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The History of Santa Anna, California
Mission San Juan Capistrano was established within this valley.This Santa Anna Valley comprised most of what is now called Orange County. -
The History of Santa Anna, California
Year of the commencement of the war of Mexican Independence (1810-1821), Jose Antoni Yorba, a segeant of the Spanish army, was granted land that he called Rancho Santiago de Ssnta Anna.
Yorba´s rancho included the lands where the cities of Olive, Orange, Irvine, Yorba, Linda, Villa Park, Santa Anna, Tustin, Costa Mesa and unincorporated El Modena, and Santa Anna Heights, are today. -
The History of Santa Anna, California
After the Mexican-American war ended in 1848, Alta California became part of the United States and American settlers arrived in this area. -
The History of Santa Anna, California
Claimed in 1869 by Kentuckian William H.Spurgeon on land obtained from the descendents of Jose Antonio Yorba, Santa Anna was incorporated as a city in 1886 with a population of 2000 and in 1889 become the seat of the newly formed Orange County. -
The History of Santa Anna, California
The Pacific Electric Railway from Los Angeles was extended to Santa Anna, running along Fourth Street downtown.The "red cars"made travel to Los Angeles easier and helped continue Santa Ana´s population boom.
The closing coincided with the opening of the Santa Anna Freeway in 1953, increasing the ease of travel by automobile. -
The History of Santa Anna, California
Santa Anna was the home of the original Glenn L. Martin aviation company, founded in 1912 before merging with the Wright Company in 1916. Later, Glenn Luther Martin created a second company of the same name in Cleveland, Ohio with the Lockheed Corporation to from the largest defense contractor in the world, Lockheed Martin.
During World War II, the Santa Anna Army Air Base was built as a training center for the United States Army Forces. -
The History of Santa Anna, California
Having been a Charter City, the citizens of Santa Anna amended the Charter November 1988 to provide for the direct election of the Mayor who until that point had been an appointee of the Council. The current mayor of Santa Anna is Miguel A. Pulido, the first mayor of Latin descent in the city´s history and in fact, the first Mayor directly elected by the voters. -
The History of Santa Anna, California
Santa Anna has been charactetized by an effort to revitalize the downtown area which had declined in influence.
The Santa Anna Artist´s to attract artists and young professionals to live-work lofts and new businesses.The process has continued into 2009 with the reopening of the hixtoric Yost Theater. -
The History of Santa Anna, California
MainPlace Mall (now Westfield MainPlace) was opened north of downtown and became a major retail center for the area.
