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State of California —The Resources Agency Primary #
<br />DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
<br />CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
<br />Pane 3 of 3 Resource Name: Witt House
<br />*Recorded by Pedro Gomez *Date March 25, 2021 O Continuation ❑ Update
<br />DPR 523E (1195)
<br />*B10. Significance (continued):
<br />*Required information
<br />Santa Ana was founded by William Spurgeon in 1869 as a speculative town site on part of the Spanish land grant known as
<br />Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana. The civic and commercial core of the community was centered around the intersection of
<br />Main and Fourth Streets. Stimulated by the arrival of the Santa Fe Railroad and incorporation as a city in 1886, and selection
<br />as the seat of the newly created County of Orange in 1889, the city grew outwards, with residential neighborhoods
<br />developing to the north, south, and east of the city center. Agricultural uses predominated in the outlying areas, with
<br />cultivated fields and orchards dotted with widely scattered farmhouses.
<br />The Witt House is located in Floral Park, a neighborhood northwest of downtown Santa Ana bounded by West Seventeenth
<br />Street, North Flower Street, Riverside Drive, and Broadway. Groves of oranges, avocados, and walnuts and widely scattered
<br />ranch houses characterized this area before 1920. Developer and builder Allison Honer (1897-1961), credited as the
<br />subdivider and builder of a major portion of northwest Santa Ana, arrived in Santa Ana from Beaver Falls, New York in 1922
<br />(Talbert, pages 353-356). "Before nightfall on the day of his arrival, Mr. Honer purchased a parcel of land. And that month, he
<br />began building custom homes in Santa Ana" (Orange County Register, September 15, 1981). The parcel chosen became the
<br />Floral Park subdivision between Seventeenth Street and Santiago Creek. "When built in the 1920s, the Floral Park homes
<br />were the most lavish and expensive in the area. They sold for about $45,000 each" (Orange County Register, September 15,
<br />1981). Revival architecture in a wide variety of romantic styles was celebrated in the 1920s and 1930s and Floral Park
<br />showcased examples of the English Tudor, French Norman, Spanish Colonial, and Colonial Revival. The Allison Honer
<br />Construction Company went on to complete such notable projects as the 1935 Art Deco styled Old Santa Ana City Hall, the
<br />El Toro Marine Base during World War 11, and the 1960 Honer Shopping Plaza. Honer lived in the neighborhood he had
<br />helped to create, at 615 West Santa Clara Avenue.
<br />In the late 1920s and 1930s, another builder, Roy Roscoe Russell (1881-1965), continued developing the groves of Floral
<br />Park. An early Russell project was his 1928 subdivision of Victoria Drive between West Nineteenth Street and West Santa
<br />Clara Avenue. The homes were quite grand and displayed various revival styles, including Russell's own large, Colonial
<br />Revival mansion at 2009 Victoria Drive. In the early post World War 11 years, Floral Park continued its development as
<br />numerous, smaller, single-family houses were built. Continuing in the Floral Park tradition, they were mostly revival in style. In
<br />the 1950s, low, horizontal Ranch Style houses completed the growth of Floral Park. Today (2021) Floral Park maintains its
<br />identity as the premier neighborhood of Santa Ana, historically home to many affluent and prominent citizens.
<br />The Witt House qualifies for listing in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Properties under Criterion 1 for embodiment of the
<br />distinguishing characteristics of the Minimal Traditional style with Colonial Revival detailing dating from the year just prior to
<br />World War It. Additionally, the house has been categorized as "Contributive" because it "contributes to the overall character
<br />and history' of Floral Park and "is a good example of period architecture," representing the Minimal Traditional architecture
<br />style in Santa Ana. Character -defining exterior features of the Witt House that should be preserved include, but may not be
<br />limited to: sheathing (stucco and clapboard in the gable end); roof configuration; massing; original fenestration pattern; porch;
<br />chimney, and architectural details such as shutters, prominent brick chimney, and accent brick material at the front entry.
<br />*B12. References (continued):
<br />Harris, Cyril M. American Architecture: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. New York, WIN Norton, 1998.
<br />Marsh, Diann. Santa Ana, An Illustrated History. Encinitas, Heritage Publishing, 1994.
<br />McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York., Alfred A. Knopf, 1984.
<br />National Register Bulletin 16A. "How to Complete the National Register Registration Form.' Washington DC: National
<br />Register Branch, National Park Service, US Dept of the Interior, 1991.
<br />Office of Historic Preservation. "Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. " Sacramento : March 1995.
<br />Whitten, Marcus. American Architecture Since 1780. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1969.
<br />Santa Ana and Orange County Directories, 1905-2017.
<br />Ancestry.com
<br />Newspapers.com (Santa Ana Register)
<br />"Marriage Licenses." Santa Ana Register 3 September 1909,
<br />"Hudson Garge Firm Files Incorporation." Santa Ana Register, 8 February 1921.
<br />"Floral Park Tract Plans Development." Santa Ana Register 14 July 14 1929.
<br />"Harry H. Ball Dies Suddenly." Santa Ana Register 6 October 1936.
<br />"Heliotrope Drive Will Be Opened To North Park Blvd." Santa Ana Register. 7 September 1938.
<br />"Bon Voyage Party Given By Witts." Santa Ana Register 10 July 1941.
<br />"S.A. People In Islands Listed." Santa Ana Register, 8 December 1941.
<br />"Mrs. Norval Witt Here From Honolulu. " Santa Ana Register, 3 July 1942.
<br />DPR 523L
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