by Marge Bitetti (Author), Guy Ball (Author), Santa Ana Historical Preservation Societ (Author)
Located at the heart of Orange County, Santa Ana has been the civic and community center as "the OC" grew and prospered. Thirty-three miles from Los Angeles and 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean, the city was founded by William Spurgeon, who, in 1867, purchased just over 74 acres of what was once the Yorba family's Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana to start a new community. This book revisits those formative years that left a rich history in architecture and culture, laying the foundation for today's 350,000 city residents. Santa Ana boasts two historic districts and 20 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Growing with the ranching and citrus industries as well as the transportation routes they spawned, the city also contains 400 locations of historic significance on its own citywide historic register.