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<br />State of California - The Resources Agency Primary #
<br />DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
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<br />CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
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<br />Page ~ of ~ Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder) Spicer House
<br />*Recorded by Leslie J. Heumann, SAIC *Date July 5, 2005 [8] Continuation 0 Update
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<br />*610. Significance (continued):
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<br />Orah A. Spicer was the widow of Charles Spicer, who died in 1925 at the age of 47. He had come to California in 1904,
<br />settling initially in Pomona. A resident of Santa Ana for twelve years at the time of his death, Spicer was the proprietor of
<br />Charles Spicer & Company, a prosperous dry goods and ladies ready-to-wear store. An active member of the business
<br />community, Spicer served as president of the Chamber of Commerce in 1924, as one of the founding members of the
<br />Merchants and Manufacturers Association, served as its president as well. An arl school graduate, Orah Spicer was also
<br />active in the social and civic affairs of Santa Ana, and was a member of the Ebell Club.
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<br />The Spicer House is located in Floral Park, a neighborhood norlhwest of downtown Santa Ana bounded by West
<br />Seventeenth Street, Norlh Flower Street, Riverside Drive, and Broadway. Groves of oranges, avocados, and walnuts and
<br />widely scattered ranch houses characterized this area before 1920. Developer and builder Allison Honer (1897-1981),
<br />credited as the subdivider and builder of a major pOrlion of norlhwest Santa Ana, arrived in Santa Ana from Beaver Falls,
<br />New York in 1922 (Talberl, pages 353-356). "Before nightfall on the day of his arrival, Mr. Honer purchased a parcel of land.
<br />And that month, he began building custom homes in Santa Ana" (Oranae Countv Reaister. September 15, 1981). The
<br />parcel chosen became the Floral Park subdivision between Seventeenth Street and Santiago Creek. 'When built in the
<br />1920s, the Floral Park homes were the most lavish and expensive in the area. They sold for about $45,000 each" (Oranae
<br />Countv Reaister. September 15, 1981). Revival architecture in a wide variety of romantic styles was celebrated in the 1920s
<br />and 1930s and Floral Park showcased examples of the English Tudor, French Norman, Spanish Colonial, and Colonial
<br />Revival. The Allison Honer Construction Company went on to complete such notable projects as the 1935 Arl Deco styled
<br />Old Santa Ana City Hall, the EI Toro Marine Base during World War II, and the 1960 Honer Shopping Plaza. Honer lived in
<br />the neighborhood he had helped to create, at 615 West Santa Clara Avenue.
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<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 II 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.
<br />In the 1950s, low, horizontal Ranch Style houses completed the growth of Floral Park. Today (2005) Floral Park maintains
<br />its identity as the premier neighborhood of Santa Ana, historically home to many affluent and prominent citizens.
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<br />The Spicer House has been determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places as a contributor to a
<br />Norlh Broadway Park historic district that is bounded by Riverside Drive, Santa Clara Avenue, Norlh Broadway, and Norlh
<br />Flower Street. Comprising the norlhern end of the Floral Park neighborhood, Norlh Broadway Park was subdivided in 1923.
<br />The Keeper of the National Register found that: "Norlh Broadway Park reflects the City Beautiful planning movement in
<br />Southern California during the early twentieth century. The vernacular adaptations of period revival styles, curvilinear street
<br />patterns, street furniture, and landscape combine to create a cohesive and pleasant middle class suburban neighborhood
<br />environment which is unique in the early historical development of the city of Santa Ana. ,,1 Under the regulations
<br />implementing the California Register of Historical Resources, the Spicer House has been listed in the California Register. It
<br />also qualifies for listing in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Properly under Criterion 1 for its exemplification of the
<br />distinguishing characteristics of the Spanish Colonial Revival style. The house showcases a Renaissance inspired version
<br />of the style, with its block-like massing, hipped roof, and graceful entry. The house also contributes to the historic character
<br />of the Floral Park neighborhood through its age, style, scale, and historic association with imporlant members of the local
<br />business and social community. Additionally, the house has been categorized as "Landmark" because it has been
<br />determined eligible for the National Register, has been listed in the California Register, has "unique architectural
<br />significance" as an example of the Spanish Colonial Revival style, and contributes to a district that has "historical/cultural
<br />significance to the City" as an example of the City Beautiful planning movement. All original exterior features of the Spicer
<br />House are considered to be character defining and should be preserved. These features include, but may not be limited to:
<br />materials and finishes (stucco, wood, iron); roof configuration, materials, and treatment; massing and composition; entry;
<br />doors and windows; architectural detailing (wrought iron features, entry surround.); and garage.
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<br />Determination of Eligibility, February 25, 1980.
<br />DPR523L 25D~8
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