Item 21 - Approval of Historic Property Preservation Agreements

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Page 3 of 4 cm\historic\templates\Birch 313 N (American Legion Hall) 8/23/01 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.) Santa Ana was founded by William Spurgeon in 1869 as a speculative townsite on part of the Spanish land grant known as Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana. Early growth and development was stimulated by the arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1878 and the Santa Fe Railroad in 1886. By the end of the 1880s, Santa Ana’s downtown business district was defined by five city blocks of brick commercial buildings on Fourth Street, with the heart of the city at the intersection of Fourth and Main Streets (Thomas, 8:1). The early 1900s witnessed the construction of many new business blocks or remodels along Fourth and the adjacent streets, and by the 1920s Santa Ana’s downtown had expanded in all directions to include both commercial and civic development. The Armory Hall/American Legion Hall was a significant focal point of the community’s life. Company L was a source of patriotic pride to Santa Ana, and the role it played in war efforts as well as in peace time crises such as the cleanup following the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake has been chronicled in Charles Swanner’s book, The Story of Company L, Santa Ana’s Own. This property housed Company L for over 40 years, and was used for drills, as a place of assembly when the unit was called into active duty, and for sponsored activities such as dances and athletic events. The building also possesses architectural interest as an example of the Spanish Colonial Revival of the 1930s, and complements the two Spanish styled buildings around the corner at 309 and 315 West Third Street. Character-defining exterior features of the Armory Hall/American Legion Hall, which should be preserved, include but may not be limited to: brick construction; tile roofing; arched entry; arched and flat-headed window treatments on the façade; brickwork; round window, and architectural detailing such as the first floor cornice. SUMMARY/CONCLUSION: This building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 as a contributor to the Downtown Historic District. Under the regulations implementing the California Register of Historical Resources, the building is also listed in the California Register. The property is included in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Property and has been categorized as “Landmark” because it “is on the national register,” “is on the state register,” “has historical/cultural significance to the City of Santa Ana,” and “has a unique architectural significance” (Municipal Code, Section 30-2.2). OWNER AND ADDRESS: