A total of 25 owners of historic homes were recently honored by City Council and presented a commemorative plaque for their participation in the City's Mills Act program.

The Anaheim Historic Colony District, established in October 1997, is a 2.127 square mile area bounded by North, South, West and East streets - the original boundaries of the Colony settled by German winemakers in 1857. A survey indicated that 1,100 historic properties exist in the Colony. Architectural styles range from Victorian, Spanish, Dutch Colonial and Tudor Revival.

In order to encourage preservation of these homes/buildings, the City Council created a local Mills Act Program in December 2000. The Mills Act refers to a state law that allows for a property tax reduction for qualifying historic properties, including properties on the National Register, or those that have a state or local historic designation.

Under the local program any of these 1,100 structures are eligible, however they must apply to the City and meet certain criteria including, maintaining the historic integrity of the structure in accordance with the Federal Department of Interior Standards for Historic Preservation.

During the City's first program year, 25 structures were approved for Mills Act designation. Each designee received a bronze plaque recognizing them for their contribution to Anaheim Historical Preservation as well as a Mills Act Certificate of Distinction by the City. The plaque features the name and address of their property, as well as the year it was built, and is intended for placement on the structure.

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Art in Public Places Features Virtual Tour

Visitors to the City of Anaheim's official web site will have the opportunity to enjoy a virtual tour of the public art program located in Downtown Anaheim, as well as some local architectural gems - the former Carnegie Library which houses the Anaheim Museum, and the Disney ICE rink designed by world renown architect, Frank Gehry. The Art in Public Places in Downtown Anaheim was developed to commemorate some of the City's history and integrate the human element into the physical environment of building, streets, and landscaping. Notable artists Lloyd Hamrol, Daniel Martinez, Nobuho "Nobi" Nagasawa, Millard C. Sheets, Buster Simpson, and Richard Turner have been instrumental in designing pieces specifically paying homage to Anaheim's past and present. Center Street Promenade is home to most of the art, with other features located within walking distance. In all, a total of 21 art works, and two notable structures are showcased. We invite you to take the tour by visiting Anaheim.net Art's in Public Places site by clicking here.

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