HomeMy WebLinkAbout030807_ExecutiveSummary-TownerRogersHouse_920NTowner.pdfEXECUTIVE SUMMARY
TOWNER-ROGERS HOUSE
920 North Towner Street
Santa Ana, CA 92701
NAME Towner-Rogers House REF. NO.
ADDRESS 920 North Towner Street
CITY Santa Ana ZIP 92703 ORANGE COUNTY
YEAR BUILT Circa 1903 LOCAL REGISTER CATEGORY: Contributive
HISTORIC DISTRICT N/A NEIGHBORHOOD Washington Square
NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION C NATIONAL REGISTER STATUS CODE 5S1
Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted
Prehistoric Historic Both
ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Bungalow/Craftsman
Closely related to the English Arts and Crafts Movement, American Bungalow/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.
SUMMARY/CONCLUSION:
The Towner-Rogers House qualifies for listing in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Properties under Criterion 1 as a representative
example of the early Craftsman style that appeared in Santa Ana during the first few years of the twentieth century. The house may
also qualify under Criterion 4b, for association with an early landowner and developer, if the suspected connection with the Towner
family can be proven. Additionally, the house has been categorized as “Contributive” because it “contributes to the overall character
and history” of Washington Square through its age and style, and is a “good example” of the early Craftsman style that “has not been
substantially altered.” (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)
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)
5S1 Is separately listed or designated under an existing local ordinance, or is eligible for such listing or designation.