probably deposited the cannonball there at that time. Sallstrom and his family have lived in the home for over a half century, yet he only discovered the cannonball last month. His find is a reminder that Orange was the crossroads of the Span- ish Empire, and later the Mexican Regime. This is why a number of historic items, including the five cannonballs, have been discov- ered here and are now on display in the Rancho cabinet, upstairs in the Orange Public Library and History Center. Elks Lodge 1475 named All-American For the eighth time in the last 10 years, Orange Elks Lodge 1475 was named an All-Ameri- can Lodge. This is the sixth time the lodge has been number 1 in its division. The term "All American," in Elk- dom, means that you are the best that you can be. For the 2023-24 Elk year, the Orange Elks officers, their committee chairmen, members, spouses and friends have helped the lodge earn this title through their hard work supporting the community, veterans and youth. Lodge 1475 supports the Pro- grams of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. The key programs include scholar- ships, youth activities, donations to veterans’ causes and participat- ing in programs for veterans, the Americanism Essay Contest, and the Drug Awareness Education Program. The lodge works closely with its community partners, the Or- ange Police Department, the Or- ange City Fire Department, and GRIP (Gang Reduction Interven- tion Partnership). Key 2023-24 events were the lodge’s 100-year Anniversary, purchasing a therapy dog for the Orange City Fire Department, and working with the Santiago Creek Greenway Alliance to clean up Santiago Creek. During the 1916 flood, Santiago Creek overflowed onto the land (circled in red) where Sallstrom home is today.