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Gaspar do a expedition out of Mexico City, then the capitol of New Spain, Friar Junipero Serra named the area Vallejo de Santa Ana.
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Mission San Juan Capistrano was established within this valley.
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(1810-1821)
Jose Antonio Yorba, was granted land that he called Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana. -
After the Mexican - American war, Alta California became part of the United States and American settles arrivede in this area.
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Claimed by Kentuckian William H. Spurgeon on land obtained from the descendents of Jose Antonio Yorba, Santa Ana was incorporated as a city in 1886 with a population of 2000 and in1889 became the seat of the newly formed Orange Country.
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The Pacific Electric Railway from Los Angeles was extended to Santa Ana, running along Fourth Street downtown.
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Santa Ana was the home of the original Glenn L. Martin aviation company, founded in 1912 before merging with the Wright Company in 1916.
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Having been a Charter City since November 11, 1952, the citizens of Santa Ana 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.
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The closing coincided with the opening of the Santa Ana Freeway, increasing the ease of travel by automobile.
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Since the 1980s, Santa Ana has been characterized by an effort to revitalize the downtown area wich had declined in influence. The Santa Ana Artist's Village was created around Cal State Fullerton's Grand Central Art Center to attract artists and young professionals to live-work lofts and new businesses. The process has continued into 2009 with the reopening of the historic Yost Theater.
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MainPlace Mall was opened north of downtown and became a mayor retail center for the area.
