Modjeska, California

Modjeska is an unincorporated community on the western slope of the Santa Ana Mountains in eastern Orange County, California. It is a suburban community of several hundred residents, with a small park and a volunteer fire station.The canyon is also the location of the Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary. Most of the canyon is bordered by the Cleveland National Forest. The community of Modjeska is very tight knit, hosting several in-canyon events, such as pot lucks, dance lessons, movie nights at the park, Fourth of July parades, as well as Christmas and Hallowe’en parties. The parties are usually held in the Modjeska Community Center and the Fire Station. They also hold events for non-residents to come and enjoy, such as an arts and crafts fair held in early spring at the Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary.Mary Teegarden Clark, an early resident of nearby Orange, described a late 1800s community picnic in Modjeska in her memoirs, Pioneer Ranch Life in Orange.Modjeska is named after the 19th-century Polish stage actress, mother of the famous bridge engineer Ralph Modjeski: Helena Modjeska, who settled in the canyon in the late 19th century. Her home from 1888 to 1906, "Arden", is a National Historic Landmark. The house and gardens are fenced in, so if you are looking to see the house you must make a reservation for the tour. The house is typically only open once or twice a month, so it is important to make reservations in advance.