Santa Ana, California - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Santa Ana ˌ is the county seat

County seat

A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....

and second most populous city in Orange County

Orange County, California

Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...

, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

Founded in 1869, Santa Ana is located in Southern California

Southern California

Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...

adjacent to the Santa Ana River

Santa Ana River

The Santa Ana River is the largest river of Southern California in the United States. Its drainage basin spans four counties. It rises in the San Bernardino Mountains and flows past the cities of San Bernardino and Riverside, before cutting through the northern tip of the Santa Ana Mountains and...

, 10 miles (16.1 km) away from the California coast. The city is part of the Los Angeles–Long Beach–Santa Ana metropolitan area

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

The Los Angeles metropolitan area, also known as Metropolitan Los Angeles or the Southland, is the 13th largest metropolitan area in the world and the second-largest metropolitan area in the United States....

which, according to the U.S. Census Bureau

United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...

, is the second largest metropolitan area in the U.S., with almost thirteen million people. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, of U.S. cities with more than 300,000 people, Santa Ana is the 4th-most densely populated behind only New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

, San Francisco, and Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

, and slightly denser than Boston

Boston

Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...

.

Santa Ana lends its name to the Santa Ana Freeway

Santa Ana Freeway

The Santa Ana Freeway is one of the principal freeways in Southern California, connecting Los Angeles and its southeastern suburbs including the freeway's namesake, the city of Santa Ana. The freeway begins at the Four Level Interchange in downtown Los Angeles, signed as U.S. Route 101...

(I-5

Interstate 5 in California

Interstate 5 is a major north–south route of the Interstate Highway System in the U.S. state of California. It begins at the Mexico – United States border at the San Ysidro crossing, goes north across the length of California and crosses into Oregon south of the Medford-Ashland metropolitan...

), which runs through the city. It also shares its name with the nearby Santa Ana Mountains

Santa Ana Mountains

The Santa Ana Mountains are a short peninsular mountain range along the coast of Southern California in the United States. They extend for approximately 36 mi southeast of the Los Angeles Basin largely along the border between Orange and Riverside counties.- Geography :The range starts in the...

, and the infamous Santa Ana winds, which have historically fueled seasonal wildfires throughout Southern California. The current Office of Management and Budget (OMB) metropolitan designation for the Orange County Area

Orange County, California

is "Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA

Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, California

Santa Ana–Anaheim–Irvine, California is the metropolitan designation given to Orange County, California, United States, by the Office of Management and Budget . The OMB bases its names for metropolitan areas on their dominant cities...

History

Members of the Tongva and Juaneño

Juaneño

The Juaneño or Acagchemem are a Native American group from Southern California. The Juaneño lived in what is now part of Orange and San Diego Counties and received their Spanish name from the priests of the California mission chain due to their proximity to Mission San Juan Capistrano...

/Luiseño nations long inhabited the area. The Tongva Indians called the Santa Ana area "Hotuuk."

After the 1769 expedition of Gaspar de Portolá

Gaspar de Portolà

Gaspar de Portolà i Rovira was a soldier, governor of Baja and Alta California , explorer and founder of San Diego and Monterey. He was born in Os de Balaguer, province of Lleida, in Catalonia, Spain, of Catalan nobility. Don Gaspar served as a soldier in the Spanish army in Italy and Portugal...

out of Mexico City

Mexico City

Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...

, then capitol of New Spain

New Spain

New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...

, Friar Junípero Serra

Junípero Serra

Blessed Junípero Serra, O.F.M., , known as Fra Juníper Serra in Catalan, his mother tongue was a Majorcan Franciscan friar who founded the mission chain in Alta California of the Las Californias Province in New Spain—present day California, United States. Fr...

named the area Vallejo de Santa Ana (Valley of Saint Anne, or Santa Ana Valley). On November 1, 1776, Mission San Juan Capistrano

Mission San Juan Capistrano

Mission San Juan Capistrano was a Spanish mission in Southern California, located in present-day San Juan Capistrano. It was founded on All Saints Day November 1, 1776, by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order...

was established within this valley. This Santa Ana Valley comprised most of what is now called Orange County.

In 1810, year of the commencement of the war of Mexican Independence (1810–1821), Jose Antonio Yorba

José Antonio Yorba

José Antonio Yorba , also known as Don José Antonio Yorba I, was a Spanish soldier and early settler of Spanish California.-Spanish Soldier:...

, a sergeant of the Spanish army, was granted land that he called Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana

Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana

Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana was a Spanish land concession in present day Orange County, California given by Governor José Joaquín de Arrillaga in 1810 to Jose Antonio Yorba and his nephew Pablo Peralta...

. Yorba's rancho included the lands where the cities of Olive, Orange

Orange, California

Southern California is well-known for year-round pleasant weather: - On average, the warmest month is August. - The highest recorded temperature was in 1985. - On average, the coolest month is December. - The lowest recorded temperature was in 1950...

, Irvine

Irvine, California

Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...

, Yorba Linda

Yorba Linda, California

Yorba Linda is a suburban city in northeastern Orange County, California, approximately northeast of Downtown Santa Ana, and southeast of Downtown Los Angeles....

, Villa Park

Villa Park, California

Villa Park is a city in northern Orange County, California, near and surrounded by the City of Orange, and close to Anaheim Hills, that incorporated in 1962. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 5,812, down from 5,999 at the 2000 census, achieving the status of the smallest city in...

, Santa Ana, Tustin

Tustin, California

-Top employers:According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Tustin had a population of 75,540. The population density was 6,816.7 people per square mile...

, Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa, California

Costa Mesa is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 109,960 at the 2010 census. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to a primarily suburban and "edge" city with an economy based on retail, commerce, and light...

and unincorporated El Modena

El Modena, California

El Modena is an area around El Modena High School in the city of Orange, California. It is located near and east of the intersection of Hewes Street and Chapman Avenue...

, and Santa Ana Heights, are today. This rancho was the only land grant in Orange County granted under Spanish Rule

New Spain

. Surrounding land grants in Orange County were granted after Mexican Independence by the new government.

After the Mexican-American war ended in 1848, Alta California

Alta California

Alta California was a province and territory in the Viceroyalty of New Spain and later a territory and department in independent Mexico. The territory was created in 1769 out of the northern part of the former province of Las Californias, and consisted of the modern American states of California,...

became part of the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

and American settlers arrived in this area.

Claimed in 1869 by Kentuckian

Kentucky

The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...

William H. Spurgeon on land obtained from the descendents of Jose Antonio Yorba

José Antonio Yorba

José Antonio Yorba , also known as Don José Antonio Yorba I, was a Spanish soldier and early settler of Spanish California.-Spanish Soldier:...

, Santa Ana was incorporated as a city in 1886 with a population of 2000 and in 1889 became the seat of the newly formed Orange County

Orange County, California

.
By 1906 the Pacific Electric Railway

Pacific Electric Railway

The Pacific Electric Railway , also known as the Red Car system, was a mass transit system in Southern California using streetcars, light rail, and buses...

from Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

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 declining 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 coincided with the opening of the Santa Ana Freeway

Santa Ana Freeway

in 1953, increasing the ease of travel by automobile.

Santa Ana was the home of the original Glenn L. Martin aviation company

Glenn L. Martin Company

The Glenn L. Martin Company was an American aircraft and aerospace manufacturing company that was founded by the aviation pioneer Glenn L. Martin. The Martin Company produced many important aircraft for the defense of the United States and its allies, especially during World War II and the Cold War...

, founded in 1912 before merging with the Wright Company

Wright Company

The Wright Company was the commercial aviation business venture of the Wright Brothers, established by them in 1909 in conjunction with several prominent industrialists from New York and Detroit with the intention of capitalizing on their invention of the practical airplane. It maintained a...

in 1916. Later, Glenn Luther Martin

Glenn Luther Martin

Glenn Luther Martin was an American aviation pioneer.-Early years:Glenn L. Martin was born in Macksburg, Iowa, on January 17, 1886. At the age of two, Martin's family moved to Salina, Kansas, so that his father could run a wheat farm.By age six, he became interested in kites, but at first his...

created a second company of the same name in Cleveland, Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

which eventually merged with the Lockheed Corporation

Lockheed Corporation

The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...

to form the largest defense contractor in the world, Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....

.

During World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, the Santa Ana Army Air Base

Santa Ana Army Air Base

Santa Ana Army Air Base was an air base built during World War II that was decommissioned in 1946. The air base was used for basic training but did not have planes, hangars or runways. The base was and located in Costa Mesa between Baker Street on the north, Harbor Blvd. on the west, Wilson...

was built as a training center for the United States Army Air Forces

United States Army Air Forces

The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....

. The base was responsible for continued population growth in Santa Ana and the rest of Orange County as many veterans moved to the area to raise families after the end of the war.

In 1987, MainPlace Mall

Westfield MainPlace

Westfield MainPlace, formerly known as MainPlace Santa Ana and sometimes colloquially as Main Place Mall, is an indoor tri-level, shopping center located on the far north side of Santa Ana, California...

(now Westfield MainPlace) was opened north of downtown and became a major retail center for the area.

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 current mayor of Santa Ana is Miguel A. Pulido

Miguel A. Pulido

Miguel A. Pulido is an American politician. He is the mayor of the city of Santa Ana, California. He was first elected to City Council on November 4, 1986. He became the first Latino mayor in the city's history since November 8, 1994. His current term expires on November 6, 2012...

, the first mayor of Latino descent in the city's history and in fact, the first Mayor directly elected by the voters.

Since the 1980s, Santa Ana has been characterized by an effort to revitalize the downtown area

Downtown National Register District

The Historic Downtown District in Santa Ana, California is roughly bounded by Ross to French streets and First to Civic Center streets.This district is characterized by a number of buildings in the Art Deco style as well as three old movie houses . Orange County's first Courthouse is also located...

which had declined in influence. The Santa Ana Artist's Village was created around Cal State Fullerton's Grand Central Art Center

CSUF Grand Central Art Center

California State University, Fullerton Grand Central Art Center is a partnership between the university and the city of Santa Ana. Based in the Downtown National Register District or Artists village it is dedicated to the investigation and promotion of contemporary art and visual culture:...

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

Yost Theater

The Yost Theater and Ritz Hotel is a Nationally recognized Historic Place located in Santa Ana's Downtown Historic District. Under the ownership of the Olivos Family it became a movie house for the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema. In recent years it housed various church organizations and underwent...

Geography

Santa Ana is located at 33°44′27"N 117°52′53"W (33.740717, -117.881408).

According to the United States Census Bureau

United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...

, the city has a total area of 27.5 square miles (71.2 km²). 27.3 square miles (70.7 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (0.90%) is water. It is the 4th most densely populated place in the United States with a population of 300,000 or more with 12,471.5 people per sq. mile.

Santa Ana is nested on flat, low-lying plains with little land elevation change. Running through the west end of the city is the mostly channelized Santa Ana River

Santa Ana River

, which is also largely seasonal due to the construction of the Prado Dam

Prado Dam

Prado Dam is an earth-fill dam across the Santa Ana River at the Chino Hills near Corona, California in Riverside County with the resulting impounded water creating Prado Flood Control Basin reservoir. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the dam in Lower Santa Ana River Canyon...

and Seven Oaks Dam

Seven Oaks Dam

The Seven Oaks Dam is located on the Santa Ana River, 4 miles northeast of Redlands, California. It was constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers as a flood control dam. The dam sits virtually on top of the San Andreas Fault and is designed to withstand a magnitude 8.0...

. The river has caused several severe floods in the 20th century, and is a continued threat despite the existence of the dams.

Cityscape

Now fully developed, Santa Ana has several distinct districts. The core of the city is the downtown area, which contains both retail and housing, as well as the Santa Ana Civic Center

Santa Ana Civic Center

The Civic Center in Santa Ana is Orange County, California's main center of government. The city of Santa Ana became the county seat of government in 1889 and continues to be the seat of government to this day...

which is a dense campus of administrative buildings for both the city and the county of Orange. The civic center is also home to the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and Courthouse. Several historic homes dating from the late 1800s can be found as well, and their preservation is a key issue as development of the downtown area continues.

North of downtown is the "Midtown" district along Main St., home to entertainment destinations such as the Bowers Museum

Bowers Museum

The Bowers Museum is located in Santa Ana, California, in Orange County. The museum offers exhibitions, lectures, art classes, travel programs, children’s art and music education programs, and other community events...

, MainPlace Mall, and the Discovery Science Center

Discovery Science Center

The Discovery Science Center, formerly known as the Taco Bell Discovery Science Center, is a science museum in Santa Ana, California, with more than 100 hands-on science exhibits designed to spark children's natural curiosity...

.

Near the intersection of the Santa Ana Freeway and the Costa Mesa Freeway is the newly-designated "Metro East" area, which the city council has envisioned as a secondary mixed-use development

Mixed-use development

Mixed-use development is the use of a building, set of buildings, or neighborhood for more than one purpose. Since the 1920s, zoning in some countries has required uses to be separated. However, when jobs, housing, and commercial activities are located close together, a community's transportation...

district. Currently the area is occupied by several office towers, but little retail or housing. Also on the east side of the city is the Santa Ana Zoo

Santa Ana Zoo

The Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park in Santa Ana, California is a zoo focusing on the animals and plants of Central and South America. The Santa Ana Zoo hosts more than 270,000 people annually. The zoo opened in 1952 and is owned and operated by the City of Santa Ana...

, notable for its collection of monkeys and species from South

South America

South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...

and Central America

Central America

Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...

.

The south end of the city is part of the South Coast Metro

South Coast Metro

South Coast Metro is an area in Orange County, California loosely defined by its proximity to South Coast Plaza and John Wayne Airport, and comprising the surrounding portions of Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, Irvine, and Newport Beach. It lies completely within the 714 area code...

area, which is shared with the city of Costa Mesa. South Coast Plaza

South Coast Plaza

South Coast Plaza is an upscale-luxury shopping center in Costa Mesa, California, USA, in Orange County. The largest mall in California, its sales of over 1.5 billion are highest in the United States...

, a major shopping center, is the primary destination of this area, which also contains several high-rise office and apartment buildings.

Climate

Santa Ana experiences a Mediterranean climate

Mediterranean climate

A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...

, with mild, wet winters and the dry, warm sunny weather that Southern California is famous for in summer. Winter daytime temperatures average in the high 60s to low 70s (degrees Fahrenheit), and summer daytime temperatures average in the low 80s to mid 90s. Rainfall averages about 14 inches (356 mm) per year, most of which falls from November to April. There are an average of 34 days with measurable precipitation annually.

The record high temperature was 112 °F (44.4 °C) on June 14, 1917. The record low temperature was 22 °F (-5.6 °C) on December 31, 1918, and January 1, 1919. There are an average of 24.5 days with highs of 90 °F (32.2 °C) or higher and an average of 6.4 days with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower.

The wettest year in Santa Ana was 1941 with 32.36 inches (82.2 cm) and the driest year was 1961 with 3.55 inches (9 cm). The most rainfall in one month was 13.99 inches (35.5 cm) in February 1998. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 4.69 inches (11.9 cm) on February 16, 1927.

Education

Santa Ana Unified School District

Santa Ana Unified School District is a school district in Orange County, California that serves the city of Santa Ana. Although its geographic size is only , it is the sixth largest school district in the state of California with approximately 58,000 students...

includes thirty-seven K–5 elementary schools, nine 6–8 intermediate schools, eight 9–12 high schools, five special schools, and one charter school. The school district provides an online accountability report card.

Santa Ana Unified School District

Santa Ana Unified School District

's public high schools include Valley High School (Santa Ana)

Valley High School (Santa Ana)

Valley High School, more commonly referred to Santa Ana Valley High School is located at 1801 S. Greenville St. in Santa Ana, CA 92704. Valley High was built in 1959 and recently celebrated it's 50th year anniversary in 2009.-Background:...

, Middle College High School, Santa Ana High School

Santa Ana High School

Santa Ana High School is the oldest and largest high school in Orange County, California, United States. The school was established in 1889.-Notable alumni:*Beverly Bivens, singer with the 1960s band We Five*Gerald P...

, Saddleback High School

Saddleback High School

Saddleback High School is a four year secondary school located in Santa Ana, California, and is part of the Santa Ana Unified School District . The school mascot is the roadrunner. The school principal is Dr. Robert Laxton, who has served in that capacity since 2007...

, Century High School

Century High School (Santa Ana, California)

Century High School is located in Santa Ana, California. It is one of the smallest campuses in Orange County, built to house 1500 students.It was built in 1989. Its mascot is the Centurion, and the school colors are blue, silver, and green....

, newly opened Segerstrom Fundamental High School

Segerstrom Fundamental High School

Segerstrom High School is a public high school in Santa Ana, California, and is part of the Santa Ana Unified School District . The school opened in fall of 2005 with a freshman and sophomore class. Henry Segerstrom - for whom Segerstrom High School is named - is a familiar name in Orange County...

and Godinez Fundamental High School

Godinez Fundamental High School

Hector G. Godinez Fundamental High School is a public high school in Santa Ana, California, and is part of the Santa Ana Unified School District. The school opened in 2007.Godinez is a fundamental high school not just a public school....

, and other public schools in the area, along with the Orange County High School of the Arts

Orange County High School of the Arts

Orange County High School of the Arts , colloquially called "OH-sha", is a 7th–12th grade public charter school located in downtown Santa Ana, Orange County, California. The school caters to middle and high school students with talents in the performing, visual and literary arts...

in the midtown district.

The Roman Catholic Diocese operates Mater Dei High School. The Diocese also operates several K–8 schools in Santa Ana including: School of Our Lady, Saint Anne, Saint Barbara, and Saint Joseph. (Immaculate Heart Of Mary And Our Lady Of the Pillar schools were closed in 2005 and merged into the School of Our Lady which is located at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish.

The city is home to Santa Ana College

Santa Ana College

Santa Ana College is a community college located in Santa Ana, California, USA.-History:In 1915, Santa Ana Junior College opened its doors to 25 students as a department of Santa Ana High School. It was the second community college founded in Orange County, behind Fullerton College, and the fourth...

, a two year public community college

Community colleges in the United States

In the United States, community colleges are primarily two-year public institutions of higher education and were once commonly called junior colleges....

, as well as California Coast University

California Coast University

California Coast University is a distance learning private university. It was established in 1973 and is located in Santa Ana, California. It has national accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council . Since its founding, CCU has offered undergraduate and graduate programs in...

, and the Orange County branch of the Art Institute of California

Art Institute of California - Orange County

The Art Institute of California – Orange County is a for-profit applied-arts college located in Santa Ana, California and is part of The Art Institutes system of over 40 educational institutions. The campus is composed of 13 art departments, two applied-art schools, The International Culinary...

. Taft Law School

Taft Law School

The Taft Law School is a distance education, online-based law school based in Santa Ana, California. Taft Law School and William Howard Taft University comprise The Taft University System. The State Bar of California Committee of Bar Examiners has registered Taft Law School as an unaccredited...

a correspondence law school is also based in Santa Ana.

Demographics

2010

The 2010 United States Census reported that Santa Ana had a population of 324,528. The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

was 11,793.3 people per square mile (4,553.4/km²). The racial makeup of Santa Ana was 148,838 (45.9%) White, 4,856 (1.5%) African American, 3,260 (1.0%) Native American, 34,138 (10.5%) Asian, 976 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 120,789 (37.2%) from other races

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 11,671 (3.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 253,928 persons (78.2%).

The Census reported that 319,870 people (98.6% of the population) lived in households, 1,415 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 3,243 (1.0%) were institutionalized.

There were 73,174 households, out of which 41,181 (56.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 41,389 (56.6%) were opposite-sex married couples

Marriage

Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

living together, 11,808 (16.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 6,451 (8.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 4,933 (6.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships

POSSLQ

POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....

, and 556 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 9,254 households (12.6%) were made up of individuals and 3,378 (4.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.37. There were 59,648 families

Family (U.S. Census)

A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...

(81.5% of all households); the average family size was 4.54.

The population was spread out with 99,678 people (30.7%) under the age of 18, 39,165 people (12.1%) aged 18 to 24, 102,399 people (31.6%) aged 25 to 44, 61,375 people (18.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 21,911 people (6.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.1 years. For every 100 females there were 104.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.6 males.

There were 76,896 housing units at an average density of 2,794.4 per square mile (1,078.9/km²), of which 34,756 (47.5%) were owner-occupied, and 38,418 (52.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.9%. 154,045 people (47.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 165,825 people (51.1%) lived in rental housing units.

2007

As of 2007, there were 327,780 people, and 77,922 housing units. Santa Ana's property occupation density is 4.6 per housing unit, the highest of any American city over 50,000. (By contrast, New York's is 2.8, and Los Angeles's density is 2.6 persons per housing unit.)

The racial makeup of the city, as of 2007, is 42.6% White

White American

White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...

, 16.6% African American

African American

African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...

, 0.2% Native American

Native Americans in the United States

Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...

, 9.4% Asian

Asian American

Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...

, 0.4% Pacific Islander

Pacific Islander American

Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...

, 46.3% from some other race, and 1.5% from two or more races

Multiracial American

Multiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...

. Hispanic and Latino Americans

Hispanic and Latino Americans

Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...

compose 64.1% of all residents; 63.1% are of Mexican

Mexican people

Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....

descent.

2000

As of the census

Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there are 337,977 people, 73,002 households, and 59,788 families residing in the city. (Owing to the large percentage of illegal immigrants

Illegal immigration

Illegal immigration is the migration into a nation in violation of the immigration laws of that jurisdiction. Illegal immigration raises many political, economical and social issues and has become a source of major controversy in developed countries and the more successful developing countries.In...

in the Latino population in Southern California, this figure is widely believed to suffer from significant downward bias, and some estimates place the city's population at over 500,000.) The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

is 4,808.2/km² (12,451.9/mi²). There are 74,588 housing units at an average density of 1,061.1/km² (2,748.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 42.73% White, 1.70% African American, 1.19% Native American, 8.81% Asian, 0.34% Pacific Islander, 40.64% from other races, and 4.58% from two or more races. 76.07% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 73,002 households out of which 53.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% are married couples

Marriage

living together, 13.5% have a female householder with no husband present, and 18.1% are non-families. 12.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 4.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 4.55 and the average family size is 4.72.

In the city the population is spread out with 34.2% under the age of 18, 12.8% from 18 to 24, 34.1% from 25 to 44, 13.5% from 45 to 64, and 5.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 26 years. For every 100 females there are 107.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 108.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $43,412, and the median income for a family is $41,050. Males have a median income of $23,342 versus $21,637 for females. The per capita income

Per capita income

Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

for the city is $12,152. 19.8% of the population and 16.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 24.1% of those under the age of 18 and 10.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Politics

Santa Ana is one of a few cities in Orange County where Democratic Party

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

registration outnumbers that of the Republican Party

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

. In the 2008 Presidential Election

United States presidential election, 2008

The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...

, Barack Obama

Barack Obama

Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

defeated John McCain

John McCain

John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....

in the city by a margin of 20,357 votes, 65% to 32%. This was despite Obama losing to fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton in the city during the Democratic Primary

Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008

The 2008 Democratic presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Democratic Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 U.S. presidential election...

.

In the state legislature

California State Legislature

The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...

Santa Ana is located in the 34th Senate

California State Senate

The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...

District represented by Democrat

Democratic Party (United States)

Lou Correa

Jose Luis Correa is a California Democratic Party Legislator. He is serving his second term as a member of the California State Senate, representing the 34th Senate District...

, and in the 69th Assembly

California State Assembly

The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...

District, represented by Democrat Jose Solorio

Jose Solorio

Jose J. Solorio was elected to the California State Assembly in 2006 as a Democrat. He represents the 69th Assembly District, which includes the city of Santa Ana and parts of Anaheim and Garden Grove.-Early civic career:...

. Federally, Santa Ana is located in California's 47th Congressional District

California's 47th congressional district

California's 47th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in Orange County. The district covers the cities of Garden Grove and Santa Ana and parts of Fullerton and Anaheim, and includes Disneyland....

and is represented by Democrat Loretta Sanchez

Loretta Sanchez

Loretta Sanchez is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 46th, serving since 2003. She is a member of the Democratic Party, and a member of the Blue Dog Coalition. The district lies in central Orange County....

.

The Consulate-General of El Salvador in Santa Ana

Diplomatic missions of El Salvador

This is a list of diplomatic missions of El Salvador, excluding honorary consulates. El Salvador is a small Central American country with a modest number of diplomatic missions abroad....

is located in Suite 103 at 840 North Grand Avenue. The Consulate-General of Mexico in Santa Ana

Diplomatic missions of Mexico

This is a list of diplomatic missions of Mexico, excluding honorary consulates. Mexico's foreign service started in 1822, the year after the signing of the Treaty of Cordoba which marked the beginning of Mexico's independence...

is located on 828 North Broadway Street.

Economy

Santa Ana is the corporate headquarters of several companies including Behr Paint, CoreLogic

CoreLogic

CoreLogic, Inc. is an American corporation providing financial, property and consumer information, analytics and business intelligence. Headquartered in Santa Ana, CA, the company analyzes information assets and data to provide clients with analytics and customized data services...

, Corinthian Colleges, First American Corporation

First American Corporation

First American Financial Corporation is a United States financial services company and is a leading provider of title insurance and settlement services to the real estate and mortgage industries....

, Greenwood & Hall

Greenwood & Hall

Greenwood & Hall is a customer relationship management and marketing firm that provides contact center services for higher education, Fortune 500 companies, non-profit and governmental agencies...

, Ingram Micro

Ingram Micro

Ingram Micro, Inc. is a Fortune 100 company and the world’s largest information technology distributor, providing sales, marketing and logistics services for the IT industry in all corners of the globe.-Overview:...

, The Orange County Register
The Orange County Register
The Orange County Register is a daily newspaper published in Santa Ana, California. The Register is the flagship publication of Freedom Communications, Inc., which publishes 28 daily newspapers, 23 weekly newspapers, Coast magazine, and several related Internet sites.The Register is notable for its...

, Powerwave Technologies

Powerwave Technologies

Powerwave Technologies, Inc. is a global telecommunications corporation, with solutions designed to amplify coverage, capacity and data speed in wireless communications networks. Powerwave supports the ability to access wireless services worldwide by providing wireless infrastructure such as...

, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, STEC

STEC, Inc.

STEC, Inc. is a multinational company and a leader in enterprise solid-state drive .The company is headquartered in Santa Ana, California...

, TTM Technologies, and Wahoo's Fish Taco

Wahoo's Fish Taco

Wahoo's Fish Taco is a restaurant chain that offers Mexican food mixed with Brazilian and Asian flavors. Categorized as a "fast casual restaurant", the quality and preparation time of its food is between that of a fast-food restaurant and a more formal restaurant.-History:Wahoo's was founded in...

. It also houses major regional headquarters for the Xerox

Xerox

Xerox Corporation is an American multinational document management corporation that produced and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies...

corporation, Ultimate Software and T-Mobile

T-Mobile

T-Mobile International AG is a German-based holding company for Deutsche Telekom AG's various mobile communications subsidiaries outside Germany. Based in Bonn, Germany, its subsidiaries operate GSM and UMTS-based cellular networks in Europe, the United States, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...

.

One of Santa Ana's most notable businesses is the Rickenbacker

Rickenbacker

Rickenbacker International Corporation, also known as Rickenbacker, is an electric and bass guitar manufacturer based in Santa Ana, California...

musical instrument company, whose electric guitar

Electric guitar

An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...

s and bass guitar

Bass guitar

The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

s earned fame in the hands of many rock and roll

Rock and roll

Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...

legends.

Then Glenn L. Martin Company

Glenn L. Martin Company

, a precursor to Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin

, was founded in Santa Ana in 1912 before merging with the Wright Company

Wright Company

in 1916.

In recent years, the nearby city of Irvine

Irvine, California

has outpaced Santa Ana in commercial growth, with the Irvine Business District located near John Wayne Airport. To compete with this, Santa Ana has approved commercial projects in the South Coast Metro

South Coast Metro

area, as well as the "Metro East" development, located at the confluence of the Santa Ana Freeway

Interstate 5

Interstate 5 is the main Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific Ocean coastline from Canada to Mexico . It serves some of the largest cities on the U.S...

and the Costa Mesa Freeway

California State Route 55

State Route 55 is an 18-mile long north–south highway in the U.S. state of California. The portion of the route built to freeway standards is known as the Costa Mesa Freeway...

.

The Historic South Main Business District contains many older retail shops and other small businesses. It extends from downtown Santa Ana southwards on Main Street to the South Coast Metro area.

Top employers

According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

#	Employer	# of employees
1	Orange County Orange County, California Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...	15,390
2	Ingram Micro Ingram Micro Ingram Micro, Inc. is a Fortune 100 company and the world’s largest information technology distributor, providing sales, marketing and logistics services for the IT industry in all corners of the globe.-Overview:...	4,000
3	Rancho Santiago Community College District Rancho Santiago Community College District The Rancho Santiago Community College District , one of four community college districts located in Orange County, California, offers associate degrees and adult education certificates through its two colleges: Santa Ana College in Santa Ana and Santiago Canyon College in Orange.The RSCCD serves...	2,300
4	United States Postal Service United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...	2,000
5	Tenet Healthcare Tenet Healthcare Tenet Healthcare Corporation, an investor-owned health-care delivery systems company based in Dallas, Texas. THC owns and operates 49 acute-care hospitals in 11 states and 90 outpatient centers in 12 states, with a majority of these hospitals in California, Florida and Texas...	1,500
6	Freedom Communications Freedom Communications Freedom Communications, Inc. is a media conglomerate in the United States. It owns approximately 100 daily and weekly newspapers in the US, with a combined daily circulation of nearly one million subscribers, and also operates over seventy local news websites...	900
7	First American First American Corporation First American Financial Corporation is a United States financial services company and is a leading provider of title insurance and settlement services to the real estate and mortgage industries....	900
7	Corinthian Colleges	858
9	California Department of Mental Health California Health and Human Services Agency The California Health and Human Services Agency is the state agency tasked with administration and oversight of "state and federal programs for health care, social services, public assistance and rehabilitation" in the U.S. state of California. The agency is headed by the Secretary of the...	800
10	United Building Services	800

Transportation

A few freeways run through Santa Ana, connecting the city to other areas in Orange County, the Greater Los Angeles Area

Greater Los Angeles Area

The Greater Los Angeles Area, or the Southland, is a term used for the Combined Statistical Area sprawled over five counties in the southern part of California, namely Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County and Ventura County...

, and beyond. The Santa Ana Freeway

Santa Ana Freeway

(Interstate 5

Interstate 5

) heads north to Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

, and south towards Southern Orange County and San Diego. The Garden Grove Freeway (State Route 22)

California State Route 22

State Route 22 in the U.S. state of California is an east–west highway in southern Los Angeles County and northern Orange County. It runs between Long Beach and Orange by way of Garden Grove. The westernmost part of it is a surface street, Long Beach's 7th Street. From Long Beach to its...

runs along near Santa Ana's northern border, connecting Long Beach

Long Beach, California

Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...

to the west and the City of Orange

Orange, California

to the east. The Costa Mesa Freeway (State Route 55)

California State Route 55

State Route 55 is an 18-mile long north–south highway in the U.S. state of California. The portion of the route built to freeway standards is known as the Costa Mesa Freeway...

travels south to Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa, California

; and then north to the Riverside Freeway (State Route 91)

California State Route 91

State Route 91 is a major east–west freeway located entirely within Southern California and serving several regions of the Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area...

, providing a connection to Riverside

Riverside, California

Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...

.

Amtrak

Amtrak

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...

, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Santa Ana several times on weekdays with less frequent service on weekends. It operates its Pacific Surfliner

Pacific Surfliner

The Pacific Surfliner is a Amtrak regional passenger train route serving communities on the coast of Southern California between San Diego and San Luis Obispo....

between San Diego

San Diego, California

San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...

to the south and either Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...

or Paso Robles

Paso Robles, California

Paso Robles is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Paso Robles is the fastest growing city in San Luis Obispo County: Its population at the 2000 census was 24,297; in 2010 it recorded some 29,793 residentsLocated on the Salinas River north of San Luis Obispo, California,...

to the north (see Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center

Santa Ana (Amtrak station)

Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center is a passenger rail station and transportation center in Santa Ana, California. It is used by Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner and Metrolink's Orange County Line and Inland Empire-Orange County Line trains...

). Greyhound USA is the largest bus transportation service in Santa Ana. Greyhound serves the continental United States and Canada. The bus lines Crucero, Intercalifornias, and others serve all points into Mexico.

Santa Ana is also served by Metrolink's

Metrolink (Southern California)

Metrolink is a commuter rail system serving Los Angeles and the surrounding area of Southern California; it currently consists of six lines and 55 stations using of track....

Orange County Line

Metrolink Orange County Line

The Orange County Line is a commuter rail line run by Metrolink from Los Angeles through Orange County to Oceanside in San Diego County, connecting with the Coaster commuter rail service to San Diego...

(Oceanside

Oceanside, California

-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Oceanside had a population of 167,086. The population density was 3,961.8 people per square mile...

to Union Station

Union Station (Los Angeles)

Los Angeles Union Station is the main railway station in Los Angeles, California. The station has rail services by Amtrak and Amtrak California and Metrolink; light rail/subways are the Metro Rail Red Line, Purple Line, Gold Line. Bus rapid transport runs on the Silver Line...

), and Inland Empire-Orange County Line

Metrolink Inland Empire-Orange County Line

The Inland Empire–Orange County Line is a commuter rail line run by Metrolink in Southern California. It runs from San Bernardino through Orange County to Oceanside in northern San Diego County....

(San Bernardino

San Bernardino, California

San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...

to San Juan Capistrano

San Juan Capistrano, California

San Juan Capistrano is a city in southern Orange County, California, located approximately southeast of Downtown Santa Ana. The current OMB metropolitan designation for San Juan Capistrano and the Orange County Area is “Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA.” The population was 34,593 at the 2010 census,...

).

Santa Ana is in the preliminary stages of implementing a street car system that will connect the Santa Ana Train station to Downtown Santa Ana.

Public transit bus service is available via the Orange County Transportation Authority

Orange County Transportation Authority

The Orange County Transportation Authority is the public sector transportation planning body and mass transit service provider for Orange County, California. Its ancestor agencies include not only the prior Orange County Transit District but also such diverse entities as the Pacific Electric...

(OCTA).

John Wayne Airport

John Wayne Airport

John Wayne Airport is an airport in an unincorporated area in Orange County, California, with its mailing address in the city of Santa Ana, which is also the county seat, hence the International Air Transport Association airport code. The main entrance to the airport is off of MacArthur Blvd in...

is located at 18601 Airport Way Santa Ana, CA 92707. The IATA code for the airport is SNA.

Sports

Santa Ana is home to some of the most successful sports high school and collegiate sports teams in the nation. Mater Dei High School

Mater Dei High School (Santa Ana, California)

Mater Dei High School is a private, Catholic, co-educational secondary school in Santa Ana, California. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. With an enrollment of 2,100 students Mater Dei High School is one of the largest Catholic high schools in the United States...

has one of the most successful and reputable American football programs in the country. The Dons of Santa Ana College

Santa Ana College

are one of the most successful soccer teams in the state of California, and is a frequent top finisher, statewide. In 2008 the Dons clinched their fifteenth consecutive Orange Empire Conference title. The college is also known for its historically successful baseball teams.

Recreation and attractions

Santa Ana has a number of parks that provide an improved quality of life for the residents. Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm amusement parks are located northeast of Santa Ana, several kilometers away. Beaches are located around 20 minutes to the south, accessible by the 55 freeway. Huntington Beach and Newport Beach as well as other coastal communities offer world-class shopping, dining, boating, swimming and surfing opportunities.

Sites of interest

Artist Village and Civic Center (See Downtown Santa Ana Historic Districts
Downtown Santa Ana Historic Districts
The Downtown Santa Ana Historic Districts is a combination of local historic districts that was listed as one in the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. It is a area...

).
Bowers Museum
Bowers Museum
The Bowers Museum is located in Santa Ana, California, in Orange County. The museum offers exhibitions, lectures, art classes, travel programs, children’s art and music education programs, and other community events...

- History museum started in the 1930s with a large collection of Central American artifacts.
Heritage Museum of Orange County (formerly Centennial Heritage Museum) - home of the Kellogg House and other 1890s buildings
CSUF Grand Central Art Center
CSUF Grand Central Art Center
California State University, Fullerton Grand Central Art Center is a partnership between the university and the city of Santa Ana. Based in the Downtown National Register District or Artists village it is dedicated to the investigation and promotion of contemporary art and visual culture:...

- At the heart of the Artist Village in Santa Ana.
Delhi Park
Delhi Park
Delhi Park is located in the Delhi Neighborhood. It has one of Santa Ana's newest community centers. This area is mentioned in Victor Villaseñor's novel, Rain of Gold...

and El Salvador Park (Artesia Pilar Neighborhood)
El Salvador Park (Artesia Pilar Neighborhood)
El Salvador Park is located in the Artesia Pilar Neighborhood, in Orange County, California. It is an old Santa Ana, California neighborhood and is characterized by its ethnic makeup. This is one of the oldest "barrios", or "colonias" in the city much like the Logan, Delhi, and Santa Anita...
Discovery Science Center
Discovery Science Center
The Discovery Science Center, formerly known as the Taco Bell Discovery Science Center, is a science museum in Santa Ana, California, with more than 100 hands-on science exhibits designed to spark children's natural curiosity...

.
Downtown National Register District
Downtown National Register District
The Historic Downtown District in Santa Ana, California is roughly bounded by Ross to French streets and First to Civic Center streets.This district is characterized by a number of buildings in the Art Deco style as well as three old movie houses . Orange County's first Courthouse is also located...

.
Downtown Santa Ana Historic Districts
Downtown Santa Ana Historic Districts
The Downtown Santa Ana Historic Districts is a combination of local historic districts that was listed as one in the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. It is a area...

.
Dr. Willella Howe-Waffle House and Medical Museum.
El Centro Cultural de México
El Centro Cultural de Mexico
El Centro Cultural de Mexico is an alternative space in Santa Ana, Orange County, California, where the community can find cultural, educational, and artistic activities that strengthen their identities, develop their talents and develop a sense of leadership in their community.-Mission:By...

.
Galaxy Theatre.
Historic Floral Park.
Historic French Park.
Main Place Mall opened in 1987.
OC Pavilion performing arts center and 5-star restaurant Ambrosia.
Old Orange County Courthouse
Old Orange County Courthouse (California)
The Old Orange County Courthouse, at one point also known as the Santa Ana County Courthouse, is a Romanesque Revival building that was opened in September 1901 and is located in Santa Ana's Historic Downtown District on Civic Center and Broadway streets. The Old Orange County Courthouse is...

.
Santa Ana Civic Center
Santa Ana Civic Center
The Civic Center in Santa Ana is Orange County, California's main center of government. The city of Santa Ana became the county seat of government in 1889 and continues to be the seat of government to this day...

.
Santa Ana College
Santa Ana College
Santa Ana College is a community college located in Santa Ana, California, USA.-History:In 1915, Santa Ana Junior College opened its doors to 25 students as a department of Santa Ana High School. It was the second community college founded in Orange County, behind Fullerton College, and the fourth...

, part of the Rancho Santiago Community College District
Rancho Santiago Community College District
The Rancho Santiago Community College District , one of four community college districts located in Orange County, California, offers associate degrees and adult education certificates through its two colleges: Santa Ana College in Santa Ana and Santiago Canyon College in Orange.The RSCCD serves...

.
Santa Ana Fire Department's Firefighter's Museum.
Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society.
Santa Ana Zoo
Santa Ana Zoo
The Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park in Santa Ana, California is a zoo focusing on the animals and plants of Central and South America. The Santa Ana Zoo hosts more than 270,000 people annually. The zoo opened in 1952 and is owned and operated by the City of Santa Ana...

, built in 1960.
Santiago Art District.
St. Joseph Catholic Church, established in 1887, renovated in the late 1980s.
Sol Art Gallery Cafe.

Greenville, a formerly rural section of Santa Ana, has buildings over a century old, but industrial complexes have replaced the agricultural fields that once surrounded the town.

Santa Ana has several wall paintings and murals depicting local history, community events and cultural diversity in Orange County.

Notable locations

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

History

Geography

Cityscape

Climate

Education

Demographics

2010

2007

2000

Politics

Economy

Top employers

Transportation

Sports

Recreation and attractions

Sites of interest

Notable locations

See also

External links