Collections

The Laguna Woods History Center collects and cares for an expansive array of historic items, including photographs, documents, videos, objects, and more. Collectively, these thousands and thousands of items help detail the history of Laguna Woods from unoccupied wilderness to working ranch to thriving community.

The Board of Trustees is committed to enhancing the accessibility of the History Center’s collections with the goal of ensuring that the story of Laguna Woods is not only preserved, but shared as widely as possible. To that end, this website is intended to serve as your gateway to the community’s rich past and dynamic present.

We encourage you to check back often, as more of our collections are digitized every month.

Journal Covers

Currently Digitized Collections

Newspapers

The Leisure World News

Photograph Collection

Before
After

Moulton Ranch Barn (Before) and 1988 El Toro Marine Aerial (After)

Additional photographs are available for viewing at the History Center. Consult with the Archivist to schedule an appointment to view the collections.

View some of the other Historic Photograph Collections:

Early Years Collection

: Opening Day Sep 10, 1964

Heritage Hill Historic Park Collection

Camera Club

Bowling Club

More collections are available at the Laguna Woods History Center. The volunteers are helping us digitize more records to make them accessible to you.

Before
After

Moulton Ranch cattle overlooking Saddleback Mountain, circa 1960s (Before) and Dream Sale in Leisure World, 1978 (After)

Topical Summary of Photograph Collection:

Academians
Activities – Recreation
Aerial Views
Airplane Crash
Aliso Creek
American Italia Club
Anniversary – 10th – Leisure World [1974]
Anniversary – 20th – Leisure World [1984]
Anniversary – 25th – Leisure World [1989]
Anniversary – 30th – Leisure World [1994]
Anniversary – 40th – Laguna Woods Village [2004]
Anniversary – 45th – Laguna Woods Village [2009]
Annual Meetings
Annual Recognition Dinner
Aquadettes
Audubon Society
Bank Opening
Bicyclers
Boehm Global Peace Sculpture
Bowling League
Brandeis University
Bridge
Budget Planning
Buildings – Commercial
Buildings – Leisure World
Buses
Cable Installation
California of the Past
Camera Club
Carousels
Cassettes OH Oral Histories
Ceramics Casters
Churches #1 & #2
Classes
Clubs
Collections – Schultz & Others
Community Associations
Construction
Cortese Family
Coyotes
Dancing
Diorama
Docents
Early Days
Earth Day
Eastside Reservoir Project
Electric Car
El Nino 1997 -1998
El Toro Air Show
Environment
Exercise
Existing Site Construction
Extravaganza Ball (5/21/1974)
Festival 1983
Flood 1968 & 1997
Friendship Gate
Garden Center
Gates
Gate 14, Rebuild Photos
Glendale Federal
The Globe [unisphere]
Golden Rain Foundation
Golf
Golf 9-Hole
Grading
Health

Historical Society – Leisure World
Historical Society – Volunteers
Home Depot
Home Federal
Honorees
Incorporation of Leisure World
International Executive Service Corps
Japanese Astronaut
Laguna Beach
Laguna Woods City (10th Birthday)
Landscape Maintenance
Lawn Bowling
Leisure World 1964
Leisure World & Elsewhere
LW of the Month 1978 & 1979
Library
Mall
Manors
Medical Center
Memorial Day
Miscellaneous
Model Homes
Moulton Parkway
Moulton Plaza
Music Groups
Mutual OfficersNew Residents (Openings)
Northern California Water System
Orange County Ranchos & Landmarks
Oriental Gardens
Parades 1970-1972, 1976-1984
Parades 1989, 1990, 1998
Parks
PCM Staff
People A – G
People H – M
People N- W
Pioneers
Post Cards
Regency Winter Tea Party
Rossmoor – Leisure World Brochure
Rosemoor – Planned Office Building
Saddleback Memorial Medical Center
Scenic View
Security
Shuffleboard
Snowstorm 1/10/1949
Society for Humanistic Judaism
Stables
Storage Area
Swimming
Table Tennis
Taj Mahal
Tennis
Theatre Guild
Third Mutual
Towers
Trees
TV Installation
Unidentified Photos – Slides
United Mutual
Veteran – WWI
Villa Valencia
Walking
Wedding Anniversaries
Woodworking