MARTINEZ, JEFFREY J. & MARTHA F.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2544 North French Street Santa Ana, CA 92706 NAME The E. L. and H. Smith House REF. NO. ADDRESS 2544 North French Street CITY Santa Ana ZIP 1 92706 ORANGE COUNTY YEAR BUILT 1954 LOCAL REGISTER CATEGORY: Contributive HISTORIC DISTRICT None NEIGHBORHOOD Park Santiago CALIF. REGISTER CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION C/3 CALIFORNIA REGISTER STATUS CODE 5S3 Location: ❑ Not for Publication ® Unrestricted ❑ Prehistoric ® Historic ❑ Both ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Ranch Widely published in Sunset and House Beautiful magazines, the Ranch House dominated post -World War II residential expansion and represented the most popular house form in the United States from the 1950s through 1970s. The Ranch House originated in the 1930s designs of Southern California architect Cliff May, who sought to reinvent the west's vernacular housing traditions by combining the form and massing of the traditional ranch house with a modernist's concern for informality, expressed in materials and plan, and indoor -outdoor integration. While the style includes several variants, a basic set of character -defining features applies to most examples. In form and massing, the style evokes a sprawling ranch that developed over time, with a central block extended by wings of varying roof heights. Generally L-shaped or U-shaped in plan, the Ranch House typically has a one-story profile with strong horizontal emphasis expressed through a low pitched or flat roof with wide overhanging eaves. Asymmetrical in design, the Ranch House is often sheathed in and accented with rustic materials such as board -and -batten siding, high brick foundations, art stone, and wood shake roofs. Indoor -outdoor integration is achieved through the use of recessed or extended porches, set low to the ground, and the generous use of large picture, ribbon, or corner windows. Window detailing can include wood frames, decorative shutters, and diamond -patterned muntins. Ornamentation includes rusticated elements, such as carved porch supports and exposed rafters, uneven rakes and flared eaves, and faux dovecotes and bird houses. SUMMARY/CONCLUSION: 2544 North French Street qualifies for listing in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Properties under Criterion 1, for its exemplification of the distinguishing characteristics of the Ranch style. Additionally, the house has been categorized as "Contributive" because it "contributes to the overall character and history" of the Park Santiago neighborhood and "is a good example of period architecture," representing the Ranch style in Santa Ana (Municipal Code, Section 30-2.2). EXPLANATION OF CODES: California Register Criteria for Evaluation. (From California Office of Historic Preservation, Technical Assistance Bulletin # 7, September 4, 2001.) 3 It embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region, or method of construction, or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values. • California Historical Resource Status Code. (From California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance Bulletin #8, November 2004). 5S3 Appears to be individually eligible for local designation through survey evaluation.