History / Historic District Project

Floral Park began to blossom in the early 1920’s, soon after World War I.  As the weary soldiers returned home, many married their sweethearts and made plans to settle down, buy a house, and have a family.  They brought with them visions of quaint French Norman and English Tudor cottages, colorful Spanish Colonial villas, and dignified Italianate homes.

During the prosperous years of the 1920’s, it was said that “every man could have his castle and he could have it in any style he wanted.”  Floral Park, with its rich cornucopia of architectural styles, is particularly representative of that trend.  

The streetscapes of Floral Park grew from an occasional large ranch house among the orange, avocado and walnut groves to sections of single-family homes in a variety of romantic styles.  Spanish Colonial Revival houses, with their red tile roofs and softly colored stucco exteriors, were particularly popular.  Shaded by palm trees, they became a symbol of Southern California living.

English Tudor Revival homes, exhibiting lots of charm and character, were built in many versions.  Early American designs, such as Federal, Cape Cod and Georgian, added to the rich variety.   Architects enjoyed mixing architectural features, taking what they liked from each style and creating unique one-of-a-kind houses.

In the 1930’s and early 1940’s, there were still several orange groves in Floral Park.  After World War II the remaining groves disappeared as a new building boom resulted in the construction of stylish new ranch-style homes with large light-filled rooms, sliding glass doors to back yards, patios, and an open horizontal floor plan. Garages, often attached to the house, became necessary as more families had two cars.

The Floral Park Neighborhood Association works actively to preserve the character and beauty of the neighborhood and to provide a sense of friendliness and helpfulness to its residents.

Historic District Project Information

• Introductory Letter
  
• Special Edition Newsletter - Edition One
• Quick Glance Questions & Answers

Contact for Floral Park Historic District:  beautification@floralpark.com
Contact for Mills Act or Santa Ana Historic Registry:  soboleske@ci.santa-ana.ca.us

Old Photos and Videos of Floral Park circa 1930-40
(FPNA General Meeting Sept 2011)

Floral Park Neighborhood Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Copyright 2013 Floral Park Neighborhood Association.  All rights reserved.