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State of California—The Resources Agency Primary #
<br />DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
<br />CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
<br />Page 3 of 3 Resource Name: Evans -Harr House
<br />by Pedro Gomez
<br />*1310. Significance (continued):
<br />*Date April 26, 2018 O Continuation ❑ Update
<br />These patents include the Dual Air Vent Bypass (DAVB) container, Lone Attack Aircraft Defense System and the Liquid
<br />Dispenser With Relief Valve Opening (modfication to 'pull tab" on soda cans), among others. However, Mr. Harr is more
<br />prominently known as the dog handler of Rex, otherwise known as "Oki" a highly decorated german shepherd dog that
<br />served during World War 11. Oki was assigned to Mr. Harr and an additional marine on a demolition team. Mr. Harr trained Oki
<br />as a front-line scout and messenger dog, to sniff bombs and to assist him with communications. It is well known that in
<br />Okinawa, Mr. Harr and about 150 marines were pinned down behind enemy lines. With Mr. Harr's instructions, Oki ran
<br />through enemy formation taking fire and ultimately reaching American Forces who were able to rescue Mr. Harr and his men.
<br />For his heroic action, Oki was awarded the Distinguished War Citation by President Harry Truman. Mr. and Mrs. Harr resided
<br />in this property until their deaths.
<br />The Evans -Harr House is located in Floral Park, a neighborhood northwest of downtown Santa Ana bounded by West
<br />Seventeenth Street, North Flower Street, Riverside Drive, and Broadway. Groves of oranges, avocados, and walnuts and
<br />widely scattered ranch houses characterized this area before 1920. Developer and builder Allison Honer (1897-1981),
<br />credited as the subdivider and builder of a major portion of northwest Santa Ana, arrived in Santa Ana from Beaver Falls,
<br />New York in 1922 (Talbert, pages 353-356). "Before nightfall on the day of his arrival, Mr. Honer purchased a parcel of land.
<br />And that month, he began building custom homes in Santa Ana" (Orange County Register, September 15, 1981). The parcel
<br />chosen became the Floral Park subdivision between Seventeenth Street and Santiago Creek. "When built in the 1920s, the
<br />Floral Park homes were the most lavish and expensive in the area. They sold for about $45,000 each" (Orange County
<br />Register, September 15, 1981). Revival architecture in a wide variety of romantic styles was celebrated in the 1920s and
<br />1930s and Floral Park showcased examples of the English Tudor, French Norman, Spanish Colonial, and Colonial Revival.
<br />The Allison Honer Construction Company went on to complete such notable projects as the 1935 Art Deco styled Old Santa
<br />Ana City Hall, the El Toro Marine Base during World War 11, and the 1960 Honer Shopping Plaza. Honer lived in the
<br />neighborhood he had helped to create, at 615 West Santa Clara Avenue.
<br />In the late 1920s and 1930s, another builder, Roy Roscoe Russell (1881-1965), continued developing the groves of Floral
<br />Park. An early Russell project was his 1928 subdivision of Victoria Drive between West Nineteenth Street and West Santa
<br />Clara Avenue. The homes were quite grand and displayed various revival styles, including Russell's own large, Colonial
<br />Revival mansion at 2009 Victoria Drive. In the early post World War 11 years, Floral Park continued its development as
<br />numerous, smaller, single-family houses were built. Continuing in the Floral Park tradition, they were mostly revival in style. In
<br />the 1950s, low, horizontal Ranch Style houses completed the growth of Floral Park. Today (2018) Floral Park maintains its
<br />identity as the premier neighborhood of Santa Ana, historically home to many affluent and prominent citizens.
<br />The Evans -Harr House qualifies for listing in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Properties under Criterion 1, for its
<br />exemplification of the distinguishing characteristics of the Minimal Traditional style; and Criterion 4, for its contribution to the
<br />Floral Park neighborhood and for its association with prominent local builder, Emmet C. Rogers. Additionally, the house has
<br />been categorized as "Contributive" because it "contributes to the overall character and history" of the Floral Park
<br />neighborhood, and, as an intact example of the Minimal Traditional style in the Floral Park neighborhood, "is a good example
<br />of period architecture", Character defining features of the Evans -Harr House that should be preserved include, but may not
<br />be limited to, materials and finishes; a low -pitch cross hipped roof, wide overhanging eaves; brick chimney; metal detailing
<br />(porch supports); metal casement windows; wood windows; decorative cast-iron porch light and front entry portico.
<br />*1312. References (continued):
<br />Harris, Cyril M. American Architecture: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. New York, WW Norton, 1998.
<br />Hess, Alan. Ranch House. New York., Harry N. Abrams, Inc. 2004
<br />Marsh, Diann. Santa Ana, An Illustrated History. Encinitas, Heritage Publishing, 1994.
<br />McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses, New York., Alfred A. Knopf, 1984,
<br />National Register Bulletin 16A. "How to Complete the National Register Registration Form. " Washington DC: National
<br />Register Branch, National Park Service, US Dept. of the Interior, 1991.
<br />Office of Historic Preservation. "Instructions for Recording Historical Resources.' Sacramento: March 1995,
<br />Whitten, Marcus. American Architecture Since 1780, Cambridge: MIT Press, 1969.
<br />`Alison Honer Dies at 84," The Santa Ana Journal September 21, 1981.
<br />History of Floral Park." http://www floral-park.com/page2.html.
<br />Santa Ana and Orange County Directories, 1947-1962.
<br />"US Marine Robert Harr."https://www.gettyimages.com/
<br />DPR 523L
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