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French Park Historic District, Santa Ana, CA Orange County tm, >c»4-aDr« United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page The French Park Historic District, a 20-square-block neighborhood in Santa Ana, California, is nominated under National Register Criteria A and C. Under Criterion A, in the area of exploration/settlement, the district illustrates the unique street pattern of Santa Ana East, designed in 1877, to shift the commercial downtown of the city to this new site adjacent to the proposed Southern Pacific Railroad. Also under Criterion A, as part of the city's social history, are listed many persons significant to the history of Santa Ana. Research shows that many of those building and occupying homes in the neighborhood contributed a great deal to the development and well-being of the city. Under Criterion C, in the area of architecture, the district contains rows of historic homes, several of which can be considered to be the finest examples of a particular style in Orange County. The neighborhood was designated by the Santa Ana City Council as the French Park Historic District in 1984, and was the first of two local residential districts to be granted. Historic Street Pattern: The unique triangular street pattern of French Park visually reflects the establishment of Santa Ana East, the town's proposed new commercial center, as set forth in 1877-78. The pattern exhibits historical associations with the platting and development of the neighborhood and the street pattern's relationship to the Southern Pacific Railroad. Eight years after the founding of the city, some of Santa Ana's businessmen began to talk about expansion. In 1877, William Spurgeon, J. H. Fruit, and James McFadden, three of Santa Ana's most prominent pioneers, formed a corporation called the Western Development Company. The three persuaded the Southern Pacific Railroad to extend its line south from its terminus at Anaheim, to Santa Ana. Competition with Columbus Tustin, the founder of nearby Tustin City, was stiff, but the Western Development Company.won the contract. By the time the tracks were laid and the first train steamed into town, the company had platted a 160- acre tract called Santa Ana East. Located parallel to the diagonally-placed railroad tracks, it formed a triangle with the original townsite and was attached to the east side of French Street. The point of the triangle was at Tenth, French and G (now Minter Street). A rousing celebration greeted the first train as it puffed its way into 'the city. Crowds gathered as the bands played, and speeches were given. William Spurgeon provided free lunches, banners, bands and a rousing wel come for those who arrived by train at Santa Ana East. The railroad was a