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State of California —The Resources Agency Primary #
<br />DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
<br />CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
<br />of 4 Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder) Mellenthin House
<br />by Leslie J. Heumann, Hally Soboleske *Date October 20, 2014 0 Continuation ❑ Update
<br />*B10. Significance (continued):
<br />assumed the position of executive vice - president and cashier of the Commercial National Bank. He was elected president of
<br />the First National Bank in 1934 when it was consolidated with the Farmers and Merchants Savings Bank in 1934, serving in
<br />that capacity until he moved back to Monrovia in the early 1940s. At the time of his retirement in the 1950s, he was the vice -
<br />president of the main office of the Bank of America at Seventh and Spring Streets in downtown Los Angeles. During their
<br />residency in Santa Ana, the Mellenthins became prominent members of the community, Alfred as a business leader and
<br />Fern as an officer of the Assistance League Club of Santa Ana. Their daughter married politician Thomas Kuchel, who
<br />served in the U. S. Senate from 1954 to 1968. Mellenthin passed away in Monrovia in 1960.
<br />Bernard D. Robinson and his wife Lillis were the next owners and occupants of the property. Bernard was the proprietor of
<br />the Robinson Beauty Supply in downtown Santa Ana. The Robinsons resided on North Park Boulevard until at least 1960.
<br />The Mellenthin House is located in Floral Park, a neighborhood northwest of downtown Santa Ana bounded by West
<br />Seventeenth Street, North 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 portion of northwest Santa Ana, arrived in Santa Ana from Beaver Falls,
<br />New York in 1922 (Talbert, 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" (Orange County Register 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" (Orange
<br />County Register, 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 Art Deco styled
<br />Old Santa Ana City Hall, the El Toro Marine Base during World War 11, and the 1960 Honer Shopping Plaza. Honer lived in
<br />the neighborhood he had 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 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 (2014) Floral Park maintains
<br />its identity as the premier neighborhood of Santa Ana, historically home to many affluent and prominent citizens.
<br />The Mellenthin House has been determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places as a contributor to a
<br />North Broadway Park historic district that is bounded by Riverside Drive, Santa Clara Avenue, North Broadway, and North
<br />Flower Street. Comprising the northern end of the Floral Park neighborhood, North Broadway Park was subdivided in 1923.
<br />The Keeper of the National Register found that: "North 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. "' Under the regulations
<br />implementing the California Register of Historical Resources, the Mellenthin House has been listed in the California
<br />Register. It also qualifies for listing in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Properties under Criterion 1 for its exemplification
<br />of the distinguishing characteristics of the Monterey Revival style. Featuring the combination of Spanish Colonial Revival
<br />and American Colonial Revival styling that is the hallmark of the Monterey Revival, the house, built at the height of the
<br />style's popularity, incorporates the style's signature element, a cantilevered second story balcony. The house also
<br />contributes to the historic character of the Floral Park neighborhood through its age, style, scale, and historic association
<br />with important members of the local business and social community. Additionally, the house has been categorized as "Key"
<br />because it "has a distinctive architectural style and quality" as an example of the Monterey Revival style. All original exterior
<br />features of the Mellenthin House are considered to be character defining and should be preserved. These features include,
<br />but may not be limited to: height and massing, materials and finishes (stucco, wood, brick); roof configuration and
<br />treatment; design and composition, including L- shaped facade; brick chimney, porch and walkway; balcony; entry; original
<br />doors and windows; and architectural detailing (such as window and door surrounds).
<br />DPR 52a Determination of Eligibility, February 25, 1980.2 5A28 of 5
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