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HomeMy WebLinkAbout001109_Template-Minter_322WThird.pdfPage 1 of 4 LL\HRC\categories\minter 10-05-00 NAME Minter House REF. NO. 180 ADDRESS 322 West Third Street CITY Santa Ana ZIP 92701 ORANGE COUNTY YEAR BUILT 1877 LOCAL REGISTER CATEGORY: Landmark HISTORIC DISTRICT NEIGHBORHOOD NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION B, C NATIONAL REGISTER STATUS CODE 1S Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted USGS 7.5” Quad Date: T R ¼ of ¼ of Sec : B.M. Prehistoric Historic Both ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Italianate DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND RELATED TO PERIOD ARCHITECTURE: The architectural style terminology is adapted from the National Register Bulletin 16A. The Italianate style is one of the Late Victorian styles that flourished in California between 1860 –1890. The style emphasizes the vertical lines, both in the building volume and in the use of elongated doors and windows. Buildings are highly symmetrical and balanced in appearance and accompanied by a pleasant touch of the picturesque. Wide overhanging eaves often with decorative brackets and hipped roofs, usually cap these buildings. Other significant features include balustrade balconies, corner quoins, rectangular windows with hood moldings, and frequent use angular bays. Porches are almost universally present and are relatively restrained in elaboration and are of single story in height. The most common type of porch support is a square column with the corners beveled. Page 2 of 4 LL\HRC\categories\minter 10-05-00 CONSTRUCTION HISTORY: (Construction data, alterations, and date of alterations) Main Residence: Reroof Residence July 21, 1927 Alterations July 26, 1933 Reroof June 25, 1943 Convert residence to offices and historic restoration February 9, 1982 Reroof September 11, 1992 Garage: Addition to garage January, 1923 Chimney Repair June 8, 1933 Demolish garage April 13, 1982 RELATED FEATURES: (Other important features such as barns, sheds, fences, prominent or unusual trees, or landscape) Water Tower DESCRIPTION: (Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, settings, and boundaries.) The two story Minter house was built by Henry C. Berry in 1877. This house originally faced Third Street but was turned around to face Birch Street in 1900 so that the front window could face Birch Park. The house is an “L”-shape plan and an elongated, vertical volume. It has a gabled roof with gable ends treated in a classical manner, common to the Greek Revival architectural influences of the time. The detail around the gables includes a modified Greco-Roman cornice containing crown and bed molds, a fascia, dentils and frieze. Wood quoins covering the ship lap siding on the building are placed on the corners. Long narrow double hung, four paned windows (except the casement windows on the northwest portion of the house) with hood moldings adorn the home. Two angular bays, one facing Birch St and the other facing Third St extend off the façade at the first level. The northeast corner of the house by all appearances was added on subsequent to the original construction, probably in 1933. The side door and small bay windows on the north have colored glass details often used in later architectural styles, further supporting the concept that the northeast corner on the house is a later addition. Over the main entrance facing Birch Street is a neo-classic architrave supported by side brackets. The brackets are of the kind which were popular during and after the Civil War. The roof of the side porch facing Third Street is supported on wood columns. The porch rail is of wood supported by turned balusters. The house is built on a brick foundation with substantial concrete stabilization in the cellar. The defining features which give this building its Italianate style, include the emphasis on vertical volumes and details, such as elongated windows and doors with hood moldings, and the low-pitched roofs, with wide overhanging eaves which are detailed with a Greco-Roman cornice. The use of angular bays at the first level, the balustraded balconies, its arcaded porch and the use of ship lap siding and corner quoins, further define the Italianate style. The water tower east of the house is of the same shiplap siding as the house and is of a height comparable to the house. The water tank is two stories with an exterior stairway leading to the top floor. The first floor includes a small unused studio-type apartment with inoperative tub and sink. HISTORIC HIGHLIGHTS: George W. Minter arrived in Santa Ana in 1874 and involved himself in many profitable ventures. As a younger man, he was a successful walnut grower and in his later years concerned himself with real estate, banking and civic offices. On October 9, 1879 he married Elizabeth Berry. George Minter resided at this house for 47 years. During the early part of his residence he was employed as the Deputy Assessor of Los Angeles County, prior to the creation of Orange County in 1889. He was a primary leader in promoting the separation of Orange County from Los Angeles County. In addition, he started the first street car line in the county, and was active in many real estate ventures. As an active civic leader in 1910, he served on the Santa Ana Park Commission which raised funds for the completion of the original Town Park (presently Birch Park). Elizabeth’s older sister Louisa was married to Albert W. Birch who died in 1872. In 1897, his children, Emma and Otis Birch donated the land across the street from the Minter House to the City of Santa Ana for the creation of Birch Park, in honor of their father. Page 3 of 4 LL\HRC\categories\minter 10-05-00 RESOURCE ATTRIBUTES: (List attributes and codes from Appendix 4 of Instructions for Recording Historical Resources, Office of Historic Preservation.) HP2 Single Family Property 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.) The Minter House is characteristic of homes built by the wealthier Santa Ana families in the 1870’s. This two story building is a fine example of Santa Ana Architecture during the early development of the City in 1870’s. The Minter house survives as an architectural and historical reminder of one of Santa Ana’s leading commercial pioneers. SUMMARY/CONCLUSION: The Minter house is significant both for its unique architecture and for its historical significance as the long term home for one of Santa Ana’s early pioneer families and businessman. Architecturally, the Minter house is one of the few last remaining Italianate style homes in Santa Ana and nearby communities. It comes extremely close to being of the pure Italianate style as commonly manifested in Southern California in the mid 1800’s and is an excellent period example. The features that give this building its unique architecture include the emphasis on vertical volumes and details, such as elongated windows and doors with hood moldings, and the low-pitched roofs, with wide overhanging eaves which are detailed with a Greco-Roman cornice. The use of ship lap siding and corner quoins, the angular bays at the first level, the detailing at the balustrade of the balconies further the unique quality of this building. The accompanying water tower is one of only a few such remaining water towers in the City. Historically it is significant because it remains as one of the last houses of an early Santa Ana pioneer family. This building is listed individually on the National Register of Historic Properties. OWNER AND ADDRESS: Eugen Charles Andres Trust 322 W. Third Street Santa Ana, CA 92701-5226 Page 4 of 4 LL\HRC\categories\minter 10-05-00 RECORDED BY: (Name, affiliation, and address) Lucy Linnaus City of Santa Ana, Planning Division 20 Civic Center Plaza M-20, Santa Ana, CA 92702 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 Nomination Form 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, 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) B: that are associated with the lives of persons significant to our past 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) 1S: Separately listed in the National Register.