-
Expedition of Gaspar de Portola out of Mexico City
After the 1769 expedition of Gaspar de Portolá out of Mexico City, then capitol of New Spain, Friar Junípero Serra named the area Vallejo de Santa Ana (Valley of Saint Anne, or Santa Ana Valley) -
Mission San Juan Capistrano
on November 1, 1776, Mission San Juan Capistrano was established within this valley comprised most of wath is now called Orange Country. -
Mexican Independence
In 1810, year of the commencent of the war of Mexican Independence (1810-1821), Jose Antonio Yorba, a sergeant of the Spanish army, was granted land that he called Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana. -
Mexican-American War
After the Mexican American-war ended in 1848, Alta California became part of the United States and American settlers arrived in this area. -
Land Obtained from the Descendents of Jose Antonia Yorba
Claimed in 1869 by Kentuckian, William H. Spurgeon on land obtained from the descendents of Jose Antonio Yorba, Santa Ana was incorporatedas a city in 1886 vwith population of 2000 and in 1889became the seat of the newly formed Orange country. -
Pacific Electric Railway
By 1906 the Pacific Electric Railway from Los Angeles was extended to Santa Ana, running along Fourth Street downtown. The ¨red cars¨ made travel to Los Angeles easier and helped continue Santa Ana´s population boom. Due to declinig ridership, the route was abandoned by the 1950s and the tracks were removed along with much of the rest of the Pacific Electric system. The closing bcoincided with the opening of the Santa Ana Freeway in 1953, increasing the ease of travel by auto mobile. -
Wright Company
Santa Ana was the home of the original Glenn L. Martin aviation Company founded in 1912 before merging with the Wright Company in 1916. -
Charter City
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. -
The Downtown Area
Since the 1980s, Santa Ana has been characterized by an effort to revitalizerhe downtown area wich had declinedin influence. -
MainPlace Mall
In 1987, MainPlace Mall (now Westfield MainPlace) was opened north of dowtown and became a major retail center of area. -
Yost Theather
The process has countinued into 2009 with the reopening of the historic Yost Theater.
