O.C. Fair, Ms. Ransom, Orange & Sam's Seafood

Today's images are from the 1951 Orange County Fair. (Today was the first day of the 2008 O.C. Fair.) Based on these photos by Bob Geivet, I'd guess the theme for that year was "Rodents, Pirates, Ostriches & Cheesecake." But I could be wrong.
.
The Santa Ana Black Historical Society's next meeting will be held July 17, 6pm at the Corbin Center, 2115 W. McFadden Ave. Their guest speaker will be Ernestine Ransom, who will talk about her 70+ years in Santa Ana, and who will be honored for her community involvement. Our pal Bob Johnson says there will be cake and plenty of opportunity to socialize afterward.
.
The Orange Community Historical Society will begin their next walking tour of old Downtown Orange on Saturday at 10am at the Ainsworth House, 414 E. Chapman Ave. The tour is 90 minutes. The suggested donation is $5. Email tours@historicorange.org for more information.
.
Ever since it began as a small fish market in the 1920s, Sam's has been called "Sam's." It was once called "Sam's Sea Food Spa" and later it became "Sam's Seafood Restaurant & Hawaiian Village," and eventually just "Sam's Seafood." But the name always paid tribute to the business' founder, Greek immigrant Samuel Arvenites. Tonight, the landmark Sunset Beach restaurant will be renamed "Kona." Recent years of frequently-changing owners have not been kind to Sam's once excellent reputation, so the change is understandable. Tiki carver Crazy Al Evans (who appeared on this blog in January,) will bless the newly re-christened restaurant, and the Tikiyaki Orchestra will perform. Sam's is the last mostly-pristine tiki/"Polynesian pop" establishment left in Orange County, and the new owners are making a real effort to do things right - both in terms of the food and the themed atmosphere.