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OC Parks Newsroom
.jpg) | | Modjeska docent Janet Whitcomb points out an extremely large cypress tree during a recent tour of the Arden Modjeska Home and Garden. |
Modjeska Tours Filled with Interesting Facts
by Richard Amacher, Volunteer Coordinator on 4/15/2005
Who knew that perhaps the tallest cypress tree in Orange County sways on the edge of the Santiago Creek nestled deep within Modjeska Canyon, or the county’s first cement swimming pool can be found in a garden called Arden, or that an alligator once poached on local resident’s chickens.
These are just a few of the interesting nuggets of information packed into a wealth of historical facts to be learned on a tour of Arden the Helena Modjeska Historic House and Gardens led by docent Janet Whitcomb.
“This was considered to be a very healthful area [southeast Orange County] and a getaway from the unhealthy city in the 1920s and 30s,” explained Whitcomb while addressing a tour on a recent Saturday. “There was an abundance of live oaks, olive trees, California quail and a whole lot of solitude.”
For the most part, visitors to the home of Shakespearean actress Helen Modjeska, who came to America from Poland with her husband, Charles Bozenta Chlaplowksi in 1876 to form an agricultural colony, will find the grounds and home similar to how they appeared in the late 1800s.
The best way to experience this serene setting is to attend one of the four tours offered monthly by the Modjeska Docents.
“When you come out here it’s like being 500 miles from the city,” said Whitcomb, who has volunteered her time to lead tours for the past five years. “It’s fun to educate visitors, but it’s also like taking a mini-vacation to come out here, breathe the air and immerse yourself in the country setting.”
Anyone interested in taking the Modjeska tour should call Heritage Hill at 949-923-2230 to make reservations. Anyone interested in pursuing volunteer opportunities with the Modjeska Foundation should call Park Rangers Diane Wollenberg at 949-923-2226, or Sue Stoffel at 949-923-2227.
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