Take a free guided journey exploring “The Histories and Mysteries of Black Star Canyon & Irvine Park”…all without leaving your seats!
Join OCHS and local historian, speaker and naturalist Joel Robinson (@NaturalistForYou) on July 22nd at the Orange Public Library as he takes us on a unique tour through time from the beginning of the strange and interesting past of the areas that came to be known as Black Star Canyon and its neighboring Irvine Park.
Perfect for the nature lover and history enthusiast alike, this presentation will showcase local history from a local expert!
Raised in West Orange, as a young adult Joel began exploring Black Star Canyon in the late 1990s because “it felt like I was traveling back in time. It was a treat to wander the dusty road where rusty cattle fence, an abandoned corral and the gnarled oak trees offered a glimpse of the county before most of it was replaced with the tract home subdivisions, malls, freeways and theme parks. It was the closest place to home where I could obtain tranquil solitude, tangible evidence of the past and a chance of seeing a bobcat or deer.”
That upbringing led Joel to his present day work in public environmental education and fostered his interest in historical re-enactments while his love of the Black Star Canyon and surrounding area has only grown.
Spending time talking with blacksmiths, homesteaders, Native American storytellers and soldiers in relic settings, including the Ainsworth House in Old Town Orange, Olvera Street in Los Angeles, Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, Wawona in Yosemite, Calico Ghost Town and Irvine Regional Park has given Joel firsthand accounts of many of the local histories and mysteries he’ll share with us!
Whether you're discovering this part of our city for the first time, or have hiked there yourself, we invite you to bring your curiosity, and a friend, to learn more about this fascinating landscape in our own backyard!
📢“The Histories and Mysteries of Black Star Canyon & Irvine Park”
📆 Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025
⏰ 5:30pm to 7:00pm
📍Orange Public Library, Main Branch Community Meeting Room
407 E Chapman Ave, Orange
👩💻 HistoricalOrange.org
