The Historic Downtown of Santa Ana, CA

Grand Central Market

The Grand Central Market complex was built in two stages. In 1922 a one-story market building containing stalls for independent grocers, produce vendors, butchers, etc. was constructed mid-block between First and Second Streets, with openings facing both Broadway and Sycamore Street. Two years later, in 1924, a two-story addition (the Grand Central Building, 125 North Broadway), fronting on Second Street and containing 12 storefronts topped by 29 residential apartments, was erected. The main entrance on Second Street provided additional access to the original market to the south.

Southern Counties Gas Co.

The Southern Counties Gas Company building was constructed in 1923 to a design by one of the premier architectural firms of Los Angeles, Walker and Eisen. Other well known commissions by this renowned firm include San Gabriel City Hall (San Gabriel, 1923), the Fine Arts Building (Los Angeles, 1925), the Beverly Wilshire Hotel (Beverly Hills, 1926), the El Cortez Hotel (San Diego, 1926), the Title Insurance and Trust Building (Los Angeles, 1928), Upland City Hall (Upland, 1939), and the San Luis Obispo County Courthouse (1940). Builders of the $50,000 improvement were Clark Bros. of Los Angeles. The new building occupied the site of the Santa Ana Gas and Electric Light Works, established at this location in 1891. In 1911 the utility was purchased by the Southern Counties Gas Company. The Gas Company operated at this site from 1923 until the mid-1960s. From the early 1970s through late 1980, Handlebars Saloon utilized the space.

Pacific Building

The Pacific Building was constructed in 1925 by developer and contractor Roy Russell and architect Sidney J. Babcock (Thomas). Russell named his new improvement the “Pacific Building”; the first listing for the property under that name in the city directories appears in 1927 (with the address 215 North Broadway). Retail spaces were located on the ground floor and offices in the upper story.

Minter House

George W. Minter arrived in Santa Ana in 1874 and involved himself in many profitable ventures. As a younger man, he was a successful walnut grower and in his later years concerned himself with real estate, banking and civic offices. On October 9, 1879 he married Elizabeth Berry. George Minter resided at this house for 47 years.

Lawrence Building

The Lawrence Building was constructed in 1915 by architect J. Flood Walker of Santa Ana and contractor A. J. Crawford of Los Angeles for W. Lawrence. Rented initially to clothing and shoe stores, the street level retail space was the home of the Santa Ana Army-Navy store for much of the later 20th century.

Old Company L Armory / Mills & Edwards Feed Store

According to previous research, this building, constructed in 1889, was the first brick building on the block. Variously called the Mills and Edwards Feed Store (Santa Ana Historic Register), the Marks Building (Les), and the Company L Armory (Thomas; Downtown Walking Tour), the building housed retail tenants on the ground floor and a meeting room on the upper floor. Founded as the Santa Ana National Guard Company F in 1890, the unit changed its name to Company L when it was called to active duty during the Spanish American War in 1898. Historic photographs illustrate the Armory, when Company L left Santa Ana with a large community escort when the unit left to report for service in 1898.

West End Theater

The West End Theater was built in 1915 at the then western edge of downtown Santa Ana. Constructed at a cost of $12,000, the theater was designed by J. Flood Walker and featured brickwork by local mason E. Levenspire. Featuring silent films with piano accompaniment, the theater opened in July 1915, showing the film Stolen Goods starring Blanche Sweet in the 700-seat auditorium. When sound pictures replaced silent films in the late 1920s, General Crank with John Barrymore was the first talkie to be screened at the West End. Over the years, the name of the theater changed several times; it was the Walker State Theater in the 1950s, the Continental Theater in the 1960s, and the Guild Theater, showing adult entertainment, in the 1970s. The City of Santa Ana purchased the property in 1982.

Phillips Block Building

The earliest portion of this building is the first floor of 307-309, constructed as a livery between 1895 and 1906. In 1909 the two buildings to the east were erected, and in the early 1920s (probably 1921, when an $8,000 building permit was recorded), the three buildings were joined under a common façade, said to have been designed by local architect, Frank Lansdown (Thomas, 7:14). A second story was added to the west building at this time. The storefronts have continually altered over the life of the building to meet the needs of a series of occupants.

Moore Building

The Moore Building was erected in 1923 on the site of G. W. Moore’s feed and fuel business. H. Newton Thornton of Santa Ana was the architect. Early tenants of the Moore Building included the E. T. Mateer Drug Company and Vandermast’s (prior to their move to 122 West Fourth Street).

Spurgeon Building

The Spurgeon Building was constructed in 1913 by William Spurgeon, the founder of Santa Ana, using a design provided by architects Metcalf and Davis of Long Beach. It was the third Spurgeon Building on the site, having been preceded by smaller structures erected in the1870s and 1880s. For many years it was not only the tallest building in Santa Ana, but also one of the most prominent addresses in downtown, much favored by doctors and lawyers. Appropriately, the corner retail tenant was the White Cross Drugstore; Walgreen’s took over the space in the 1930s.

Old Santa Ana City Hall

Old Santa Ana City Hall was constructed in 1935 at a cost of $126,000, funded by city bonds and a Works Progress Administration (WPA) grant. It was designed by architect W. Horace Austin of Long Beach, who had designed the rather similar Masonic Temple at Sycamore and Fifth Streets a few years earlier. Local contractors Ball and Honer constructed the building. This was the third City Hall to be built on the site, and replaced the 1904 building, which had been rendered unsafe after the 1933 earthquake. The City offices were located in this building until the 1980s with the exception of the City’s Public Works Agency, which vacated the building in 1999.

Odd Fellows Hall

The Odd Fellows Hall is an important structure in Santa Ana's streetscape . The architecture of the building is late Victorian in character; it is one of the very last remaining commercial examples of its type and period in the city. The Odd Fellows Lodge No. 236 was founded and sustained through the years by some of Santa Ana's and Orange County's most prominent citizens. The Register, now Orange County's largest newspaper, spent its early years in the Odd Fellows Hall ground floor. Architect C.B. Bradshaw was selected to draw up plans, local contractors Funk and Bird were awarded the contract and work commenced. Mr. H. H. Roper was hired to superintend the project, and the new lodge hall was dedicated on February 3, 1906.

First National Bank Building

The First National Bank Building was designed by architects John Parkinson of Los Angeles and Eugene Durfee of Anaheim in 1923. John Parkinson, one of the most distinguished and prolific architects to practice in southern California during the first few decades of the 20th century, is known for his designs, many in partnership with his son Donald, for numerous Renaissance Revival commercial buildings in Los Angeles, the Art Deco Bullocks Wilshire, and the Spanish Colonial Revival/Art Deco Union Station, also in Los Angeles. This building is essentially unaltered in exterior appearance from the time of its construction. The First National Bank moved to this location from the northwest corner of Fourth and Main Streets. The Bank was run by A.J. Crookshank, President, and F.E. Farnsworth, Vice President.

Otis Building

This building housed the First National Bank from 1889 until 1925. Mr. Miles Crookshank, an early Santa Ana banking pioneer, was the president at the time the bank opened. The structure also housed the Odd Fellows Hall until 1905, when they built their own new building. This site was formerly the Santa Ana Hotel, then in existence since 1871.

Rankin Department Store Building

The Rankin Department Store was constructed in 1917, replacing three small 1888 commercial buildings. Built to house Rankin Dry Goods, a local enterprise that predated the turn of the 20th century, the building was designed by Elwing and Tedford of Santa Ana. The Rankin Department Store operated at this location, according to the building permit record, until the mid 1960s. In 1981-1982, the building was rehabilitated; the present storefront design dates from that period.

Ramona Building

The Ramona Building was built in 1922 on the site of the Fashion Stables and Livery (1915) for L. D. Mercereau. W. W. Kays was the architect of the combination retail and office structure, which was constructed at a cost of $45,000. An additional $15,000 was spent in 1923 to finish the building. Early tenants of the building included Remington Typewriters, Federal Finance, and W. C. Nelty Dry Goods. Subsequent occupants included the Shafer Music Company and the Irvine Company.

Masonic Temple

The Masonic organization in Santa Ana traces its beginnings to October 1, 1875. Many of the young community’s most prominent residents, including George Vance, A. W. Birch, J. H. Gregg, C. H. Humphries, James Fruit, and J. W. Layman among others, were among the early members. As one of the most prominent fraternal organizations in Santa Ana, the Masons grew along with the city. Following the ceremonial laying of the cornerstone on December 5, 1930, this impressive facility was constructed in 1930-1931 at a cost of $300,000. Prominent Long Beach architect Horace B. Austin, whose other credits in Santa Ana include the old City Hall and the Bowers Museum, designed the building. Built to house several Masonic groups, the building featured a highly decorated lodge hall, auditorium, banquet hall, lounges, library, penthouse apartment, and five retail shops.

Knights of Pythias Hall

Established in Santa Ana by 1890, the Knights of Pythias constructed this two-story facility in downtown Santa Ana in 1926. Godfrey Bailey of Santa Ana was the architect and William Rohrbacker was the contractor. The building accommodated retail spaces on the ground floor and a meeting hall on the upper story. Tenants in the retail spaces varied widely and included the Loma Linda Treatment Rooms (1929), Enterprise Publishing Company (1928-1940), and Mrs. S. E. Just Baths. The Knights of Pythias and the Grand Army of the Republic used the upstairs meeting room, which was made available for other community events, as well.

Smith Tuthill Funeral Parlor

Dr. Julius Crane originally built this house for his family, but sold it a short time later. From 1910-1977 the building was used as a mortuary by George Smith and partners, and was known as the Smith-Tuthill Funeral Parlor. In 1978 the house was renovated for a bank.

Howe-Waffle House

The Dr. Howe-Waffle House was constructed over a period of two years between 1887 and 1889 by married physicians, Drs. Alvin and Willela Howe. Originally located at 702 North Bush Street, the property was part of a walnut orchard operated by the Fruit family. Dr. Willela Howe-Waffle, a Virginian by birth, who had come to California via Missouri, received her medical training at the Hahnemann Medical College in Chicago. She and her husband, who was also the second mayor of Santa Ana, moved into the house with their two daughters in 1889. However, the family only enjoyed a single year in residence together as the Howes divorced in 1897. Dr. Willela Howe subsequently married Edson Waffle, partner in Waffle and West Livery and Carriages, and continued to live in the house until her death in 1924 at the age of 70.

Old Orange County Courthouse

Orange County became a county separate from Los Angeles on June 4, 1889, culminating years of struggle on the part of residents to be recognized by their more powerful neighbors to the north. Anaheim and Santa Ana vied to be county seat, the honor falling to Santa Ana on July 11, 1889. Initially court was convened in rented quarters in downtown Santa Ana. In 1893, the County purchased a parcel from William H. Spurgeon for $8,000, promising to construct a courthouse within ten years. Following an interim improvement that housed the county jail, the courthouse was erected, opening with a daylong celebration in November 1901. C. L. Strange of Los Angeles was the architect. The facility housed county offices and a single courtroom. A second courtroom was added in 1914.

YMCA - Santa Ana Branch

The Santa Ana branch of the YMCA was organized in 1907 by E. E. Wilson and Warren Douglas. It operated in rented quarters until Ralph Smedley, appointed secretary in 1922, initiated a building campaign that culminated in the construction of this facility at the corner of then Church and Sycamore Streets. Designed by Santa Ana’s premier architect, Frederick Eley, the building cost $185,000. Incorporating a two large lobbies, a dining room, central patio, swimming pool, locker room, meeting rooms, and 83 dormitory rooms, the permanent home of the YMCA was dedicated on April 25, 1924. By that year, the organization was serving 700 or 800 boys in programs intended to foster the physical, moral, intellectual, and spiritual development of young men. The facility was closed in 1989 and is currently (2001) owned by the City of Santa Ana.

The Episcopal Church of the Messiah

The Episcopal Church of the Messiah was built in 1888-1890 and can claim to be the oldest surviving public building in continuous use in Orange County, as well as the oldest remaining downtown church in Santa Ana. It was built for the modest sum of $4,592 and was dedicated on Easter Sunday in 1889. Dr. Howe-Waffle, Orange County’s first woman doctor whose house is across the street, was instrumental in the development and financing of the church.

Ebell Club

In 1924, the Ebell Society commissioned Santa Ana’s premier architect, Frederick Eley, to design a spacious new facility for them on a triangular parcel located at the intersection of French and Mortimer Streets. Built at a cost of $53,000 by S. I. Preble, the new clubhouse contained a large auditorium, meeting hall, kitchen, smaller meeting rooms, and an arcaded patio. The building remains in use today by the Ebell Club, as a theater, meeting location for a variety of local organizations, and for social and educational events.