It was 1869 when William H. Spurgeon rode in on horseback, purchased 74.2 acres of land, built his town and named it Santa Ana. This year marks the 150-year anniversary of the founding of our City and I am proud to be a part of a community that holds a rich heritage deeply rooted in history.
The120 registered landmarks throughout Santa Ana are a testament to our legacy, such as the historic clock tower that crowns the Spurgeon building on 4th and Sycamore, the Old Orange County Courthouse which is now home to the Orange County History Center, and our historic Santa Ana Water Tower that was erected in 1928.
Standing 153 feet tall as the City’s welcome sign, our water tower is one of the most visible and iconic landmarks in Orange County. It not only serves as a symbol of our City, it plays an important role in our water distribution system with its storage capacity of 800,000 gallons of water that services the local surrounding neighborhoods.
It is also an important reminder of our award winning water. Santa Ana has earned recognition for its high quality, best tasting tap water among all other municipalities nationwide. And Santa Ana residents enjoy this valuable resource at a low cost…among the lowest in Orange County. These merits do not come easy. They require vigilant monitoring and setting stringent standards that exceed drinking water health standards required by state and federal agencies. They also require efficient management, ongoing infrastructure improvements, long term planning and a commitment to curb water rate increases and help keep water available and affordable for generations to come.
We have many reasons to be proud of our community. As City Manager, I am honored to join Mayor Pulido and the City Council in hosting Santa Ana’s sesquicentennial year. We will be celebrating with official City observances, activities and community events leading up to our 150-year anniversary on October 27, 2019. Please be sure to check the City’s website for a listing of the special events we have planned and join us in celebrating this important milestone in our history.
Kristine Ridge
City Manager
City of Santa Ana