I might be wrong, but I don't think anybody's mentioned the Mell Kilpatrick book. Read about it
here and
here and
here.
Here are some photos that aren't in the book:
Main & Newport, Tustin, 2/4/55, looking west on Newport.
I'm guessing this one is Santa Ana, given the Santa Ana University Beauty School neon.
Note the
Orange Drive-In in the bg. It's 1951 and they're running
New Mexico and
Lost Continent.
Somewhere near Garden Grove, evidently.
Somewhere near beer, evidently.
For my next trick, a little piece of then & now, courtesy of Google Maps Street View...
...4th & Bristol, Santa Ana...hard to believe it's still there and this intact!