North Tustin, California, is a suburban community in Orange County, California. It has grown from an agricultural settlement to a bustling suburb of over 60,000 residents. North Tustin is now known for its shopping centers and commercial districts with many restaurants and other entertainment venues. North Tustin was founded by William J. Frye in 1887 as the Union Industrial Association to provide housing for employees of the Pacific Electric Railway Company. They were working on the Southern Pacific Railroad extension through central Orange County. The first building erected was used as both a boarding house and church because no other churches existed in this area which had been recently established by settlers coming west during America’s expansionist period after the Civil War.

The Union Industrial Association was later organized as the Tustin Street Railway Company to provide transportation for the electric railway company employees. This short-lived trolley eventually fell prey to competition from local rival Pacific Electric, which installed a line nearby that provided direct service into Los Angeles on June 17, 1911.
By 1912, the Frye family had purchased land just north of the tracks, renting out for various purposes. The original strip of two-story buildings stretched between present-day El Camino Real and Raitt Street.

North Tustin experienced growth after citizens decided to incorporate it in 1956. The expansion was driven by private enterprise fueled by strict zoning laws implemented under the leadership of then-mayor John Wayne. The city was named after General Oliver Hazard Perry Throck Morton, the 38th Governor of Indiana and later United States Secretary of War under President Benjamin Harrison. Morton helped define modern American coastal artillery after the Spanish–American War in the 20th century. North Tustin is a part of the Tustin Unified School District.
The city is home to two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.

Some of the best grocery stores in North Tustin, California, include Vons, Ralphs, and Trader Joe’s. Restaurants in the area include The Counter, BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse, and Olive Garden. Other attractions in North Tustin include the Birch Aquarium, Dunn Family Park, and the Heritage Museum of Orange County. The city hosts annual events such as a summer concert series called “Summer Nights in the Neighborhood” and a special screenings program titled “Movie Under The Stars.”
Residents attend churches, including First Baptist Church of Tustin, North Tustin United Methodist Church, and Saint Coryn of the Cross Roman Catholic Church.

The city has grown tremendously since its inception in 1887, with a population at one point reaching 61,096 residents. Today it has dwindled to just over 60,000, as is shown by the most recent census data. North Tustin is located at 33°35’44 “N 117°53’16” W. The city sits at an elevation of 156ft above sea level and occupies a total land area of 5.5 square miles. According to the most recent census data, North Tustin has a population density of 9,545 people per square mile.