Santa Ana is the ninth largest city in California,
the county seat for Orange County and the home of Orange County's John Wayne
Airport.
Pictured above is the Bowers Museum (left) which features art of
the Americas and Pacific Rim, plus art festivals, film programs, a lecture
series and an acclaimed restaurant, Tangata Café. The Santa Ana Zoo
(right) includes exotic birds, monkeys, a mountain lion and barnyard
animals.
Santa Ana is just a very
unusual place where cultures amazingly co-exist. Boundaries are
difficult to comprehend so you generally fly by the seat of your
pants in trying to understand the customs and approach.
Next door neighbors such as Westminster with its Asian community
have started to acculturate to American customs and laws.
Falling into line with no-smoking policies, the Asian Garden
Mall and other shops have removed smoking from their shops, for
instance.
In Santa Ana, there are
street pushcarts selling foods and wares that by all
appearances, bring the comforts and pleasures Hispanics are
accustomed to south of the border. Many stores in downtown Santa
Ana sell the gifts and clothing geared solely toward a Hispanic
audience. Yet in the midst of this non-English speaking section
of town you'll find some lofts, renovated buildings and cool,
trendy hangouts that are throwbacks to the hippie era. And don't
forget that Santa Ana is the heart of county government.
Christened in honor of Saint Anne, on July 26, 1769,
Spanish expedition party leader, Don Gaspár de Portolá, discovered the
picturesque valley and river Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana. But it was José
Antonio Yorba and Juan Peralta who were given a Spanish land grant. They
developed the property for cattle grazing and farming.
100 years later Santa Ana became a city when William H.
Spurgeon purchased 70 acres from the Yorba family in 1869. Incorporated in
1886, it was separated from Los Angeles County and was named the County
seat just three years later.
The population is 74% Hispanic with restaurants, shops and
markets catering to an audience whose primary language is Spanish. Many
residents are bilingual, especially youngsters and long time residents but in
Santa Ana, you'll feel right at home if Spanish is your native tongue. Holidays
are celebrated in a unique way with Christmas one of the biggest events. It
includes a procession in a local stadium and breaking of piñatas
as part of holiday festivities.
Things to see and do:
Historic downtown Santa Ana is listed in the National
Register of Historic Places. Dr. Howe-Waffle House and Medical Museum
Open first Saturday & Sunday each month Noon - 4 p.m., 120 Civic Center Dr.,
(714) 547-9645
Santa Ana is home to the Orange County court system.
There's a beautiful old courthouse
which is a historic landmark and is used as a set for filming in
hundreds of television shows and movies.
Bowers Museum 2002 North Main Street, Santa Ana, CA
92706 (714) 567-3600
Santa Ana Zoo, 1801 E. Chestnut Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92701
Open daily except Christmas and New Year's Day. santaanazoo.org
This local treasure has been in existence for over 50 years. The zoo
includes a special children's petting area, regularly featured exhibits that
include a female Golden Lion Tamarin, female Pygmy Marmoset, a ram named
Casper, emus, ewes, Millipedes and more!
What to see and Do-Page 2
Santa Ana Courthouse
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