CULTURAL INFO SHEET
“We pitched our camp to the left of the river, to the right there is a populous Indian village; the inhabitants greeted us with great kindness. Fifty-two of them came to our quarters…accompanied by many entreaties, to remain there and live with them. He said that they would provide us with antelopes, hares or seeds for our subsistence, that the land we saw was theirs, and that they would share them with us.” – Portola Expedition, July 28, 1769
KEY DATES & DECADES:
1769 - The first meeting of Portola’s expedition with native Tongvas on the banks of the Santa Ana River. After promising to return, the gathering was hit with an earthquake and several aftershocks.
1801 – Grivalba petitions for use of Rancho de Santa Ana – CA Historical Marker #45.
1810 – Yorba’s descendants, Jose Antonio Yorba and grandson Peralta, are granted Rancho de Santa Ana.
1810 - Our first hacienda and fandango venue, El Refugio, is built, making our valley a popular music destination with Californio families from all over Alta California.
1869 - Spurgeon and Bradford purchase their mustard field.
1886 – Santa Ana is incorporated as a city. It had already been popular with theater audiences and performers like Madame Modjeska thanks to a wealth of new hotels.
1890 - French’s Opera House opens.
1910 - Pacific Electric Railway starts running, and better roads are built, attracting more local visitors and movie stars such as Bebe Daniels, Charlie Chaplin, Rita Hayworth, Jack Benny, Lucille Ball, and Desi Arnaz.
1940s – WWII breaks out, and one of the only two deep sea fisherman with an open sea licence is Pepito of Santa Ana. An old vaudeville star, he brings many of the celebrities to Daniger’s Tea Room in the Santora. Soon a flood of celebrities followed, including John Wayne, Clark Gable, Bogart & Bacall, to visit downtown Santa Ana shops on the way to deep sea fishing in Newport.
1950s – The first U.S. drag strip opens in south Santa Ana and brings a wealth of Googie architecture, car culture, and Disneyland-loving tourists into our city.
1960s -- A generation of multicultural musicians populate the jazz clubs of South Main, which gives rise to our hometown heroes, The Righteous Brothers.
1970s – Science fiction writer Philip K. Dick moves to Santa Ana’s French Park while aspiring art star Chris Burdon performs his first major piece, “Shoot,” at the F Space Gallery on Grand & Edinger. 1 City of Santa Ana, Community Development Agency 20 Civic Center Plaza, M-25, Santa Ana, CA 92701 (714) 647-5360
SANTA ANA HISTORICAL RESOURCE LINKS:
African American Community http://www.santaanahistory.com/articles/Intro-BlackOrangeCounty.html http://articles.latimes.com/1994-01-30/local/me-17103_1_santa-ana https://www.ocregister.com/2011/03/10/santa-ana-neighborhood-was-african-american-hub/ https://www.ocregister.com/2015/02/06/throwback-thursday-segregation-for-african-americans-in- 1940s-santa-ana-not-much-different-from-the-south/ https://www.ocregister.com/2017/02/17/santa-anas-heritage-museum-celebrating-black-history- month-with-family-event-saturday/ https://www.facebook.com/SABlackHistoricalSociety/
Artists Village http://articles.latimes.com/keyword/artists-village https://www.kcet.org/shows/artbound/santa-anas-artists-village-the-pros-and-cons-of-gentrification
Bebe Daniels Arrest http://www.ocsheriffmuseum.com/bebe.html http://www.silentsaregolden.com/articles/bebedanielsarticle.html https://books.google.com/books?id=1zLFxp3EncMC&pg=PA358&lpg=PA358&dq=santa+ana,+bebe+da niels&source=bl&ots=ME3FJ6GAuJ&sig=F8Za0p4lEE177iS6uq5AmmAB5AQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKE wjTsPLOgM7ZAhXpsVQKHSmnAoo4ChDoAQg8MAU#v=onepage&q=santa%20ana%2C%20bebe%20dan iels&f=false https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bebe_Daniels
Bonnie Raitt in Santa Ana http://articles.latimes.com/1992-07-07/entertainment/ca-1764_1_john-raitt
Bowers Museum - California Collection http://www.bowers.org/collections/
Caged Chameleon, Koos & the North Main Galleries http://articles.latimes.com/1994-09-06/local/me-35323_1_santa-ana http://articles.latimes.com/1996-08-27/entertainment/ca-37981_1_arts-district
2 City of Santa Ana, Community Development Agency 20 Civic Center Plaza, M-25, Santa Ana, CA 92701 (714) 647-5360
http://articles.latimes.com/1994-05-03/entertainment/ca-53123_1_art-shows/2 https://www.ocweekly.com/undead-again-6384916/ https://www.facebook.com/OrganicTransformations/videos/897639573581135/ https://www.kcet.org/shows/artbound/koos-cafe-orange-countys-all-ages-musical-feast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKpJN08fUW4
Chris Burden at F-Space Gallery http://blogs.getty.edu/pacificstandardtime/explore-the-era/worksofart/shoot-performance-at-f- space-gallery-in-santa-ana-california/ http://www.openculture.com/2015/05/watch-chris-burden-get-shot-for-the-sake-of-art-1971.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26R9KFdt5aY
Custom Auto Service – Classic Cars and Santa Ana Lore http://www.customautoservice.com/?page_id=6
Danigers Tea Room & the Santora Arts Building http://articles.latimes.com/1990-04-06/news/li-946_1_santa-ana http://articles.latimes.com/1990-09-06/local/me-1155_1_santa-ana https://voiceofoc.org/2012/07/santora-birthday-celebration-brings-out-santa-ana-visionaries/ https://www.ocregister.com/2013/07/17/santora-arts-building-turns-85/
Diane Keaton in Santa Ana https://www.pinterest.com/pin/701857923150195623/ https://www.ocregister.com/2010/08/04/38-million-for-home-of-diane-keatons-mom/ https://thesantaanasentinel.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/diane-keaton-here-again/
El Refugio – Hacienda off Raitt & Myrtle – Owned by Yorba & Sepulveda http://www.santaanahistory.com/articles/ranchos.html
First American Title Photo Archive https://www.ocregister.com/2016/08/24/94-year-old-man-honored-for-curating-16000-historical- photos-of-orange-county/
3 City of Santa Ana, Community Development Agency 20 Civic Center Plaza, M-25, Santa Ana, CA 92701 (714) 647-5360
http://www.orangecoast.com/features/protectors-of-the-past-3/
Francisco Torres https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=LAH18920825.2.18 http://articles.latimes.com/1992-08-31/local/me-6069_1_orange-county http://articles.latimes.com/1999/oct/31/local/me-28396 https://www.ocweekly.com/strange-fruta-6380269/ http://kengonzalesday.com/los-angeles-lynching-sites-walking-tour/
French’s Opera House https://calisphere.org/item/fa2326f656bbe21637eaf58378ff8cb1/ http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt6n39p6k9/?layout=metadata http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/46019
Grand Central Art Center http://www.grandcentralartcenter.com/history/
Heritage Museum of Orange County http://heritagemuseumoc.org/
Historical Resources Commission, City of Santa Ana http://www.ci.santa-ana.ca.us/coc/boards_commissions/historic.asp
John Wayne Airport Art Commission http://www.ocair.com/commissions/jwaartscommission/
Kilson Street https://www.youtube.com/user/KilsonStreet
Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in Santa Ana Ball and Arnaz spent a lot of time in Santa Ana, frequently celebrating little Lucy’s (their daughter) birthdays in Heninger Park. Photos and more info can be provided by ex-Pepito & Joanne student, Melani Carty.
Lyon Air Museum http://www.lyonairmuseum.org/
4 City of Santa Ana, Community Development Agency 20 Civic Center Plaza, M-25, Santa Ana, CA 92701 (714) 647-5360
Madame Modjeska http://www.ocparks.com/historic/modjeska/ https://la.curbed.com/2017/7/12/15932554/helena-modjeska-forest-arden-history https://www.ocregister.com/2007/09/11/columnist-juanita-lovret-madame-modjeska-was-part-of- the-social-scene-in-early-1900s/ http://articles.latimes.com/1987-02-15/local/me-3560_1_modjeska-canyon https://www.bowers.org/index.php/exhibitions/upcoming-exhibitions/480-as-she-liked-it-the- shakespearean-roles-of-madame-modjeska
Old Orange County Courthouse Museum and Archives http://www.ocparks.com/historic/oldcourt/ http://www.ocarchives.com/
Old Santa Ana Marker - CA Historical Monument #204 https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=50302
Marlon Brando in Santa Ana https://www.sausd.us/domain/3631
Mendez v. Westminster http://www.latimes.com/socal/weekend/news/tn-wknd-et-0417-sylvia-mendez-70-anniversary- 20160417-story.html https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/osi04.soc.ush.civil.mendez/mendez-v-westminster- desegregating-californias-schools/#.WpmCpqinHIU http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-0302-strum-mendez-case-20160302-story.html
Mexican Consulate in Santa Ana https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/santaana/
Mexican Neon Strip – El Balboa, El Zerape Club, Chico Club, and more https://www.ocweekly.com/downtown-santa-ana-now-has-no-mexican-beer-bars-left-marking-end- of-an-era-7799622/
Mr. Escalante of Custom Auto Service has all the photos and stories of Cantinflas and Montalban hanging out in downtown Santa Ana at the Mexican beer halls.
Modesta Avila http://articles.latimes.com/1988-08-22/local/me-526_1_modesta-avila
5 City of Santa Ana, Community Development Agency 20 Civic Center Plaza, M-25, Santa Ana, CA 92701 (714) 647-5360
https://www.ocregister.com/2014/08/15/from-convicted-felon-to-folk-heroine/ https://www.ocweekly.com/modesta-avila-was-ocs-first-convicted-felon-because-she-was-a-mexican- woman-activist-6382069/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modesta_Avila
Nixon Library Museum and Archives https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/
Orange County Law Library http://www.ocpll.org/
Orange County Register Archives https://www.ocregister.com/2009/11/11/the-orange-county-register-online-archives/
Orange County Wikipedia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_California
Philip K. Dick in Santa Ana https://www.ocweekly.com/a-very-phildickian-existence-6386095/ http://www.sfwa.org/2014/06/philip-k-dick-orange-county/ https://sites.google.com/a/fullerton.edu/philip-k-dick-in-the-oc/ https://arthurmag.com/2009/07/02/philip-k-dick-the-orange-county-years/ http://jesselatour.blogspot.com/2015/04/philip-k-dicks-orange-county-years.html https://dailytitan.com/2013/09/santa-ana-pays-tribute-to-philip-k-dick/ http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8fr0273/
Pepito and Joanne http://pepitoandjoanne.blogspot.com/ https://www.ocregister.com/2010/10/19/ex-student-unlocks-mystery-of-couples-past/ https://michaelbrannan.smugmug.com/History/Pepito-The-Spanish-Clown/ https://travsd.wordpress.com/2017/02/16/stars-of-vaudeville-1032-pepito-and-joanne/
6 City of Santa Ana, Community Development Agency 20 Civic Center Plaza, M-25, Santa Ana, CA 92701 (714) 647-5360
Portola Expedition Diaries - July 28, 1769 – Naming of Santa Ana Valley & River – California Historical Monument #204 - Old Santa Ana (settlement/village) https://pacificahistory.wikispaces.com/Portola+Expedition+July+28%2C+1769+Diaries
Rancho de Santa Ana Wikipedia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rancho_Santiago_de_Santa_Ana
Righteous Brothers https://www.ocregister.com/2016/03/22/orange-countys-bill-medley-is-the-righteous-brothers-once- again/ http://whitedoowopcollector.blogspot.com/2008/10/the-paramoursthere-she-goes.html
Rita Hayworth in Santa Ana http://articles.latimes.com/1990-09-06/local/me-1155_1_santa-ana https://www.ocregister.com/2012/09/08/a-taste-of-santa-ana-offers-food-music-and-more/
Pepito’s widow Joanne recalled Rita’s studio was named “Cansino” and run by her relatives.
Ruben Salazar in Santa Ana http://rubensalazarproject.com/2012/04/17/mapping-salazars-life/ https://www.ocregister.com/2010/08/25/the-oc-past-of-ruben-salazar/ http://www.orangecoast.com/magazine/learn-more-about-ruben-salazar/ http://www.pbs.org/program/ruben-salazar-man-middle/
Santa Ana Chinatown https://www.ocweekly.com/santa-ana-deliberately-burned-down-its-chinatown-in-1906-and-let-a- man-die-to-do-it-6446664/
Santa Ana College Library and Archives https://www.sac.edu/Library/Pages/FindArticles.aspx https://www.sac.edu/Pages/default.aspx
Santa Ana Drag Races https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOBAIFEDhgc https://www.ocregister.com/2015/10/02/santa-ana-drags-65-years-later-drag-strip-still-revs-up-the- hot-rod-hearts-of-fans/ https://selvedgeyard.com/2009/05/25/1950-1959-the-santa-ana-drag-strip-days-they-did-it-for-love/
7 City of Santa Ana, Community Development Agency 20 Civic Center Plaza, M-25, Santa Ana, CA 92701 (714) 647-5360
http://articles.latimes.com/2004/jun/30/local/me-hart30 http://www.dragzine.com/news/flashback-friday-cj-pappy-hart-and-the-santa-ana-dragstrip/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Ana_Drags https://www.hotrodhotline.com/feature/2011show/santa_ana_drag_strip_reunion_oct_1/
Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society / Howe Waffle House Museum http://www.santaanahistory.com/
Santa Ana Historical Resources Commission http://www.ci.santa-ana.ca.us/coc/boards_commissions/historic.asp
Santa Ana History Room http://www.ci.santa-ana.ca.us/library/history/sahrmission.asp
Santa Ana Photo Archive http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt6v19p65d/entire_text/
Santa Ana Public Library http://www.ci.santa-ana.ca.us/library/
Santa Ana Fire Museum http://www.santaanafiremuseum.com/
Santa Ana Streetcar http://www.oerm.org/red-cars-pacific-electric/ https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/31/pacific-electric-red-car-la-mileage-photo- video_n_2577346.html http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-california-retrospective-red-car-20160103-story.html
Santa Ana Unified School District https://www.sausd.us/Page/1
Santa Ana Wikipedia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Ana,_California
South Main Sugar Beet Factory https://historicsouthernsantaana.wordpress.com/businesses/southern-california-sugar-company/
8 City of Santa Ana, Community Development Agency 20 Civic Center Plaza, M-25, Santa Ana, CA 92701 (714) 647-5360 https://www.flickr.com/photos/30346812@N07/36050388691 https://historicsouthernsantaana.wordpress.com/businesses/santa-ana-co-operative-sugar-company/
Steve Martin in Santa Ana http://articles.latimes.com/1990-10-21/news/vw-4404_1_garden-grove-high-school https://www.ocregister.com/2007/12/20/take-a-tour-of-steve-martins-orange-county/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Martin
The Black Derby & South Main Soul https://www.ocregister.com/2017/07/15/musicians-remember-papa-bear-the-driving-force-behind- the-righteous-brothers/ https://www.ocregister.com/2018/01/04/betty-jane-willis-more-than-another-homeless-death-she- was-a-soul-singer/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saHpHgok_gc
The Cambodian Family Community Center & Minnie Street http://cambodianfamily.org/ http://articles.latimes.com/1991-08-11/local/me-944_1_minnie-street
The West End Theater http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/3170 http://cinelog.org/cinelog/2010/07/20/the-west-end-theatre-at-95/
UC Irvine Historic California Archives https://special.lib.uci.edu/collections/university-archives
UC Irvine Libraries, Orange County & Southeast Asian Archive Center https://ocseaa.lib.uci.edu/
Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Association (VAALA) http://vaala.org/
Viet Stories: Vietnamese American Oral History Project at UC Irvine http://sites.uci.edu/vaohp/
West Coast Theater http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/2297
9 City of Santa Ana, Community Development Agency 20 Civic Center Plaza, M-25, Santa Ana, CA 92701 (714) 647-5360
https://calisphere.org/item/ark:/13030/kt8k4014xk/
Will Ferrell in Santa Ana https://www.ocregister.com/2008/07/23/will-ferrell-says-growing-up-in-irvine-made-him-funny/
Yost Theater https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yost_Theater http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/2407 https://www.ocweekly.com/a-toast-for-the-yost-6432474/
10 City of Santa Ana, Community Development Agency 20 Civic Center Plaza, M-25, Santa Ana, CA 92701 (714) 647-5360