Famous Buildings in Santa Ana, California: Historic Landmarks

Santa Ana, the Orange County seat, boasts a surprising collection of historic and architecturally significant buildings—many beautifully restored and still in active use.

1. Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center (Santa Ana Train Station)

• Built: 1914 (restored 1990s)
• Style: Mission Revival — red tile roof, arched arcades, bell tower
• Function: Amtrak (Pacific Surfliner), Metrolink (OC Line, IE-OC Line), Greyhound
• Bonus: Popular event/wedding venue; listed on National Register of Historic Places

2. Bowers Museum

• Opened: 1936 (expanded 2007)
• Focus: World cultures — Native American, Pacific, African, Asian, pre-Columbian art
• Highlights: Egyptian mummies, Chinese jade, California plein air paintings, Kidseum children's museum
• Grounds: Sculpture garden, mission-style courtyard

3. Yost Theater

• Built: 1912 (vaudeville → movie palace → church → restored 2000s)
• Style: Spanish Colonial Revival
• Now: Live music, comedy, film screenings, private events. 700-capacity.

4. Old Orange County Courthouse

• Built: 1901 (served as courthouse until 1961)
• Style: Beaux-Arts — granite, copper dome, grand staircase
• Now: Orange County History Center — exhibits, archives, research library
• Filming location: "Legally Blonde," "The Mentalist," "Dexter"

5. Fox Performing Arts Center (formerly Fox West Coast Theatre)

• Built: 1931
• Style: Spanish Colonial / Atmospheric (starry ceiling, courtyard walls)
• Restored: 2010 ($30M)
• Now: Broadway tours, concerts, comedy, speakers. 1,600 seats.

Honorable Mentions

• Hotel Casa del Mar (1926) — Luxury hotel, downtown anchor
• Willard Building (1923) — Early high-rise, terra cotta facade
• Spurgeon Building (1913) — First "skyscraper" (7 stories)
• Dr. Willella Howe-Waffle House (1889) — Queen Anne, home of OC's first female physician

Many cluster in Downtown Santa Ana Historic Districts — walkable, especially during monthly Art Walk (1st Saturday).