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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 4 Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder) Emison-Georgieff House
<br />*Recorded by Leslie J. Neumann, Peter C. Moruzzi, SAIC *Date January 27, 2003 El Continuation ? Update
<br />*123a. Description (continued):
<br />with a moderately pitched, side-gabled roof covers a recessed porch and is supported by thick, square brick piers. Here,
<br />too, exposed rafter tails distinguish the eaves. A tapered, exterior, stucco-covered chimney rises above the gable peak of
<br />the west elevation. On the projecting east wing, a second floor row of four double-hung sash windows surmounts the
<br />double-car garage. The garage doors are not original. Ornamental wrought iron sconces grace many of the exterior walls.
<br />An original decorative tiled fountain and a round gazebo topped with a red life roof, Installed in 1973, occupy the southeast
<br />corner of the property. The front yard is lushly landscaped with mature pine, magnolia, ficus, and eucalyptus frees, topiary,
<br />lawns, and a winding red brick entrance path. Wrought iron fencing punctuated by an ornate monogram (G, most likely for
<br />Dr. Georgieff, a more recent owner) forms a perimeter wall between square stuccoed posts at the sidewalk and was
<br />probably installed in 1987. Other than the noted changes, the house appears In excellent, original condition.
<br />*810. Significance (continued):
<br />The Emison-Georgieff 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
<br />parcel chosen became the Floral Park subdivision between Seventeenth Street and Santiago Creek. "When built in the
<br />1920s, the Floral Park homes wore the most lavish and expensive in the area. They sold for about $45,000 each" (Orange
<br />County Register. September 15, 1981). Revival architecture in a wide variety of romantic styles was celebrated in the 1920s
<br />and 1930s and Floral Park showcased examples of the English Tudor, French Norman, Spanish Colonial, and Colonial
<br />Revival. The Allison Honer Construction Company went on to complete such notable projects as the 1935 Art Deco styled
<br />Old Santa Ana City Hall, the El Toro Marine Base during World War 11, and the 1960 Honer Shopping Plaza. Honer lived in
<br />the 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 Ii 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.
<br />In the 1950s, low, horizontal Ranch Style houses completed the growth of Floral Park. Today (2003) Floral Park maintains
<br />its identity as the premier neighborhood of Santa Ana, historically home to many affluent and prominent citizens.
<br />The Emison-Georgieff House has been determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places as a
<br />contributor to a North Broadway Park historic district that is bounded by Riverside Drive, Santa Clara Avenue, North
<br />Broadway, and North Flower Street. Comprising the northern end of the Floral Park neighborhood, North Broadway Park
<br />was subdivided in 1923. The Keeper of the National Register found that: "North Broadway Park reflects the City Beautiful
<br />planning movement In Southern California during the early twentieth century. The vernacular adaptations of period revival
<br />styles, curvilinear street pallems, street furniture, and landscape combine to create a cohesive and pleasant middle class
<br />suburban neighborhood environment which is unique In the early historical development of the city of Santa Ana. "' Under
<br />the regulations implementing the California Register of Historical Resources, the Emison-Georgleff House has been listed in
<br />the California Register. It also qualifies for listing in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Property under Criterion 1 for its
<br />exemplification of the distinguishing characteristics of the Spanish Colonial Revival style. The house combines the broad
<br />asymmetrical massing, materials, and romanticism, epitomized by the tower, that are associated with the Spanish Colonial
<br />Revival, with the wooden cantilevered balcony that is the hallmark of the Monterey Revival. The house also contributes to
<br />the historic character of the Floral Park neighborhood through Its age, style, scale, and historic association with important
<br />members of the local business and professional communities. Additionally, the house has been categorized as "Landmark"
<br />because It has been determined eligible for the National Register, has been listed In the California Register, has unique
<br />architectural significance" as an example of the Spanish Colonial Revival style, and contributes to a district that has
<br />historicaUcultural significance to the City" as an example of the City Beautiful planning movement. All original and restored
<br />exterior features of the Emison-Georgleff House are considered to be character defining and should be preserved. These
<br />features include, but may not be limited to: materials (wood, brick, Iron, tile) and finishes (stucco); roof configuration,
<br />materials, and treatment; massing and composition, balcony, porches, bays and projections; doors and windows;
<br />architectural detailing (zapalas, wrought iron railings, sconces, etc.); and landscape features such as the decorative tiled
<br />fountain and mature trees.
<br />Determination of Eligibility, February 25, 1980.
<br />OPR 523E 25B Q?,aed of 5
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