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State of California —The Resources Agency Primary #
<br />DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI 9
<br />CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
<br />Page 3 of3 Resource Name: Witt Houso
<br />'Recorded by Pedro Gomez `Date March 25, 2021 LxJ Continuation ❑ Update
<br />❑PR 5238 (1195)
<br />"1310. Significance (continued):
<br />`Required information
<br />Santa Ana was founded by William Spurgeon in 1869 as a speculative town Site on part of the Spanish /arid grant known as
<br />Rancho Santiago de Santa Ann. The river, and romm&n:tal core of the community was rentered around the intersection of
<br />Main and Fourth Streets. StimullitCd by the arrival of the Santa Fc Railroatl and incorporation as a city in 1566, and selection
<br />as the seat of the newly created County of Orange in 1889. the city grew outwards, with residential rlelghborhOOds
<br />developing to the north. loutli. and east of the city center. Agricultural uses predominated in the outlying areas. with
<br />cultivated fields and orchards dotted with widely scattered farmhouses.
<br />The Witt House is located in Floral Park, a neighborhood northwest of downlown Santa Ana bounded by West Seventeenth
<br />Street, North Flower- Street. Riverside Drive, and Broadway. Groves of oranges, avocados, and walnuts and widely scattered
<br />ranch houses characterized this area before 1920. Developer and builder Allison Honer (1897-1981), credited as the
<br />subdivider and builder of a major portion of northwest Santa Ana, arrived to Santa Ana fain Beaver Farls, New York err 1922
<br />(Talbert, pages 353-:356)-Before nightfall on the day of his arrival, Mr. Honor purchased a parcel of land- And that month, he
<br />began building c tston7 homes in Santa Ana" (Orange County Register, September 15, 1981). The parcel chosen became the
<br />Floral Park .subdivision hetween Seventeenth Street and Santiago Creek. "When huilt in the 1920s, the Flnrar Park hon7es
<br />were the most lavish and expensive in the area. They sold for ibout $45.000 each' (Orange County Register; Scptcmbcr 15.
<br />1981). Revival architecture to a wide variety of romantic styles was celebrated in the 1920s and 1930s and Floral Part(
<br />showcdsed examples of the Enylish Tudor, French Norman. Spanish Colonial. and Colonial Revival. The Allison Honer
<br />Construction Company went On to complete such notable protects as the 1935 Art Deco styled Old Santa Ana City Hall, the
<br />El Toro Marine Base during World War ll. and the 1960 Honer Shopping Plaza. Honer lived in the neighborhood he had
<br />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 pmject was his 192H subdIvtslon of Virtona 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 (2021) Floral Park maintains its
<br />identity as the premier neighborhood of Santa Ana. historically home to many affluent and prominent citizens.
<br />The Will House qudlifies for lisliny in the Santa Arta Register of Historical Properties under Criterion 1 for embodiment of the
<br />distinguishing characteristics of the Minimal Traditional style with Colonial Revival detailing dating froth the year just pilot to
<br />World War It Additionally, the house has been categorized as "Contributive "because it "contribuleS to the overall character
<br />and history" of Floral Park and is a good example of period architecture," representing the Minimal Traditional architecture
<br />style in Santa Ana. Character -defining exterior features of the Witt House that should be preserved include, but may not be
<br />limited to: sheathing (.sturro and clapboard in the gable end); roof configuration, massing; original fenestration pattern; porch,
<br />chimney, and architectural details such as shutters, prominent brick Chimney, and accent brick material at the front entry.
<br />`B12. References (continued):
<br />Harris, Cyril M. American Architecture: An illustrated Encyclopedia. New York, WW Norton. 1998.
<br />Marsh, Diann. Santa Ana. An Illustrated Historv. Encinitas, Heritage Publishing, 1994.
<br />McAlester. Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1984.
<br />National Hegisler Bulletin 16A. "How to Complete the Nattonal Heytsler Heytslrabon FOITII Washington UC: National
<br />Register Branch. National Park Servlre, US Deptof the Interior; 1991.
<br />Offira of Historic Preservation. 9nstnrctions for -Recording Historical Resclirres."Sacramento: March 1995.
<br />Whiffen. Marcus. American AfehItGULtn3 Since 1780. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1969.
<br />Santa Ana Ann Orange County Orractonas, 190.5-2017.
<br />Ancestry. rom
<br />Newspapers. com (Santa Ana Reoisted
<br />"Marriage Lic:enses_" Santa Ana Reuister. 3 September 1909.
<br />"Hudson Ganle Firm Files Incorporation. ` Santa Ana Reoistet 8 February 1921.
<br />"Floral Park Tract Plans Development." Santa Ana Register; 14 July 14 1929.
<br />-Harry H. Ball Dies Suddenly. " Santa Ana Register 6 October 1936.
<br />"Heliotrope Drive Will Be Opened To North Park Blvd ."Santa Ana Register, 7 September- 193&
<br />-Bon Voyage Party Given By Witts."Santa Ana Register. 10 July 1941.
<br />-&A. People In Islands Listed. "Santa Ana Register, 8 December 1941.
<br />••/A.-.. Q 4QQ 140 .Mc.- ;1 1-4, toll
<br />City Council 12 — 126 5/18/2021
<br />DPR 523L
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