HomeMy WebLinkAbout020320_ExecutiveSummary-JamesAlexanderHouse_1112NFrench.pdfcm\historic\templates\French N 1112 ES (James Alexander House)
4/17/02
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
JAMES ALEXANDER HOUSE
1112 North French Street
Santa Ana, CA 92701
NAME James Alexander House REF. NO.
ADDRESS 1112 North French Street
CITY Santa Ana ZIP 92701 ORANGE COUNTY
YEAR BUILT Circa 1887 LOCAL REGISTER CATEGORY: Key
HISTORIC DISTRICT French Park NEIGHBORHOOD French Park
NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION C NATIONAL REGISTER STATUS CODE 1D
Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted
Prehistoric Historic Both
ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Italianate (Late Victorian), Colonial Revival
The Italianate (Late Victorian) style is chiefly identified by its window treatment: tall, relatively narrow, double-hung sash, with flat,
arched, or flattened arch heads often emphasized by hood moldings. Other typical features include low hipped or flat roofs, bracketed
cornices, and, particularly in residential examples, a square tower or cupola. In commercial usages, a raised pediment bearing the
name or date of the building is not uncommon. A variety of siding materials are used, usually with stringcourses between stories, and
sometimes with wall planes framed by quoins. Used for both residential and commercial buildings from the mid nineteenth century
through the 1890s, the Italianate style was adapted to “Main Street” commercial buildings and simplified, becoming the “commercial
vernacular” of the era (Whiffen, 99).
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 James Alexander House was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1999 as a contributor to the French Park Historic
District. Under the regulations implementing the California Register of Historical Resources, the building is also listed in the
California Register. It qualifies for listing in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Property under Criterion 1, as representative of the
distinguishing characteristics of an architectural period, the late nineteenth century. Furthermore, it also qualifies for listing in the
Santa Ana Register of Historical Property under Criterion 4b, for its association with James and Thomas Jefferson Alexander.
Additionally, the James Alexander House has been categorized as “Key” for its “distinctive architectural style and quality” as an
example of the blending of the vernacular Italianate (Late Victorian) and Colonial Revival styles (Municipal Code, Section 30-2.2).
cm\historic\templates\French N 1112 ES (James Alexander House)
4/17/02
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.