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498 <br /> <br />Period of significance: 1900-present <br />Areas of significance: architecture, conunerce <br />Date of construction: 1913 <br /> <br />Architects: Metcalf and Davis of Long Beach, California <br /> <br />Summary : <br /> The Spurgeon Building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places <br />on August 31, 1979, is significant for: <br /> <br />(A) its place in the broad patterns of Santa Ana history, <br />(B) its associations with William Spurgeon, and <br />(C) for its impressive Nco-classical architecture. <br /> <br /> Built in 1913-14 by the Spurgeon Realty Company, the building is the <br />third on this site to have been built by Mr. Spurgeon, one of the two <br />founders of the city of Santa Ana. It was through the foresight and de- <br />termination of William Spurgeon that Santa Ana was to become such a <br />successful city and the center of Orange County commerce. Mr. Spurgeon, <br />who served in the State Legislature fo~ the 78th District, was also instru- <br />mental in the founding of Orange County in 1889 and served as president <br />of the first Board of Supervisors. He was the president of the first Board <br />of Trustees for the City of Santa Aha, the first Postmaster, and as an <br />agent for the Wells Fargo Company. He also served on the Los Angeles <br />Board of Supervisors before Orange County was formed. Samuel Armor <br />says in the 1911 edition of his History of Orange County with Biographical <br />Sketches," Scarcely an enterprise hs been organized for the benefit of <br />Santa Aha with which his name has not been identified, either directly or <br />indirectly", and "it is a recognized fact that Santa Ana owes to no citizen <br />more than it does to Mr. Spurgeon." The building was listed on the Nat- <br />ional Register of Historic Places on August 31, 1979. <br /> <br />Criterion A: <br /> William Spurgeon, at the age of 84, recalled, "The Spurgeon Building and <br />its two-story predecessor provided office space for most of the profess- <br />ional men in town. All the professional men of any note got their start in <br />one or the other of the Spurgeon Buildings." Among the first tenants in <br />1914 were Hill and Walker Sporting Goods, Capital Security Co., Hill and <br />Blauer Groceries, Sam Stein's Stationary, R. R. Atwood Stocks and Bonds, <br />the U. S. Protective Life Insurance Co., and J. E. Tillotson Clothing. Some of <br />the physicians who had offices on the top three floors included Dr. J. N. <br /> <br />Page 4 of 9 <br /> <br /> <br />