Downtown Santa Ana: Artists Village

The Santa Ana Artists Village is an approximate 10-block area located in downtown. It is a unique artsy part of Santa Ana that is full of art galleries, restaurants, and loft style housing for people interested in an urban lifestyle. It is a radical cultural shift from the Fourth Street Historic Area discussed in my earlier blog.

Santora Building -- 207 N. Broadway, Santa Ana

Ghost Town Found in Buena Park's Knott's Berry Farm

With Halloween right around the corner, I thought I would make a visit to Knott's Berry Farm's Ghost Town in Buena Park. Interestingly, this town was based on the Calico Ghost Town and other Ghost Towns across the Western United States. As a bonus, this ghost town has been decorated for Knott's Scary Farm, which is an annual Halloween event held at Knott's.

Old Military School is Nestled in the Anaheim Colony Historic District

Nestled in the heart of Anaheim's Historic Colony District sits an old military school, now named St. Catherine's Academy. Founded in 1889, this campus is located behind many mature and beautiful palm trees on Harbor Blvd. Most people drive down this busy boulevard everyday, unaware of its interesting story, much less its existence.

St. Catherine's Academy -- 215 N. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim, Ca. 92805

Downtown Anaheim is on the Rise: Part II

Downtown Anaheim is a very interesting place to explore because of its diverse built environment. In the past several years it has experienced a renaissance, likely because of its impressive stock of historic homes and close proximity to Disneyland, which is a major work center. There has also been an increasing sense of community among the local residents which genuinely care about their neighborhood.

Anaheim City Hall -- 200 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, Ca.

Downtown Santa Ana: Fourth Street Historic Area

Downtown Santa Ana is a compilation of several different districts which includes the Civic Center, Artist Village, and Fourth Street. This blog article is focused on Fourth Street, which is the historic section of downtown. Originally, Santa Ana was the center of metropolitan Orange County, and Fourth Street was the center of business. As the 20 century progressed, many businesses and residents moved to newer locations. In the past 30-35 years, Fourth Street has primarily served Santa Ana's Hispanic immigrant community.

Musselman Block Building -- 320 E. Fourth St., Santa Ana, Ca.

Art Deco Architecture at Anaheim High School

Dedicated in 1936, Anaheim High School is an impressive large scale example of Art Deco architecture. The school was constructed through the federal government's Works Progress Administration, a New Deal Agency that put millions of unemployed people to work.


Anaheim High School -- 811 W. Lincoln, Anaheim, Ca. 

Historic Architecture Preserved in Downtown Fullerton

Downtown Fullerton is the historical center of the city. In the past 20 years, this area has enjoyed a renaissance with an influx of specialty restaurants, sidewalk cafes, and unique shops. Many of its historic buildings have been rehabilitated and readapted. There are dozens of historic buildings in downtown so this blog article only touches the surface of what is available to explore. Pictured below is the Chapman Building which is considered the cornerstone of Downtown Fullerton. It was considered the tallest building in Orange County when it was built in 1923.

Chapman Building -- 110 E. Wilshire, Fullerton, Ca.

Railroad Depots are Downtown Fullerton Treasures

Downtown Fullerton is anchored by two beautiful historic railroad depots. They have both been renovated and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Union Pacific Depot, pictured below, was built in 1922 and represents the Mission Revival architectural style. This facility established Fullerton as the rail center of North Orange County. It currently serves as a restaurant, the Old Spaghetti Factory.

Union Pacific Railroad Depot -- 110 E. Santa Fe Ave., Fullerton Ca. 92832

Anaheim's St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel Offers both Architecture and Art

The St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel sits on the campus of St. Catherine's Academy, a Catholic boys boarding school. The campus is closed to the public but the chapel's mid century modern architectural style and interesting mosaics can still be enjoyed from Harbor Blvd. and Cypress Street.

St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel -- 215 N. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim, Ca. 92805

Halls of Justice in Downtown Santa Ana

Santa Ana is the county seat and the second most populous city in Orange County. The most important criminal justice facilities are located in downtown. Pictured below is the Orange County Central Courthouse.

Orange County Central Courthouse -- 700 West Civic Center

Short Tour of California State University, Fullerton

California State University, Fullerton, was founded in 1957. Architect Howard van Heuklyn oversaw the construction of this campus which actually occurred in the 1960s. The older buildings have a futuristic design which was popular in that era. Pictured below is Langsdorf Hall, which is the university's primary administration building and the gateway to the campus.

Langsdorf Hall -- 1971

Anaheim Convention Center is a Major Center of Activity

The Anaheim Convention Center is a Major Hub in Anaheim's growing resort district. Opened in 1967, it has already undergone six major expansions, and currently has 1.6 million square feet of convention space.

Anaheim Convention Center -- 800 W. Katella

Unique Eichler Houses are in High Demand

The Mid Century Modern architectural style seems to be growing in popularity. Fortunately for fans of this style, renowned architect Joseph Eichler's home designs were built in several housing tracts in Orange around 1960-1962. According to Eichler real estate specialist Kelly Laule, Eichler enthusiasts are quickly buying these homes and renovating them as soon as they come to market.


Eichler Residence - 564 S. Woodland Street, Orange, Ca.

Downtown Anaheim is on the Rise

Downtown Anaheim is an often overlooked area that has seen a resurgence of positive activity lately. It is brimming with interesting architecture and places to check out. Downtown is actually located in the Anaheim Colony Historic District which is bounded by North, West, South, and East streets. Center Street runs down the middle of downtown and has recently been branded as simply Center Street Anaheim. The area is full of treasures so this post is only a sample of what's available to see. I will be back for more photos in the future.

Anaheim Blvd. & Center Street - Taller building is Anaheim City Hall

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Boutique "Hotel Indigo" Established in Anaheim

A Hotel Indigo was recently opened near Disneyland at 435 W. Katella. This boutique hotel was converted from a Holiday Inn with a $5 Million investment. There are a lot of hotels in the area but this one simply stands out from the crowd and will catch your eye.


Hotel Indigo - 435 W. Katella

Old Towne Orange Will Take You Back in Time

Old Towne Orange is certainly one of the best historic districts in California. It is known as the "Antique Capital of Southern California" with numerous antique, collectible, and specialty shops. There are also numerous restaurants, specialty food shops, and tea rooms. The historic downtown is an outstanding example of "Main Street USA" and has been used as the backdrop of several films. Old Towne is full of historic structures that could never be covered in one blog posting, so this is only a sampler of what a visitor might see.


Old Towne Orange - South Bound View of Glassell St. from Orange Circle

Little known Lyon Air Museum Tucked Away by John Wayne Airport

The Lyon Air Museum is discreetly located directly next to Orange County's John Wayne Airport at 19300 Ike Jones Road, in Santa Ana, and it is a genuine treasure. It was founded by retired Major General William Lyon, who also happens to be the founder of William Lyon Homes. This museum contains fully restored and flyable aircraft, vehicles, and related memorabilia, all with a primary emphasis on World War II.

Lyon Air Museum - 19300 Ike Jones Road, Santa Ana, Ca. 92707

Orange County's Premier Food Hall Now Open in Anaheim

On May 31, 2014, the Anaheim Packing House was finally opened to the public after several years of intensive renovation. Described as a Spanish Revival Citrus Plant, the Packing House was originally built in 1919 during Orange County's Agricultural era.

Anaheim Packing House -- 440 S. Anaheim Blvd.

Newport Beach's New Civic Center is an Architectural Gem

In 2013, the City of Newport Beach completed its brand new civic center project, located at 100 Civic Center Drive. Costing over $135 million, this major project included a new City Hall (95,000 sq. ft.), Library Expansion (17,000 sq. ft.), and new parking structure (450 stalls). The project earned national recognition in the 2014 Innovative Design in Engineering and Architecture with Structural Steel Awards program.


Newport Beach City Hall -- 100 Civic Center Drive, Newport Beach, Ca.

Historic Houses on the Campus of Cal State Fullerton

The campus of California State University, Fullerton, was founded in 1957. In addition to its modern buildings, it also holds three beautiful historic houses that pre-date the university, each with its own unique history and architecture. Each of these houses has been fully renovated to preserve their historical character while also serving practical functions for the university at large.

Heritage House -- Fullerton Arboretum