Rankin Building

The Rankin Building is a three story, commercial structure in downtown Santa Ana. It was constructed in 1917 by Henry T. Rutherford under lease to pioneer merchant John H. Rankin and initially referred to as the Rutherford Building. The structure was the largest single dry goods establishment in the county and Orange County’s first instance of a modern department store. Designed by Elwing and Tedford of Santa Ana, it was characterized as “metropolitan in nature” and “the most beautiful in the entire county”. The building was rehabilitated in 1981-82; the present storefront design dates from that period. The Rankin Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places both individually and as a contributing structure of the Downtown Santa Ana Historic Districts.

Santa Ana, Orange County
Photographer: Andrew Schmidt