Midway City is a
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
in the United States that forms part of the county land controlled by
Orange County, California
Orange County is located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Southern California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,186,989, making it the third-most-populous county in California, the sixth-most-populous in the United States, a ...
. The only area in Orange County that
incorporates its
chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to ad ...
and
homeowners association
A homeowner association (or homeowners' association, abbreviated HOA, sometimes referred to as a property owners' association or POA), or a homeowner community, is a private association-like entity often formed either ''ipso jure'' in a building ...
to act in concert like a
city council
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...
,
the area mostly is surrounded by
Westminster
Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster.
The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Bu ...
with
Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California, located southeast of Downtown Los Angeles. The city is named after American businessman Henry E. Huntington. The population was 198,711 during the 2020 census, maki ...
bordering it on the southwest. Midway City was so named because it is horizontally midway between
Seal Beach
Seal Beach is a coastal city in Orange County, California, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 25,242, up from 24,168 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 census.
Seal Beach is located in the w ...
, to the west, and
Santa Ana, to the east. The 2010 census listed the population as 8,485.
Midway City is one of Orange County's oldest communities, and many of its homes are 1950s construction. The area includes two
mobile home parks
A trailer park,caravan park, mobile home park, mobile home community or manufactured home community is a temporary or permanent area for mobile homes and travel trailers. Advantages include low cost compared to other housing, and quick and eas ...
and the residents who live here are of moderate income, with many of them senior citizens. As described by Midway City local
historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the stu ...
in 2008, "Midway City is desirable because of its large lots – typically over 8,000 square feet with many larger lots as well.... The trend is that buyers are scraping the lots and building big homes or adding large additions onto the original home."
[. Also see, ] The community fits within a area
and takes up of land.
Being an unincorporated county area,
municipal annexation
Municipal annexation is the legal process by which a city or other municipality acquires land as its jurisdictional territory (as opposed to simply owning the land the way individuals do). In the United States and Canada, it refers to the incorpor ...
by cities bordering Midway City is an ongoing issue for Midway City. Attempts at complete annexation have met fierce resistance from Midway's residents, who would rather have their community remain an unincorporated area of Orange County to maintain water and property tax rates that are lower than neighboring communities.
However, Midway City's land adjacent to its borders has slowly been annexed by Westminster over time, particularly for
public schools sites, to transfer decision making and government school funds from the county to the city. Annexation has also occurred along the heavily-traveled
Beach Boulevard/California State Route 39, where that annexed land could be
redeveloped
Redevelopment is any new construction on a site that has pre-existing uses. It represents a process of land development uses to revitalize the physical, economic and social fabric of urban space.
Description
Variations on redevelopment include ...
to generate significant business tax revenue for Westminster. As a result, Midway City presently is composed of four anemic sections, or "islands", that have stepped boundaries which include mostly
residential property
A residential area is a land used in which housing predominates, as opposed to industrial and commercial areas.
Housing may vary significantly between, and through, residential areas. These include single-family housing, multi-family reside ...
,
small businesses
Small businesses are types of corporations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships which have fewer employees and/or less annual revenue than a regular-sized business or corporation. Businesses are defined as "small" in terms of being able to ap ...
, and not-for-profit businesses such as churches, American Legion Post 555, and the
Brothers of Saint Patrick order.
History
1880s to 1930s
![Midway City CA map 1921](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Midway_City_CA_map_1921.jpg)
Two miles directly to the east of Midway City was the now-
defunct
Defunct (no longer in use or active) may refer to:
* ''Defunct'' (video game), 2014
* Zombie process or defunct process, in Unix-like operating systems
See also
*
* :Former entities
* End-of-life product
* Obsolescence
Obsolescence is t ...
Town of Bolsa, which was established in 1870. Midway City's northernmost boundary, Hazard Avenue, is named after the
great grandparents
Grandparents, individually known as grandmother and grandfather, are the parents of a person's father or mother – paternal or maternal. Every sexually-reproducing living organism who is not a genetic chimera has a maximum of four genetic gra ...
of Clyde Hazard: early
American pioneers
American pioneers were European American and African American settlers who migrated westward from the Thirteen Colonies and later United States to settle in and develop areas of North America that had previously been inhabited or used by Nati ...
Robert Samuel and Betsy Ann (
née
A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
White) Hazard, who moved from
Hitchcock County, Nebraska
Hitchcock County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 2,616. Its county seat is Trenton, Nebraska, Trenton.
In the Vehicle registration plates of Nebraska, Neb ...
with their children to the Westminster district in August 1881 and subsequently purchased forty acres northwest of the Town of Bolsa on February 6, 1882.
Ann was a direct descendant of
the White family, who, in 1620, sailed from England to
Plymouth, Massachusetts
Plymouth (; historically known as Plimouth and Plimoth) is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. Located in Greater Boston, the town holds a place of great prominence in American history, folklore, and culture, and is known as ...
on the ''
Mayflower
''Mayflower'' was an English ship that transported a group of English families, known today as the Pilgrims, from England to the New World in 1620. After a grueling 10 weeks at sea, ''Mayflower'', with 102 passengers and a crew of about 30, r ...
''.
In 1891, Midway City received its post office from Bolsa. In 1915, one of the top United States
poultry
Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for their eggs, their meat or their feathers. These birds are most typically members of the superorder Galloanserae (fowl), especially the order Galliformes (which includes chickens, quails, a ...
judges, W. M. Wise, moved from
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
to perform breeding and service work for Pacific Southwest Poultry Farm in Midway City. Seven years later, Midway City began to take shape in 1922 when John H. Harper purchased of land based on the location of a local
stagecoach stop
A stagecoach is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by four horses although some versions are draw ...
and needs of the workers in the
Huntington Beach Oil Field
The Huntington Beach Oil Field is part of rich pools of oil found along the West Coast of the United States in the early 1920s stretching from Huntington Beach, California to Santa Barbara, California.
History
On May 24, 1920, the first Huntingt ...
located west of the stagecoach stop.
Harper subsequently
subdivided his land by laying out streets, building sidewalks, and, in 1923,
started selling lots.
As the Huntington Beach Oil Field expanded, the homes in that area that stood in the path of drawing oil from the ground were physically relocated to Harper's lots in Midway City, which "started Midway City." The area, which currently includes four
unincorporated, "anemic" sections as a result of annexation for the Westminster business district, is known as Midway City; the largest section looks like a crooked letter "P".
Midway City is six miles from
Santa Ana, six miles from
Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California, located southeast of Downtown Los Angeles. The city is named after American businessman Henry E. Huntington. The population was 198,711 during the 2020 census, maki ...
, and seven miles from
Long Beach
Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California.
Incorporate ...
, giving rise to the Midway City name. Harper Street, which vertically bisects the largest of the four Midway City sections, is named after John Harper.
![Midway City CA boundary](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/Midway_City_CA_boundary.PNG)
Prior to 1927, Zenith Corporation manufactured
farm implements
Agricultural equipment is any kind of machinery used on a farm to help with farming. The best-known example of this kind is the tractor.
Tractor and power
*Tractor / Two-wheel tractor
*Tracked tractor / Caterpillar tractor
Soil cultivati ...
in Midway City.
After learning of American aviator
Charles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, author, inventor, and activist. On May 20–21, 1927, Lindbergh made the first nonstop flight from New York City to Paris, a distance o ...
's famed May 20–21, 1927
first solo transatlantic flight via non-stop fixed-wing aircraft flight between America and mainland Europe,
Zenith Corporation owners Charles Rocheville and Albin Peterson formed the
Zenith Aircraft Corporation.
Three months later, by August 1927, Zenith Aircraft Corporation built a huge, lightweight
tri-motor aircraft named ''Schofield Albatross'' in a hangar/factory at Midway City Airport.
To make its maiden flight some time in the fall of 1927, the Albatross, identified as
Zenith Albatross Z-12,
had an externally braced wing spanning 90-ft and a fuselage designed to carry 14 passengers and baggage at a maximum speed of 100-mph.
With no market for the then-largest aircraft in the world, the Zenith Albatross Z-12 eventually was sold to
Hollywood and used to represent a crashed
Fokker
Fokker was a Dutch aircraft manufacturer named after its founder, Anthony Fokker. The company operated under several different names. It was founded in 1912 in Berlin, Germany, and became famous for its fighter aircraft in World War I. In 1919 ...
in the 1928 film ''
Conquest
Conquest is the act of military subjugation of an enemy by force of arms.
Military history provides many examples of conquest: the Roman conquest of Britain, the Mauryan conquest of Afghanistan and of vast areas of the Indian subcontinent, t ...
'' directed by filmmaker
Roy Del Ruth
Roy Del Ruth (October 18, 1893, Delaware – April 27, 1961) was an American filmmaker.
Early career
Beginning his Hollywood career as a writer for Mack Sennett in 1915, Del Ruth later directed his first short film ''Hungry Lions'' (1919) ...
.
Zenith manufactured a second airplane, the
Zenith Albatross Z-6, before the 1930s
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
affected the corporation and Zenith went back to manufacturing farm equipment in 1932.
In 1928, American aviator Charles Lindbergh and some investors stopped off at
Eddie Martin Airport looking for another airfield field in what was to become Midway City to see Zenith's Albatross.
That same year, the politically powerful
Ladies Social and Civic Club of Midway City built a community clubhouse at the corner of Bolsa Avenue and Monroe Street from land donated by Harper that the
Chamber of Commerce
A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to ad ...
and other organizations subsequently used.
The proactive
women's group
A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardle ...
, which originally met at John Harper's house and included Harper's wife,
also worked to keep out
roadhouses and
landfills
A landfill site, also known as a tip, dump, rubbish dump, garbage dump, or dumping ground, is a site for the disposal of waste materials. Landfill is the oldest and most common form of waste disposal, although the systematic burial of the waste ...
from the Midway City lands.
The next year, 1929, the
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself on a national basis. In ...
's Latin American Mission outreach began holding services and marriage ceremonies in Midway City for
Mexican field workers who had come to the area after the end of the
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution ( es, Revolución Mexicana) was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from approximately 1910 to 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It resulted in the destruction ...
. In 1932, the Ladies Social and Civic Club of Midway City renamed itself as the Midway City Women's Club.
The
Long Beach earthquake of March 10, 1933 had such a significant impact on Midway City that it still was a topic of interest for the residents in August 1933. Three years after renaming itself, in 1935, the club established a Midway City branch of the
Orange County Public Library and joined the
General Federation of Women's Clubs
The General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC), founded in 1890 during the Progressive Movement, is a federation of over 3,000 women's clubs in the United States which promote civic improvements through volunteer service. Many of its activities ...
.
The clubhouse for the Midway City Women's Club eventually was moved in 1989 to
Leaora L. Blakey Park at 8612 Westminster Boulevard.
In 1936, seven families that made up the Midway City Dairy Association received a loan of $7,850 in June from the
Resettlement Administration
The Resettlement Administration (RA) was a New Deal U.S. federal agency created May 1, 1935. It relocated struggling urban and rural families to communities planned by the federal government. On September 1, 1937, it was succeeded by the Farm S ...
,
a
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States between 1933 and 1939. Major federal programs agencies included the Civilian Cons ...
U.S. federal agency that, between April 1935 and December 1936, relocated struggling urban and rural families to communities planned by the federal government. The loan stood out in that it was the first loan by the Resettlement Administration to a self-help cooperative and led to other cooperatives seeking money from the Resettlement Administration.
The seven families used the money to rehabilitate the Midway City Dairy Association: "The plant was immediately renovated, and better equipment procured by trade. Bidding tactics of competitors were studied with all the zeal of poker experts, means of developing consumer cooperative markets were explained, and all plans laid to take full advantage of their new capital and condition as free producers in an open market."
In obtaining the loan, Henry Lotz noted, "This Resettlement loan, it's a future to us from the bidding platform for old age labor."
The 1930s also brought additional services to Midway City. The
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...
opened a post office on Jackson Street in 1930. The Midway City Volunteer Fire Department was formed in 1935. The Midway City Sanitary District, which presently provides sewer and solid waste services to the residents of Midway City and others in its district, was established in January 1939 when its Governing Board held the first meeting at the Fire Hall in Midway City. The Midway City Volunteer Fire Department received a
fire station
__NOTOC__
A fire station (also called a fire house, fire hall, firemen's hall, or engine house) is a structure or other area for storing firefighting apparatuses such as fire engines and related vehicles, personal protective equipment, fire h ...
in 1952—Orange County Fire Authority Station #25—and eventually became a permanent part of Division I of the
Orange County Fire Authority
The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for unincorporated areas of Orange County, California as well as 25 cities within the county that contract OCFA's services. There ...
. However, after 80 years of operation, by 2011, the Midway City Post Office was identified by the U.S. Postal Service as one of 112
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
post office locations "that have not seen enough postal customers to generate the revenue necessary to keep them open."
In December 2011, the U.S. Postal Service delayed the closure of Midway's post office until Congress first passed legislation to overhaul the United States Postal Service.
1940s to 1980s
![Midway City CA Island Trade Store 1965](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Midway_City_CA_Island_Trade_Store_1965.jpg)
In 1942, local landmark Midway City Feed Store open to service horse owners in the surrounding areas and also began selling rabbits,
guinea pigs
The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (''Cavia porcellus''), also known as the cavy or domestic cavy (), is a species of rodent belonging to the genus '' Cavia'' in the family Caviidae. Breeders tend to use the word ''cavy'' to describe the a ...
, baby chicks, ducklings, and
goslings from its large yellow barn.
Six years later in 1948, the
Brothers of Saint Patrick order was established in Midway City as the United States foundation and headquarters of Patrician Brothers,
an
Ireland-based Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
congregation
A congregation is a large gathering of people, often for the purpose of worship.
Congregation may also refer to:
*Church (congregation), a Christian organization meeting in a particular place for worship
*Congregation (Roman Curia), an administra ...
for the religious and literary education of youth and the instruction of the faithful in
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
piety. The brothers work extended in the
Diocese of Orange County and
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles ( la, Archidiœcesis Angelorum in California, es, Arquidiócesis de Los Ángeles) is an ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church ( particularly the Roman Catholic or Latin Church) located in th ...
.
They also began a celebration tradition that has become one of Orange County's biggest
St. Patrick's Day celebrations.
At the end of the decade, in 1949, Dick Riedel and Midway City's Bill Barris of Fullerton Air Service, sponsored by the Fullerton Chamber of Commerce, set a world flight endurance record from
Fullerton Municipal Airport
Fullerton Municipal Airport , owned and operated by the City of Fullerton, is a regional relief airport in Orange County, California.
The airport is in the southwestern corner of Fullerton on Commonwealth Avenue, northeast of the junction of the ...
, keeping their modified
Aeronca Sedan
The Aeronca 15AC Sedan is a four-seat, fixed conventional gear light airplane which was produced by Aeronca Aircraft between 1948 and 1951. Designed for personal use, the Sedan also found applications in utility roles including bush flying. The ...
, the ''Sunkist Lady'' aloft for 1,008 hours and 2 minutes.
Seven years later in 1956, the city of Westminster sought to incorporate Midway City, Barber City, and Westminster into a new city called ''Tri-City''.
Prior to the March 1957 creation date of Tri-City, California, Midway City had dropped out, citing fears of high taxes.
[
] In September 1957, voters in the former Westminster and Baraber City areas voted to change the name Tri-City to
Westminster
Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster.
The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Bu ...
.
In 1981, the
Orange County Local Agency Formation Commission, a government agency that makes decisions regarding boundaries for cities and unincorporated territory (land not located within a
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
) within Orange County, California, added Midway City to the Westminster sphere of influence, a commission method to designate future boundaries and service areas of Westminster.
The commission's addition of Midway City to the Westminster sphere of influence was a political move towards Westminster's annexation of the unincorporated Midway City and to prevent
Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California, located southeast of Downtown Los Angeles. The city is named after American businessman Henry E. Huntington. The population was 198,711 during the 2020 census, maki ...
from being able to annex one of the last commercially valuable strips of Midway City along
Beach Boulevard.
After Midway's Chamber of Commerce protested, Midway was removed from Westminster's sphere.
In 1986, Orange County used money from the
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It administers federal housing and urban development laws. It is headed by the Secretary of Housing and Urb ...
to purchase about five acres of land from
Southern California Edison
Southern California Edison (or SCE Corp), the largest subsidiary of Edison International, is the primary electricity supply company for much of Southern California. It provides 15 million people with electricity across a service territory of ap ...
and develop part of the land as Midway Meadows, a Midway City project consisting of 92-one bedroom apartment units for senior citizens.
In 1987, the county built a park on the 1986 acquired Southern California Edison land.
Three years later in 1989, the county added Midway City back in Westminster's sphere and renamed the 1987 built park ''Stanton Park'', after
Roger R. Stanton, a supervisor on the
Orange County Board of Supervisors
The Orange County Board of Supervisors is the five-member governing body of Orange County, California along with being the executive of the county.
Membership
The Board consists of five Supervisors elected by districts to four-year terms by the ...
.
Later that same year, the county selected Midway City's Interval House, a shelter for abused women, to receive part of a $1-million grant for expansion.
1990s to present
Celtic Gold Academy of
Irish Dance
Irish dance refers to a group of traditional dance forms that originate in Ireland, encompassing dancing both solo and in groups, and dancing for social, competitive, and performance purposes. Irish dance in its current form developed from vari ...
was founded at Brother's of St. Patrick in 1990. In March 1993,
Orange County Supervisor Don Roth admitted to violating California state ethics laws, agreed to pay $50,000 in fines, and do 200 hours of community service work in connection with his 1990–1992 role in overruling a 1990 Orange County Planning Commission decision and approving a $5-million condominium project on land in Midway City. In 1994, the
Ocean View School District
Ocean View School District is an elementary and middle school district located in Orange County, California, encompassing 13.18 miles. The District offices are located at 17200 Pinehurst Lane, Huntington Beach, CA 92647-5569. ThOcean View Schoo ...
banned the game
POGs
Milk caps is a children's game played with flat circular cardboard milk caps. Players make a stack of these caps, and take turns to drop a heavier "slammer" object onto it, causing the caps to be disrupted.
Each player keeps any face-up caps and ...
, a game played with decorated milk caps known as POGs, from Midway City and other
elementary
Elementary may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* ''Elementary'' (Cindy Morgan album), 2001
* ''Elementary'' (The End album), 2007
* ''Elementary'', a Melvin "Wah-Wah Watson" Ragin album, 1977
Other uses in arts, entertainment, a ...
and
middle school
A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school. ...
campuses, asserting that POGs was akin to
gambling
Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of value ("the stakes") on a random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy are discounted. Gambling thus requires three el ...
. The Brothers of St. Patrick Division of the
Ancient Order of Hibernians in America was established at Brother's of St. Patrick in 1995. Three years later in 1998, freed Nigerian political prisoner
Beko Ransome-Kuti spoke at Midway City's the Brother's of St. Patrick's to thank residents of Midway City who joined a letter-writing and
Shell Oil boycott
A boycott is an act of nonviolent, voluntary abstention from a product, person, organization, or country as an expression of protest. It is usually for moral, social, political, or environmental reasons. The purpose of a boycott is to inflict som ...
campaign on his behalf. In September 1999, workers repairing broken water lines in the Midway City 15000 block of Cedarwood Avenue () dug up a 500-year-old
human skull
The skull is a bone protective cavity for the brain. The skull is composed of four types of bone i.e., cranial bones, facial bones, ear ossicles and hyoid bone. However two parts are more prominent: the cranium and the mandible. In humans, the ...
and teeth, and
seashells
A seashell or sea shell, also known simply as a shell, is a hard, protective outer layer usually created by an animal or organism that lives in the sea. The shell is part of the body of the animal. Empty seashells are often found washe ...
when they reached about three feet down.
In 2001, American Legion Post 555 in Midway City renamed itself the Albert E. Schwab American Legion Post after Private First Class
Albert Earnest Schwab (July 17, 1920 – May 7, 1945), the brother of a Legion Post 555 member and a
United States Marine
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
who was
posthumous
Posthumous may refer to:
* Posthumous award - an award, prize or medal granted after the recipient's death
* Posthumous publication – material published after the author's death
* Posthumous (album), ''Posthumous'' (album), by Warne Marsh, 1987
* ...
ly awarded the United States' highest military honor — the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
— for his heroic actions during the
Battle of Okinawa
The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army (USA) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) forces against the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). The initial invasion of ...
.
That same year, Midway City resident Ruben Hipolito attained the rank of
Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle Sc ...
at age 12, which the national
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA, colloquially the Boy Scouts) is one of the largest scouting organizations and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with about 1.2 million youth participants. The BSA was founded i ...
office in
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. Located in Dallas County, it is also an inner ring suburb of Dallas. The city of Irving is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. According to a 2019 estimate from the United States Census Bureau, ...
identified as a rare event. Eight years after attaining the rank of Eagle Scout, Hipolito was selected in 2009 from among 3.5 million scouts nationwide as one of six scouts to represent the Boy Scouts of America organization before the
U.S. president
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
and
Congress
A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...
. Hipolito later receive a special commendation from the mayor of the City of Huntington Beach for representing the city on the trip to
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
to meet with President
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
.
In January 2003, H.O.M.E.S., Inc. opened Midway City's Jackson Aisle Apartments, a 29 unit, $2.8 million apartment complex that provides
affordable housing
Affordable housing is housing which is deemed affordable to those with a household income at or below the median as rated by the national government or a local government by a recognized housing affordability index. Most of the literature on affo ...
to low income individuals who additionally are
mentally ill
A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitt ...
.
H.O.M.E.S. selected Midway City for its housing complex site because the area is county owned, which made it easier to buy property than had they selected an area incorporated into a city.
By agreement, Jackson Aisle Apartments is to remain
affordable housing
Affordable housing is housing which is deemed affordable to those with a household income at or below the median as rated by the national government or a local government by a recognized housing affordability index. Most of the literature on affo ...
through 2058.
About four years later in July 2007, the 1989 inclusion of Midway City in the Westminster sphere of influence was reaffirmed and the 1989 inclusion was deemed to date back to 1981.
Eight months later, noting how Westminster received no payment from Midway City for the nearly 500 Midway City matters handled by Westminster police, Tami Piscotty, Westminster city economic development manager stated how it would help Westminster significantly if Midway City were part of Westminster, but also notes, "We're not going to take them against their will."
In January 2010, Orange County supervisors approve a $350,000 memorial dedicated to Vietnamese and American history to installed in Roger Stanton Park in Midway City.
The memorial was to feature U.S. history and important events in the history of the
Vietnamese American
Vietnamese Americans ( vi, Người Mỹ gốc Việt, lit=Viet-origin American people) are Americans of Vietnamese ancestry. They make up about half of all overseas Vietnamese and are the fourth-largest Asian American ethnic group after Chinese ...
community.
Critics felt that "plaques in a wall" did not justify spending so much money.
Geography
![Midway City sq mi area](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Midway_City_sq_mi_area.png)
Midway City is located at (33.7447, −117.987).
Under the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
's most recent survey, the area had a total area of (404 acres), all land. According to the June 2012 land records published by the
Orange County Public Works, Midway City occupies about 391 acres within an 832-acre rectangular boundary, where the four islands measure approximately: the northeast island: 296.6 acres, the southwest island: 40.5 acres, the southeast island: 33 acres, and the northwest island: 21.1 acres.
Demographics
2010
The
2010 United States Census
The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...
reported that Midway City had a population of 8,485. The population density was . The racial makeup of Midway City was 2,884 (34.0%)
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
(20.9% Non-Hispanic White), 71 (0.8%)
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 65 (0.8%)
Native American, 3,994 (47.1%)
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 40 (0.5%)
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 1,165 (13.7%) from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 266 (3.1%) from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 2,467 persons (29.1%).
The Census reported that 8,382 people (98.8% of the population) lived in households, 103 (1.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 2,428 households, out of which 1,013 (41.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,204 (49.6%) were
opposite-sex married couples living together, 339 (14.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 181 (7.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 91 (3.7%)
unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 20 (0.8%)
same-sex married couples or partnerships. 495 households (20.4%) were made up of individuals, and 236 (9.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.45. There were 1,724
families
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideal ...
(71.0% of all households); the average family size was 3.99.
The population was spread out, with 2,106 people (24.8%) under the age of 18, 820 people (9.7%) aged 18 to 24, 2,379 people (28.0%) aged 25 to 44, 2,093 people (24.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,087 people (12.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males.
There were 2,574 housing units at an average density of , of which 1,001 (41.2%) were owner-occupied, and 1,427 (58.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.2%. 3,985 people (47.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,397 people (51.8%) lived in rental housing units.
According to the 2010 United States Census, Midway City had a median household income of $44,595, with 20.9% of the population living below the federal poverty line.
2000
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 8,934 people, 2,672 households, and 1,982 families residing in the unincorporated area. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 12,512.7/mi
2. There were 2,672 housing units at an average density of 3,821.8/mi
2. The racial makeup was 33.20%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 1.50%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.10%
Native American, 9.34%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 37.70%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 1.80% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.80% from two or more races. 25.70% of the population were
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race.
There were 2,672 households, out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.1% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 19.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.3 and the average family size was 3.28.
The median income for a household was $42,218, and the median income for a family was $48,258. Adult males had a median income of $33,250 versus $29,184 for adult females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
was $12,793. About 14.3% of families and 20.4% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 17.9% of those under age 18 and 26.3% of those age 65 or over.
Many Vietnamese have moved into the area, often running businesses in
Westminster
Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster.
The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Bu ...
's
Little Saigon
Little Saigon ( vi, Sài Gòn nhỏ or Tiểu Sài Gòn) is a name given to ethnic enclaves of expatriate Vietnamese mainly in English-speaking countries. Alternate names include Little Vietnam and Little Hanoi (mainly in historically communist ...
District.
Economy
Midway City is a mixture of rural, retirement, and
Vietnamese
Vietnamese may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia
** A citizen of Vietnam. See Demographics of Vietnam.
* Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam
** Overse ...
businesses.
Dakao Poultry is
niche
Niche may refer to:
Science
*Developmental niche, a concept for understanding the cultural context of child development
*Ecological niche, a term describing the relational position of an organism's species
*Niche differentiation, in ecology, the ...
market on Bolsa Avenue in Midway's
Little Saigon
Little Saigon ( vi, Sài Gòn nhỏ or Tiểu Sài Gòn) is a name given to ethnic enclaves of expatriate Vietnamese mainly in English-speaking countries. Alternate names include Little Vietnam and Little Hanoi (mainly in historically communist ...
that sells prepared chicken, roosters, ducks, and other animals selected at the store by customers while the animals are living and prepared while the customer waits. Dakao Poultry's fresh-poultry-for-consumption competitor, Baladi Poultry, is located only about 350 yards away east on Bolsa Avenue. Live pet animal seller Midway City Feed Store, which has been selling rabbits, guinea pigs, baby chicks, ducklings, and goslings from its large yellow barn in Midway City since 1942,
resides between the two food animal sellers just off Bolsa Avenue north on Jackson Street, and the Animal Assistance League of Orange County, a nonprofit, no-kill humane society that aids lost and homeless pets, also resides in Midway City between the two food animal sellers just off Bolsa Avenue, but south on Jackson Street.
Points of interest
Although unincorporated, Midway City has a variety of
points of interest
A point of interest (POI) is a specific point location that someone may find useful or interesting. An example is a point on the Earth representing the location of the Eiffel Tower, or a point on Mars representing the location of its highest m ...
. The Albert E. Schwab American Legion Post had an original lifeguard's tower from Huntington Beach as an unusual landmark in its parking lot, but not anymore. In addition, the interior of the Legion Post's club includes several 40-foot-wide
murals
A mural is any piece of graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage.
Word mural in art
The word ''mural'' is a Spanish ...
commemorating
U.S. World War II military history events such as the
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...
, the
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II that took place on 4–7 June 1942, six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea. The U.S. Navy under Adm ...
, and the
dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki.
Stanton Park includes a $350,000 memorial dedicated to
Vietnamese American
Vietnamese Americans ( vi, Người Mỹ gốc Việt, lit=Viet-origin American people) are Americans of Vietnamese ancestry. They make up about half of all overseas Vietnamese and are the fourth-largest Asian American ethnic group after Chinese ...
and general American history.
In addition, at Midway City Feed Store, a local landmark built in 1942, visitors can buy farm implements and rabbits,
guinea pigs
The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (''Cavia porcellus''), also known as the cavy or domestic cavy (), is a species of rodent belonging to the genus '' Cavia'' in the family Caviidae. Breeders tend to use the word ''cavy'' to describe the a ...
, baby chicks, ducklings, and
goslings from the stores large yellow barn.
Moreover, visitors can enjoy one of Orange County's biggest
St. Patrick's Day celebrations at
Brothers of Saint Patrick, which has been in Midway City since 1948.
Parks and recreation
In 1989, the county renamed a park built in Midway City in 1987 as ''Stanton Park'', after Roger R. Stanton, a supervisor on the
Orange County Board of Supervisors
The Orange County Board of Supervisors is the five-member governing body of Orange County, California along with being the executive of the county.
Membership
The Board consists of five Supervisors elected by districts to four-year terms by the ...
.
Government
Midway City
incorporates its
chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to ad ...
and
homeowners association
A homeowner association (or homeowners' association, abbreviated HOA, sometimes referred to as a property owners' association or POA), or a homeowner community, is a private association-like entity often formed either ''ipso jure'' in a building ...
to act in concert like a
city council
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...
.
The council discusses municipal topics such as lights, water supply, zoning, and neighborhood watch.
Monthly meetings take place at the Midway City Community Center in Stanton Park on Bolsa Avenue, where citizens often bring homemade cakes and other food dishes to be shared among the group to these
potlucks meetings.
The Midway City representatives typically discuss street lights, water supply,
zoning
Zoning is a method of urban planning in which a municipality or other tier of government divides land into areas called zones, each of which has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Zones may be defined for a si ...
, and
neighborhood watch
A neighborhood watch or neighbourhood watch (see spelling differences), also called a crime watch or neighbourhood crime watch, is an organized group of civilians devoted to crime and vandalism prevention within a neighborhood.
The aim of neig ...
and their decisions usually are made final by the
Orange County Board of Supervisors
The Orange County Board of Supervisors is the five-member governing body of Orange County, California along with being the executive of the county.
Membership
The Board consists of five Supervisors elected by districts to four-year terms by the ...
.
Law enforcement services are provided by the
Orange County Sheriff's Department, while the
California Highway Patrol
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is a state law enforcement agency of the U.S. state of California. The CHP has primary patrol jurisdiction over all California highways and roads and streets outside city limits, and can exercise law enfor ...
is responsible for traffic enforcement. Fire protection in Midway City is provided by the
Orange County Fire Authority
The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for unincorporated areas of Orange County, California as well as 25 cities within the county that contract OCFA's services. There ...
with ambulance transport by
Care Ambulance Service
Care may refer to:
Organizations and projects
* CARE (New Zealand), Citizens Association for Racial Equality, a former New Zealand organisation
* CARE (relief agency), "Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere", an international aid and ...
.
Education
Though the unincorporated city does not have a
school district
A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public primary and secondary schools in various nations.
North America United States
In the U.S, most K–12 public schools function as units of local school districts, wh ...
of its own, the
Westminster School District
The Westminster School District (WSD) is a school district in Orange County, California, established in 1872 and headquartered in Westminster. It operates schools in Westminster, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, and Midway City.
It operates elem ...
operates two public schools in Midway City – DeMille and Jessie Hayden Elementary School. The
Ocean View School District
Ocean View School District is an elementary and middle school district located in Orange County, California, encompassing 13.18 miles. The District offices are located at 17200 Pinehurst Lane, Huntington Beach, CA 92647-5569. ThOcean View Schoo ...
also operates public schools within this unincorporated county area, including Star View Elementary School located in the South East area of Midway City.
Infrastructure
![Octa-bikerack](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Octa-bikerack.jpg)
For its water needs, Midway City is divided into four areas, each of which receive water from one of the following four sources: (1) South Midway City Mutual Water Company, Inc. ("South Midway"), (2) Eastside Water Association, Inc. ("Eastside"), and (3) Midway City Water Company ("Midway"), which are three water mutuals formed in the 1930s to supply domestic water from
underground water wells to residents, and (4) Westminster Water Department.
The three wells are operated and funded by local residents and work via
hydro pneumatic pumps drawing 300 to 750 gallons per minute of water above ground to onsite water tanks at three separate locations:
8301 Madison Ave, 14731 Jackson St, and 14582 Hunter Lane. The water is distributed through four inch underground steel pipe and six inch (
C900) plastic pipe.
The water provided by the Eastside Water Association to 300 Midway City homeowners is award-winning water. The water is a flat rate fee in the area that are serviced by the three wells.
Orange County Transportation Authority
The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is the transportation planning commission for Orange County, California in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. OCTA is responsible for funding and implementing transit and capital projects for th ...
provides
mass transit services for Midway City and other Orange County locations.
Notable people
*
Pham Duy, Vietnamese songwriter
*
Montell Griffin
Montell Julian Griffin (born June 6, 1970) is an American former professional boxer. He held the WBC light heavyweight title in 1997, and challenged twice for a world title.
Early life
Montell Griffin was born June 6, 1970 in Chicago. By age 22 ...
,
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
boxer Boxer most commonly refers to:
* Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing
*Boxer (dog), a breed of dog
Boxer or boxers may also refer to:
Animal kingdom
* Boxer crab
* Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans
* Boxer snipe ee ...
*
Randy Steven Kraft
Randy Steven Kraft (born March 19, 1945) is an American serial killer and rapist known as the Scorecard Killer, the Southern California Strangler, and the Freeway Killer, who committed the rape, torture, and murder of a minimum of sixteen young ...
, American serial killer
*
Quang Le, a
Vietnamese American
Vietnamese Americans ( vi, Người Mỹ gốc Việt, lit=Viet-origin American people) are Americans of Vietnamese ancestry. They make up about half of all overseas Vietnamese and are the fourth-largest Asian American ethnic group after Chinese ...
singer
*
Dedee Pfeiffer
Dorothy Diane "Dedee" Pfeiffer (born January 1, 1964) is an American actress, the younger sister of Michelle Pfeiffer. She began her career appearing in films include '' Vamp'' (1986), '' The Allnighter'' (1987) and '' The Horror Show'' (1989). ...
, actress
*
Michelle Pfeiffer, actress
*
Francis Townsend
Francis Everett Townsend (; January 13, 1867 – September 1, 1960) was an American physician and political activist in California, In 1933 he devised an old-age pension scheme to help alleviate the Great Depression. Known as the " Townsend Pla ...
,
author of the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
era "Townsend Plan" that influenced the establishment of the
United States Social Security system.
Municipal annexation
Being an unincorporated county area,
municipal annexation
Municipal annexation is the legal process by which a city or other municipality acquires land as its jurisdictional territory (as opposed to simply owning the land the way individuals do). In the United States and Canada, it refers to the incorpor ...
by cities which border with Midway City' border is an ongoing issue for Midway City. Attempts at
complete annexation have met fierce resistance from Midway's residents, who would rather have their community remain an unincorporated area of Orange County to maintain water and property tax rates that are lower than neighboring communities.
However, Midway City's land adjacent to its borders slowly has been annexed by Westminster over time, particularly along the heavily traveled
Beach Boulevard/California State Route 39 where that annexed land could be
redeveloped
Redevelopment is any new construction on a site that has pre-existing uses. It represents a process of land development uses to revitalize the physical, economic and social fabric of urban space.
Description
Variations on redevelopment include ...
to generate significant business tax revenue for Westminster. As a result, Midway City presently is composed of four anemic sections, or "islands", that are having stepped boundaries.
Islands with less than 150 acres can be annexed without a vote by the annexation targeted island. According to the June 2012 land records published by the
Orange County Public Facilities and Resources Department, Midway City occupies about 391 acres within an 832-acre rectangular boundary, where the four islands approximately measure as follows: the northeast island 296.6 acres, the southwest island 40.5 acres, the southeast island 33 acres, and northwest island 21.1 acres.
Of these, Midway City's southwest island includes land along the heavily traveled
Beach Boulevard/California State Route 39 that could be
redeveloped
Redevelopment is any new construction on a site that has pre-existing uses. It represents a process of land development uses to revitalize the physical, economic and social fabric of urban space.
Description
Variations on redevelopment include ...
to generate significant business tax revenue for Westminster.
See also
*
List of neighborhoods and unincorporated communities in Orange County
References
Bibliography
*
*
{{authority control
Census-designated places in Orange County, California
Populated places established in the 1920s
Census-designated places in California