Andy Anaheim is Back!

Could it be that our favorite mascot may be enjoying a comeback at last?  Andy Anaheim seems to be popping up everywhere lately, in all sorts of shapes and sizes.  

In what could be the first ever 3-dimensional version of Andy...

This hand-made plush figure was created by OC crafter Giddy Girlie.  Andy even has an orange in his hand! He's adorable!

Anaheim resident Allison Montanile (and the current AHS Secretary) carved some Halloween cheer for her front porch with this fantastic Andy-O-Lantern!

And this one certainly takes the cake...

Anaheim cake designer Norma Jauregui amazed the neighborhood when she showed up to a recent potluck with this edible delight.

His big letter 'A' was chocolate cake while his head and limbs were meticulously formed from rice krispy treats.  The whole thing was flawlessly covered in fondant, with black licorice for his hair.

As you might imagine,  he was gone in no time.

But, not one to disappear for long, Andy was featured in this weekend's annual Halloween Parade through downtown Anaheim...

Anaheim Halloween Parade, October 29, 2011

(Hey, he looks like the real deal to us!)

So, if YOU spot Andy Anaheim somewhere, be sure to share photos with us by uploading them to our facebook page.  We can't wait to see where he might suddenly pop up next!

ANAHEIM HALLOWEEN PARADE TONIGHT!

Gather all the ghouls and goblins together this evening for a spectacular Anaheim tradition that goes back to 1924!

The Anaheim Halloween Parade will STEP OFF AT 6PM and travel east along BROADWAY (from Manchester to the Center Street Promenade).  Look for the Anaheim Historical Society's AUTOCADE of antique cars and participants from the community dressed in vintage clothing.

Among our special guests this evening will be Anaheim resident Geri Bumpass, who was Disneyland's very first Tour Guide, and previously appeared in the parade back in 1959.

See you there!

Survey History with Us!

Join the Anaheim Historical Society and stand out above the rest!  Simply print the membership form below, fill it out and mail it with your check made payable to the ANAHEIM HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

Mail to: Anaheim Historical Society, P.O. Box 927, Anaheim, CA 92815.

For further membership information or assistance, please contact Kandee Beas at 714-397-9182. Thanks!

OKTOBERFEST TIME!

Starch your dirndls! Get out your lederhosen! It's that time of year again.

Celebrate Anaheim's German roots with an icy mug of Oktoberfest Beer, hand-crafted by the Anaheim Brewery from a hundred-year-old recipe! Polka to the exuberant oom-pah-pah of a 17-piece German brass band! Enjoy traditional German food treats (as well as some amazing vegan delights) ALL while benefiting the Anaheim Historical Society!

The grand event begins at 3PM, Saturday October 8 (that's tomorrow, meine freunde!) in Downtown Anaheim's Center Street Promenade.

See you there!

A Tremendous Afternoon in Anaheim!

Anaheim Historical Society - Citrus Celebration 2011 from Crescent Bay Films on Vimeo.

A round of applause to all who contributed to the success of Citrus Celebration, and a warm welcome to our many new AHS members who signed up this weekend.  Thank you for your pride in our amazing community.

And lastly, a tip of our hat to filmmaker Jason Garner for capturing the smiles and festivities on film!

Anaheim Historical Society on NPR!

CLICK HERE to listen to our interview with KPCC FM host Alex Cohen which aired today!

Meet Andy Anaheim!

With his ant-like antennae and Mickey Mouse-ish nose, Andy Anaheim was a quirky little cartoon character who became Anaheim's official mascot in 1953.  Perpetually smiling, Andy embodied the city's optimism during a period of incredible changes.  In fact, his whole body stood for Anaheim, literally, with a capital A!  

The original Andy Anaheim model sheet, drawn by the Walt Disney Studio, early 1954.

Andy belongs to the City of Anaheim's Chamber of Commerce, a generous gift from Walt Disney himself.  While Disneyland was in its early planning stages, City officials requested a special mascot - a character with a cheerful face to help ease and endorse Anaheim's growth from a quiet farming community into a booming vacation destination for the whole world.

Andy Anaheim helped promote scores of city programs and events.

The character was designed (by an uncredited artist) in the spirit of familiar cartoon advertising icons popular in America during that time.  Advertising characters sold everything from breakfast cereals to air lines, so why not put one to work representing an entire city?

"Follow Andy to downtown Anaheim!" 1957 visitors' brochure

 Anaheim's new slogan at the time was "America's Hub of Happiness" with Disneyland being, naturally, "the Happiest Place on Earth." It was hoped that the throngs of visitors lured to Disneyland from around the world each year would also spread their vacation dollars into Anaheim's downtown district, located just one mile north of the Park.  Brochures listing Anaheim's department stores, restaurants, movie theaters and churches were given to visitors checking into the hotels and motels that were popping up all around Walt Disney's vacation kingdom.

Anaheim Welcomes You.

With property values suddenly on the rise, most of Anaheim's citrus growers were enticed to "sell the farm".  Responding to the inpouring of new residents, suburbs of ranch-style homes and tract housing replaced the seemingly endless acres of Valencia oranges, lemons, and walnuts that had once defined Anaheim.  A brand new Anaheim with a new focus was underway.

Anaheim Chamber of Commerce stationery, 1955.

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"Andy Says" - Anaheim city newsletter, 1962

The Anaheim Bulletin, August 21, 1986

Anaheim's public image has evolved much, as can be charted by a lengthy string of mascots, logos and official slogans incorporated over the years.  But of them all, Andy Anaheim remains our favorite.  How can you not like him? Sure, we admit he's a little weird, but his unwavering positive attitude is a quality we admire in anyone.  For a job well done in lending his friendly face to a city that has always been challenging to define, we give Andy an 'A'.