| The name Yorba dates back as far as 1769, when Jose Yorba was part of an expedition exploring the area known as Orange County. In 1809, Jose Yorba petitioned for and was granted 62,000 acres of land, which came to be known as Ranch Santiago de Santa Ana. Over the years, portions of the Rancho were sold and eventually part of this land would become the City of Yorba Linda. |
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In 1907, Jacob Stern, a Fullerton resident and owner of portions of the former Yorba lands, sold a large area to the Los Angeles based Janss Corporation. The Janss Corporation subdivided this property and named the new town “Yorba Linda,” “Yorba” after the early land grant family and “Linda” meaning pretty in Spanish. |
| The Janss Corporation began selling its Yorba Linda subdivision by offering a reasonable price of $150 per acre. The agricultural potential of the land was emphasized by the Corporation. |
| Early residents came to Yorba Linda with the purpose of having a small farm. These families came between 1910 and 1920 and included such well known names as the Corbitts, the Quigleys, the Marshburns, and the Truebloods. These early families constructed numerous ranch houses, planted groves and Yorba Linda began as a community of hard working citizens. |
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| In 1912, the construction of the Pacific Electric Railroad line between Yorba Linda and Los Angeles established an important transportation link. Two packing houses were built adjacent to the railroad station and the center of the community had begun. |
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Two neighborhoods developed near the depot, a small bungalow neighborhood just south of the depot and another neighborhood just north of the depot, which was a mixture of commercial and residential buildings. Both neighborhoods were the home of merchants, packing house employees and an occasional oil worker. |
| Most of the houses in these neighborhoods are Craftsman style residences, a style which was popular between 1910 and 1920. During the twenties, Yorba Linda continued to grow and prosper while agriculture remained the mainstay of the local economy. Several new commercial structures were built on Main Street, but the overall character of the town remained unchanged. |
