Estancia Park keeps Costa Mesa's old adobe layer in view

Costa Mesa is often read through newer landmarks: South Coast Plaza, the arts district, the fairgrounds, busy streets, and the beach cities nearby. Estancia Park gives the city an older layer that is easy to miss if you only pass through on Harbor Boulevard or the 55.

The park is named for the Estancia Adobe, also known as the Diego Sepulveda Adobe. “Estancia” reaches back to the cattle-ranch use tied to the mission and rancho period. The original adobe was built on the site in 1820, long before Costa Mesa became a modern Orange County city. The restored building now sits inside a park that still works like a local green space.

The old and new uses sit easily together. You can have a picnic, walk the grass, or bring kids to the park while standing near one of the oldest stories in the area. It is a small place where the city keeps part of its early map visible.

If you are trying to understand Costa Mesa, this stop balances the shopping-and-arts image with something older and more local. The mesa was here before the freeways, before the mall, and before the fairgrounds became such a familiar landmark.