HomeMy WebLinkAbout030807_ExecutiveSummary-RobertsonHouse_2473NHeliotrope.pdfEXECUTIVE SUMMARY
ROBERTSON HOUSE
2473 North Heliotrope Drive
Santa Ana, CA 92706
NAME Robertson House REF. NO.
ADDRESS 2473 North Heliotrope Drive
CITY Santa Ana ZIP 92706 ORANGE COUNTY
YEAR BUILT Circa 1905 LOCAL REGISTER CATEGORY: Landmark
HISTORIC DISTRICT N/A NEIGHBORHOOD Floral Park
NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION A,C NATIONAL REGISTER STATUS CODE 2D1
Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted
Prehistoric Historic Both
ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Bungalow/Craftsman, Colonial Revival
Closely related to the English Arts and Crafts Movement, American Craftsman architecture was popularized by The Craftsman
magazine and architects such as Charles and Henry Greene of Pasadena. It drew from the wood building traditions of Japan and
Switzerland as well as the medieval themes favored by the Arts and Crafts philosophers. Craftsman architecture stressed honesty of
form, materials, and workmanship, eschewing applied decoration in favor of the straightforward expression of structure. A new
appreciation of nature was evident in horizontal lines that reached out to embrace the landscape and the incorporation of capacious
porches into building plans. Primarily a residential style, Craftsman architecture can be identified by low pitched gable and hipped
roofs with exposed rafters and beams in deep overhangs; wood lap or shingle siding and an occasional use of stucco; extensive use of
stone or brick as a secondary material; horizontal emphasis apparent in roof lines, headers, and battered porch supports; and broadly
proportioned wood framed windows, often clustered in bands. Craftsman homes were built from circa 1902 until the early 1920s.
The most universal of all American domestic building styles, the Colonial Revival has been popular since the 1876 Centennial
celebration in Philadelphia stimulated a patriotic interest in the American architectural past. Whether drawing upon Georgian,
Federal, or Dutch Colonial prototypes, Colonial Revival buildings feature rectangular building plans and designs which are usually
symmetrical, or at least highly regular and balanced, in composition. Roofs are commonly side-gabled, hipped, or gambreled,
sometimes accented with dormers. Porches, one or two stories in height, are often included, mostly as central focal points, and
frequently incorporate classical elements such as columns, pilasters, and entablatures. Doorways are adorned with classical surrounds
and pediments; sidelights, transoms, and fanlights are not uncommon. Windows are typically double-hung sash, with multiple lights
in the upper sash. French doors and Palladian windows are also utilized. Depending on location, Colonial Revival buildings have
wood, brick, or stucco exteriors (McAlester, 320-326).
SUMMARY/CONCLUSION:
The Robertson House has been determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places as a contributor to a North
Broadway Park historic district that is bounded by Riverside Drive, Santa Clara Avenue, North Broadway, and North Flower Street.
Under the regulations implementing the California Register of Historical Resources, the Robertson House has been listed in the
California Register. It also qualifies for listing in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Properties under Criterion 7, as an intact and
representative example of a building “connected with a . . . use which was once common, but is now rare.” The house also contributes
to the historic character of the Floral Park neighborhood through its age, style, scale, and historic association with the agricultural
origins of the area. Additionally, the house has been categorized as “Landmark” because it has been determined eligible for the
National Register, has been listed in the California Register, and has historical/cultural significance to the City of Santa Ana as an
original farmhouse. It also contributes to a district that has “historical/cultural significance to the City” as an example of the City
Beautiful planning movement (Municipal Code, Section 30-2.2).
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)
2D1: Contributor to a district determined eligible by the Keeper.