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HomeMy WebLinkAbout010119_Template-DragonConfectionery_104EFourth.pdfPage 1 of 4 cm\historic\temploates\Fourth 104 E (Dragon Confectionery) 8/8/01 NAME Dragon Confectionery REF. NO. 238 ADDRESS 104 East Fourth Street CITY Santa Ana ZIP 92701 ORANGE COUNTY YEAR BUILT C 1885; c 1933 LOCAL REGISTER CATEGORY: Contributive HISTORIC DISTRICT Downtown Santa Ana NEIGHBORHOOD NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION C NATIONAL REGISTER STATUS CODE 1D Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted USGS 7.5” Quad Date: T R _ of _ of Sec : B.M Prehistoric Historic Both ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Art Deco DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND RELATED TO PERIOD ARCHITECTURE: The Art Deco style is characterized by smooth wall surfaces, often of stucco; zigzags, chevrons, fluting, reeding, and other low-relief stylized and geometric motifs as decorative elements on the façade; accents of terra cotta, glass, or metal; polychromy; rectangular or compound forms; and a more vertical emphasis than its close stylistic relative, Streamline Moderne. Art Deco was essentially a style of decoration, and was applied to jewelry, clothing, furniture and handicrafts as well as architecture. In style between 1920 and 1940, Art Deco was popularized by the Exposition des Arts Decoratifs held in Paris in 1925. It was most commonly utilized on commercial or public buildings. Page 2 of 4 cm\historic\temploates\Fourth 104 E (Dragon Confectionery) 8/8/01 CONSTRUCTION HISTORY: (Construction data, alterations, and date of alterations) Built in 1885 (George P. Bessonette, contractor) First floor remodel 1906 Façade remodel circa 1933 Storefront remodel circa 1950 RELATED FEATURES: (Other important features such as barns, sheds, fences, prominent or unusual trees, or landscape) None. DESCRIPTION: (Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, settings, and boundaries.) This two-story building fronts north on East Fourth Street mid-block between Main and Bush Streets. Built originally in 1885, the building has been remodeled several times since its construction. The street level façade was altered circa 1950 by the installation of a bank of aluminum-framed storefront windows that span the width of the storefront. A set of four contiguous polished metal vents has been installed in the transom area. The doorway to the second floor is located to the right of the storefront, and appears to breach the party wall between this building at the building at 102 East Fourth Street. A raised zigzag motif in concrete or stucco visually separates the first floor from the second. The upper floor façade has two large four-part metal sash windows with fluted flat arch heads. The cornice is continuous with the building to the east (106 East Fourth) suggesting that the two were of the same design at least in the 1930s. The zigzag motif is continued on the slightly corbeled cornice and at the parapet. HISTORIC HIGHLIGHTS: Historic accounts regarding this building vary. It appears to have been constructed in 1885 in the popular Renaissance Revival influenced styling of the day, with a classical cornice and detailing. Modifications and additions were made in 1906. The current Art Deco influenced façade resulted from a post 1933 earthquake remodel of both 104 and 106 East Fourth Street (Thomas 7:16). The long-time location of the Dragon Confectionery (1907-1922), a Mexican presence was evident by 1935 when the La Casa Trabuco Café began operations at this address. A Mexican restaurant is still at this location today (Les). RESOURCE ATTRIBUTES: (List attributes and codes from Appendix 4 of Instructions for Recording Historical Resources, Office of Historic Preservation.) (HP 6) 1-3 story commercial building Page 3 of 4 cm\historic\temploates\Fourth 104 E (Dragon Confectionery) 8/8/01 RESOURCES PRESENT: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other MOVED? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location: STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: (Discuss importance in terms of historical or architectural context as defined by theme, period, geographic scope, and integrity.) Santa Ana was founded by William Spurgeon in 1869 as a speculative townsite on part of the Spanish land grant known as Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana. Early growth and development was stimulated by the arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1878 and the Santa Fe Railroad in 1886. By the end of the 1880s, Santa Ana’s downtown business district was defined by five city blocks of brick commercial buildings on Fourth Street, with the heart of the city at the intersection of Fourth and Main Streets (Thomas 8:1). The period of 1911-1915 saw many characteristic new business blocks or remodels along Fourth Street, and by the 1920s Santa Ana’s downtown had expanded in each direction to include both commercial and civic development. In 1933 the Long Beach earthquake hit the Southern California area, causing extensive damage to many of the storefronts in Santa Ana’s downtown. Where repair was possible, many of the buildings dating from the late 1800s and early 1900s were remodeled with Art Deco or Streamline Moderne storefronts, the popular architectural styles of the day. Character-defining exterior features of the Dragon Confectionery which should be preserved include, but are not limited to: smooth stucco façade; Art Deco zigzag detailing between stories, at the cornice and parapet; metal casement windows; and fluted window heads. This building, originally constructed in 1885 and altered following the 1933 earthquake, displays characteristics of the Art Deco style popular at the time. The zigzag motif found in the beltcourse, the window architraves, and the parapet are typical features of the Art Deco, as is the use of metal elements at the storefront. The upper story of the building retains fair integrity of detail and design. SUMMARY/CONCLUSION: This building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 as a contributor to the Downtown Historic District. Under the regulations implementing the California Register of Historical Resources, the building is also listed in the California Register. As an example of the vernacular interpretation of Art Deco styling which was fashionable during the 1920s and 1930s, the building satisfies Criterion 1 for inclusion in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Property. Additionally, the property has been categorized as “Contributive” because it “contributes to the overall character and history” of the downtown historic district (Municipal Code, Section 30-2.2(3)). OWNER AND ADDRESS: Benissa Trust Luis Mendoza 104 East Fourth Street Santa Ana CA 92704 Page 4 of 4 cm\historic\temploates\Fourth 104 E (Dragon Confectionery) 8/8/01 RECORDED BY: (Name, affiliation, and address) Leslie Heumann & Liz Carter Science Applications International Corporation 35 S. Raymond Avenue, Suite 204, Pasadena, CA 91105 DATE RECORDED: January 19, 2001 SURVEY TYPE: (Intensive, reconnaissance, or other) Intensive REPORT CITATION: (Cite survey report and other sources) Les, Kathleen. “Santa Ana Historic Survey, Final Resources Inventory: Downtown.” May 1980, p. 6. Thomas, Harold M. “Downtown Santa Ana Historic District” National Register nomination form, 1984. REFERENCES: (List documents, date of publication, and page numbers. May also include oral interviews.) Harris, Cyril M. American Architecture: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. New York, WW Norton, 1998. Heritage Orange County Inc. “Downtown Santa Ana Historic District Walking Tour.” nd. McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1984 National Register Bulletin 16A. “How to Complete the National Register Registration Form.” Washington DC: National Register Branch, National Park Service, US Department of the Interior, 1991. Whiffen, Marcus. American Architecture Since 1780. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1969. EVALUATOR: Leslie Heumann DATE OF EVALUATION: January 19, 2001 EXPLANATION OF CODES: • National Register Criteria for Evaluation: (From Appendix 7 of Instructions for Recording Historical Resources, Office of Historic Preservation) C: that embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or that represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction • National Register Status Code: (From Appendix 2 of Instructions for Recording Historical Resources, Office of Historic Preservation) 1D: Contributor to a listed district. EXPLANATION OF CODES: • National Register Criteria for Evaluation: (From Appendix 7 of Instructions for Recording Historical Resources, Office of Historic Preservation) C: that embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or that represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction • National Register Status Code: (From Appendix 2 of Instructions for Recording Historical Resources, Office of Historic Preservation) 1D: Contributor to a listed district.