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HomeMy WebLinkAbout001109_Template-GowdyHouse_831NFrench.pdfPage 1 of 4 LL\HRC\categories\gowdy 10-5-00 NAME Gowdy House REF. NO. 148 ADDRESS 831 North French Street CITY Santa Ana ZIP 92701 ORANGE COUNTY YEAR BUILT 1911 LOCAL REGISTER CATEGORY: Contributive HISTORIC DISTRICT French Park NEIGHBORHOOD French Park NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION A, C NATIONAL REGISTER STATUS CODE 1D Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted USGS 7.5” Quad Date: T R ¼ of ¼ of Sec : B.M. Prehistoric Historic Both ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Bungalow/Craftsman DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND RELATED TO PERIOD ARCHITECTURE: The architectural style terminology is adapted from the National Register Bulletin 16A. The Bungalow/Craftsman architectural style is an early 20th century American movement, inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement and developed by Charles and Henry Greene of Pasadena, California. The height of the movement is between 1900 and the 1920’s. The style is characterized by the use of natural wood for exposed massive beams and rafters and exterior siding. Some of the most prominent features are: low pitched gabled roof with wide overhangs and projecting brackets; the emphasis on horizontal shapes informally arranged; the use of shingles as exterior finish; broad, gabled entry porches; no applied ornament; creek rock foundations and porch column bases. Many houses include Japanese or Swiss influences in their exterior detailing. A plainer and simpler interpretation of this style developed between 1905 to 1925. This vocabulary is characterized for its gabled front porches supported by tapered columns or piers and wide front windows. The exterior finish more typically is wood siding or clapboard, though some may have stucco in the lower portion of the house. Page 2 of 4 LL\HRC\categories\gowdy 10-5-00 CONSTRUCTION HISTORY: (Construction data, alterations, and date of alterations) Year Built : 1911 Convert residence to duplex: Feb 21, 1950 Interior alterations: March 29, 1955 RELATED FEATURES: (Other important features such as barns, sheds, fences, prominent or unusual trees, or landscape) None identified DESCRIPTION: (Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, settings, and boundaries.) This rectangular building with an asymmetrical placed dormer is topped by a side facing gable. A gabled dormer, located on the south half of the front façade, appears to have been a small covered balcony. It has now been enclosed with windows. Triangular knee braces and carved brackets accent the gable faces. . Medium-width clapboards cover the exterior of the one and one half story Gowdy House. A recessed porch occupies the south half of the first floor. Decorative carved brackets accent the ends of the wood frieze above the porch. A plain rail extends between a pair of tapered half piers. A matching post supports the south end of the porch. A diamond-paned leaded glass transom tops the large plate glass window located to the south of the original front door, which contains an oval pane of beveled glass. A plate glass window, topped with a leaded glass transom and flanked with double hung windows occupies the space to the north of the porch. A stairway and door have been added to the north façade. A single storied slanted bay window is located to the east of the stairway. The enclosure of the small dormered porch and the stairway and door on the north side are alterations. The defining features that makes this a Bungalow/Craftsman include the detailing of the wood frieze above the front facing porch, exterior clapboard finish, detailing around the fenestration and wide eaves with exposed rafter ends. HISTORIC HIGHLIGHTS: Ella Gowdy, the widow of the Reverend George W. Gowdy, built this house in 1911. Their daughters, Joella F. Gowdy, a teacher and vice principal of Santa Ana High School, and Sarah, an artist, lived here with her. After Mrs Gowdy died, Joella continued to live here until the 1940’s. RESOURCE ATTRIBUTES: (List attributes and codes from Appendix 4 of Instructions for Recording Historical Resources, Office of Historic Preservation.) HP2 Single Family Property Page 3 of 4 LL\HRC\categories\gowdy 10-5-00 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.) This example of residential architecture during the City of Santa Ana’s formation years is located in French Park Historic District. This one and one half story single family residence was built during the height of the development years of French Park, a residential district nicknamed as the “Nob Hill” of Orange County. French Park was one of the first residential developments in the City, and home to many prominent businessmen, doctors, bankers, attorneys and civil servants from 1880 to the early 1940’s. This house is in good, unaltered condition, and on its original site. The Gowdy House is a listed as a contributing structure to French Park Historic District. SUMMARY/CONCLUSION: This building contributes to the overall character and history of French Park. The building has not been substantially altered and it is a good example of the residential architecture of the period. Some of the distinguishing features include the detailing on the wood frieze above the front facing porch, exterior clapboard finish, detailing around the fenestration and wide eaves with exposed rafter ends. OWNER AND ADDRESS: Leonard b. Castillo Trust P.O. Box 1332 Santa Ana, CA 92702 Page 4 of 4 LL\HRC\categories\gowdy 10-5-00 RECORDED BY: (Name, affiliation, and address) Lucy Linnaus City of Santa Ana, Planning Division 20 Civic Center Plaza M-20, Santa Ana, CA 927-2 DATE RECORDED: November 9, 2000 SURVEY TYPE: (Intensive, reconnaissance, or other) Reconnaissance REPORT CITATION: (Cite survey report and other sources) National Register of Historic Places Application for French Park Historic District Santa Ana Historic Register Application Form REFERENCES: (List documents, date of publication, and page numbers. May also include oral interviews.) National Register Bulletin 16A Santa Ana Architectural Style Guide, Text by Kathleen Les, and Drawings by Diann Marsh City of Santa Ana Building Division Records EVALUATOR: DATE OF EVALUATION: EXPLANATION OF CODES: • National Register Criteria for Evaluation: (From Appendix 7 of Instructions for Recording Historical Resources, Office of Historic Preservation) A: that are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history 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.