Garage Door and Automatic Gate Repair in Tustin, CA

Tustin, Orange County, California

Tustin was incorporated in 1927 and is one of the oldest historical towns in Orange County. Irvine is to the south and east, Orange and Tustin Foothills are to the north and Santa Ana is to the west.

It was founded by Columbus Tustin, a carriage maker, in 1868 and, in the early days, was called “Tustin City”. Unlike Santa Ana and Orange, Tustin at that time remained a farming community with a small-town atmosphere for almost 60 years.

It was the abundance of water from ground wells that attracted generations of prosperous ranchers and also the reason why so many trees grew in this area. “Red Hill” at 347 feet tall is the highest peak in the area, with views of the Pacific Coast and Saddleback Mountains. It is also the site of numerous old mines dating back to 1884. Red Hill was named after the color of the soil, a brilliant red from the mercury it contains. The Gabrielino Indian tribe called it the “Place of Refuge,” and later, the Spanish called it the “Hill of Frogs” for the large population of frogs on the swampy side of the hill.

During World War II there were three nearby military bases, Santa Ana Army Air Base, El Toro Marine Corps, and the Lighter-Than-Air Base (which housed surveillance Blimps). Like many cities in Orange County, avocado trees and citrus groves made way for freeways and shopping malls in the 1950s, but Tustin has always managed to hold onto its cultural heritage and charm.

Known to many as “The City of Trees,” Tustin is the perfect place to spend an afternoon. The Tustin Area Historical Society and the Tustin Area Museum are a must for history buffs also the sidewalk tour of historic architecture including ‘The Stevens House’, a Queen Anne Victorian era home built of Redwood, and ‘The Pankey Residence’, an 18 room Spanish-style house built in 1928 including a speakeasy in the basement and a sprawling 268-year-old sycamore tree.

One of the oldest homes, the Hewes Mansion, was built in 1881. David Hewes made his fortune in “earth moving” when he started a company called ‘Steam Paddy Company’ which was instrumental in leveling the sand dunes in San Francisco harbor that were blocked by hundreds of abandoned ships during the gold rush.

Some recommended restaurants in Old Tustin are ‘The Black Marlin’ with an excellent seafood menu and ‘Centro Storico Spaghetteria’ for authentic pasta dishes, also a coffee & gelato bar with pastries.