The following discussion of the Gimeno family was provided to the FCA by Toby B= rown [tobybrown@hughes.net]. Harold Gimeno was one of the founders of FCA as discussed below.

My great-u= ncle, Leo Considine (a lawyer in Orange County) was a brother-in-law to Harold Gimeno. The Gimenos were a ve= ry talented family. Harold's fat= her, Patricio Gimeno was born in Peru to a Spanish father and an Italian mother. His mother, Margaret Gimeno, was from Northern Ireland. His father was a professor of Spanish at OU, in Norman, Oklahoma and= was also a talented portrait and landscape artist. I hope you are still interested in a biographical sketch of Harold. Cut and paste what you need:

Harold Gimeno by Mary Ann Sachse= Brown

Son of Patricio and Margaret McGready Gimeno, Harold was born in November 26, 1896= in New York City. Taught at home= as a youngster by his father, he continued on at the University of Oklahoma, receiving a BA in Mathematics in 1917.&nbs= p; When listed on the “Chalmette” ship’s manifest, arriving 29 April 1918, from Havana, Cuba to New Orleans, Harold is noted a= s a teacher and his mother as a “Lady”. They had left the U.S. in January = 1918 from Norman, Oklahoma. Then, = when Harold registered for the World War I draft on June 2, 1918, his address was noted as Second Story Federal Building in El Paso, Texas, where he was empl= oyed by the Censorship Committee of the U.S. Government. In 1921 Harold earned a bachelor o= f arts degree at the University of Oklahoma, then entered Harvard Graduate School = of Architecture completing a four year course of study, with one year under a scholarship, and graduating in June, 1924.= In the 1922-1923 term, his father, Patricio, took a sabbatical leave= of absence from OU and entered the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Science= s as a resident student. The Gimenos at that time resided at 36 Trowbridge Stree= t in

Boston. = ; = = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp;

Upon graduation, Harold returned to Norman to begin his practice and was considered one of Oklahoma’s first significant architects. In both the 1920 and the 1930 cens= us lists, Harold was residing with his parents, Patricio and Margaret Gimeno.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> In 1920 the residence was 814 Monn= ett Avenue in Norman, and in 1930, at 800 Elm, the home Harold had designed and built. It is now listed on the National registry of historic properties as are several other buildings of = his design. An application = for the registry, indicated that … Gimeno seemed to prefer working with the vocabulary of the Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival style, and the quality, the significance of many of his commissions, and the volume of his work helped to popularize the style in central Oklahoma. Gimeno is perhaps t= he most well-known architect in Norman during the first half of the twentieth century.

In 1927, Harold was als= o an Assistant Professor of Architectural Engineering, on a part time basis at t= he University of Oklahoma. He re= ceived $150 per month for a 9 month term.<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp;

The home Harold built f= or his parents in 1927 at 800 Elm is located near the OU campus. It is an excellent example of the Spanish Colonial Revival style. The characteristics of this style were borro= wed from the entire history of Spanish architecture and included clay tile roof= s; doors which were emphasized with columns, pilasters, carved stonework, or pattern tiles; extensive gardens; balconies; and decorative window grilles.= The most distinguishing feature is the smooth exterior finish, generally stucco= . According to the application for inclusion on the national historic registry, Harold designed the house and oversaw its construction. Pat= ricio took an active role in many design elements of the home by hand painting the trim moldings, lighting fixtures and drapery rods throughout the home.

The Gi= meno family resided here until June 1936, when they moved to Oklahoma City. Dr. Maurice & Orpha Merrill then owned the home = until 1989 when it was sold to the present owner, St. Anselm of Canterbury, the Episcopal Church. The Spanish Colonial Revival home Harold designed for his parents at 800 Elm was the on= ly known residence in Norman to incorporate the paintings of his father, Patricio. Harold = was also attributed with the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity House in Norman, done in = the Italian Renaissance Revival style as well as with designing the entrance ga= tes at the University of Oklahoma, in addition to numerous other homes and buildings in the area. The Norman Transcript carried an article devoted to the opening of Gimeno’s Sooner Theater in 1929 with the headline, “Houses by Gimeno Have Total Value of Over $1,000,000”. It noted that…the majority of (h= is) buildings were constructed in central Oklahoma…. some of his well-kno= wn works include the Faculty Club Building on the University of Oklahoma campu= s, the old St. Thomas More Church in Norman, and the Holy Name Catholic Church= in Chickasha, Oklahoma (which marked one of Gimeno’s largest commissions). In addition to these he designed a number of private residences in Norman and Oklahoma City, all within a five-year period. Moreover, he designed buildings in California and New Mexico, mostly within the Spanish idiom. &= nbsp;

While the Gimeno house was the only= home to feature the artwork of Patricio Gimeno, the Sooner Theatre in Norman wou= ld be the only non-residential structure to also feature his work. The Sooner Theater opened for the = first time in 1929 as the first movie theater built to show “talking pictures.” This $150,000 structure was built by Harold, sparing no expense and boasted many unique features. Mosaic tile and Ita= lian marble from Valencia, Spain were imported for the project. Features included a special ladies’ lounge on the mezzanine level, a soundproof cry-room for babi= es, refrigerated air, cooled water fountains, and seating for 1200. The new theater was billed as one = of the finest in Oklahoma upon its opening on February 10. The 1929 Sooner Magazine included = the description …the Sooner, is in Spanish architecture, of yellow bricks, trimmed with white limestone and tile. The inner walls are als= o of brick and tile, bronzed and trimmed with wood carvings and cabinet work. The vaulted and beautifully decora= ted ceiling of the auditorium is doubly attractive because of its massive stain= ed wooden beams and the hand painted decorations. = = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = The side walls of the (auditorium) have tall, graceful arches, which give the appearance of huge windows, but are in reality blue backgrounds with soft lighting effects. In the archways and the beautiful stained glass windows will be hung draperies of velour, damask, and silver = and gold cloths. Jeweled material= s and Spanish shawls and banners will be hung from the walls and balconies…= .The stage is large enough to accommodate any road show and they fly loft is high enough to permit the scenery to be taken up straight instead of being rolled up. Under the stage are the dressing rooms. &nbs= p; The unusual chandeliers which are of antique and vari-colored opalescent glass, were designed by Gimeno. =

In historical accounts for the Sooner, large newspaper ads announced the grand opening of the theater. Stori= es detailed the luxury, comfort and latest technology. Harold Gimeno was quoted to say, “The new Sooner theater contains the most costly material of any thea= ter in Oklahoma. It is one of the finest show houses between Kansas City and San Antonio.” Through the years Harold Gimeno wo= uld retain ownership of the theater. In 1974 the theater was shut down and left in nearly a dilapidated condition.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> In 1976 application was made for inclusion on the National Registry of Historic Places, in an effort to save it. At that time Harold resid= ed at 1400 N. Sycamore, Santa Ana, California.&n= bsp; The property was then purchased for $75,000 with Norman Community Development Block Grant funds and a contribution by Video Independent Theat= ers in November 1977. After a gre= at amount of volunteer effort, enough restoration was made to reopen the struc= ture as a community theater in 1982, with ongoing efforts for its sustainability. &= nbsp;

&= nbsp;

Anotherbuilding designe= d by Harold and which is also included on that National HistoricRegistry is the Smith&Kernke Funeral Home at 1401 NW 23^rdSt.in Oklahoma City= .It is an exampleof the Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival style.Their application for the registry notedthat Harold’s design was…a singular work due to its cleararchitectural expression and organization, its restrained but effective use ofdetail. . . .The building = has been continuously used as a funeral home under thesame name since it was constructed in 1939 and maintained in excellentcondition.Harold was describedas an extremely successful “renaissance man”.

Rita Considine Tutt rec= alled that Harold would design and build homes inthe Oklahoma City area; she and her parents (Margarita&Leo Considine)would live in them, adding the final touches that make a home;and then Harold would sell them.They did this seve= ral times untiljoining Harold in California.

Harold= married Ruth Rena (Jackie) Lytal, an Oklahoma native and daughter of Henry&Rena Meyers Rucker Lytal.They hadno children and moved to California around 1945.Returning from a trip to England inAugust 1951 to Quebec, Canada, Haro= ld is listed with wife Ruth, (both residingat 1600 Laguna Road, Tustin, California) along with his sister Margarita and herdaughter Rita with the address of 18331 E. Chapman Ave. in Orange,California.Another trip occurred= in 1954, with arrival back in the U.S. in New York.

The buildings designed = by Harold were as great if not greater in numberin California as in Oklahoma. Chris Jepsen, Assistant Archivist at the OrangeCounty Archives in California provided a long list of buildings designed byHarold, including a few statis= tics of Harold’s life in California:“HaroldGimeno was a prominent Orange County architect. At various tim= es he had hisoffices in Orange and Santa Ana. He attended the University of Oklahoma and theHarvard School of Architecture.Hedoes not appear in the 1941 Orange County directory, which would have gone topress at the end of 1940.In1945, he designed St. Timothy's Catholic Church, at the northwest co= rner of 3D"http://www.sttimothyla.org/images/St.-Tims-BW-copy.gif" PicoandBeverlyGlen Blvds in Los Angeles.=

“In1947, he designed St. Joseph's Catholi= c Church at727 Minter St., SantaAna. It is nowlisted on the National Register of Historic Places.[Celebrating their 120^thanniversary as a congregation in 2007, itwas noted that“The celebration comes asthe parish relishes the beauty of its old-fashioned chu= rch, with a narrow aisleand wooden pews—and bemoans its worn condition.The 1947 building, a popular spot forweddings, has a leaky roof, tattered carpet and squeaky kneelers that pastorshope to repair during the coming year.The = Rev. Michael St. Paul, parochial vicar at St. Joseph, recalls thefirst time he entered the building a few years ago.Sunlight poured through the stainedgla= ss, bringing color inside.‘WhenI walked into the church, my mouth dropped open like a codfish,’ St. Paul said,‘because it’s just wh= at you think a church ought to look like.’”]

̶= 0;In1947, Harold Gimeno and his wife, Ruth, lived at 1600 Highway 101, in Tustin.(Hig= hway 101 ran along the same route as the modern I-5 "Santa Ana" Freewaythrough Tustin.) There was also a Mrs. Margaret Gimeno listed at the same Tustinaddress. Harold's office was at 14 Plaza Square in Orange. (Nice place for anoffice!) Mrs. Gimeno was a member of the Panhellenic Society of SouthernCalifornia. Mr. Gimeno was a member of the Harvard Club of OrangeCounty.

̶= 0;Hedesigned the YWCA/YMCA building on N. Grand St. in the City of Orange, which wasdedicated in Feb. 1949.

̶= 0;In1950, he designed the Santa Ana-Tustin YWCA complex on 15th St., betweenBroadway = and Sycamore, in Santa Ana.

̶= 0;Hedesigned Mildred Morrow Elementary School in Tustin, which opened in1951.

̶= 0;In1952, he designed the Santiago School in Santa Ana and also got the contract to‘modernize’ the 1920s YMCA building in Santa Ana. That same y= ear, he became theSenior Board Member of the Orange County Architects Associatio= n.

̶= 0;In1953 he designed additions to the Lutheran Home for the Aged at 891 S. WalnutSt., Anaheim. Later he would provide plans for several expansions of thefacility= and itshospital.Hedesigned a four-classroom addition to Holy Family Catholic Sc= hool in Orange,which opened in 1953.

̶= 0;In1954, he remodeled the Orange Savings and Loan Association building at 14 PlazaSq= uare in the City of Orange. (Note that this is the same address as his officecir= ca 1947.)

In195= 4 he designed a school east of Grand Ave. and north of 17th St. in SantaAna.

̶= 0;In1955 he designed the new science building at Santa Ana College. (He would designanother science building for them in 1964.)He also began designing a newelementary school on Browning Ave. in Tustin and a junior high school ne= arBradford Ave. in Placentia.That same year also saw the opening of ConcordiaElementary School in San Clemente.

̶= 0;In1956 he was living at 18311 E. Chapman Ave. in the City of Orange. That year, hedesigned the La Jolla Elementary School in Placentia.

“Itseems that planning for the Santa Ana Library began in 1957, and that Gimenoworked in conjunction with consulting architects Keally&Patterson of NewYork. 1957 also saw the completion of= the Cook Gymnasium at Santa AnaCollege.

̶= 0;In1958, he designed Del Rio High School in Santa Ana. Newspaper reports from thatye= ar show that the Gimenos were involved in social activities at St. CeciliaCath= olic Church in Tustin.

̶= 0;In1959, he designed an elementary school on Plumosa Dr. in Yorba Linda and theBuena Park Municipal Pool at La Palma and Knott Aves. This year also marked thefi= rst occasion that the newspapers referred to the firm as Harold Gimeno&Associates rather than simply Harold Gimeno.

3D"1st “In1960 he designedTemple Beth Shalom inS= anta Ana, theTustin-Collinsbranch of the First National Bank of Orange,

̶= 0;In1961 his firm designedthe Bank of Santa Ana, new facilities for St.Cecilia's Catholic Church in Tustin, the First Congregational ChurchonSantiago St. in Santa Ana, and the Tierra Rica and Ladera Palma elementaryschools in La Hab= ra.

̶= 0;In1962, he was one of the leaders of the movement to keep the City of Tustin fromannexing the North Tustin area. That same year, he designed a major addition tothe Santa Ana Medical Arts Building on 17th St., between Lincoln= and Grand Ave.

̶= 0;In1963 he designed Heim and Lampson Schools in Orange, the new Orange CountyProbat= ion Department Building, and the expansion of Santa Ana Valley High Schoolin Sa= nta Ana.

̶= 0;In1964, he lived in the Hillsborough neighborhood near Tustin and was on the Boardof the Foothills Homeowners Association.

̶= 0;In1966 he designed four buildings for Selman Chevrolet in Orange.

̶= 0;In1967 he designed the La Habra City School District headquarters and the ElModena High School stadium in Orange.

̶= 0;In1974 he designed student apartment buildings for Chapman University in Orange.

̶= 0;Towardthe end of his life, he designed a dream home he called La Casa Gimeno. I'm not= sure where it was located.”

Asmentioned above, the Gimenos resided in Tustin, in The Foothills Community ofOrange County in wh= ich an Association was organized as a non-profit corporationin 1964 to protect = the interests of the residents. It was noted that JackieGimeno initiated a discussion about forming an association to prevent thedevelopment of a shop= ping center behind the model homes on the east side ofNewport Avenue at Hyde Park Road. One person from each region of theunincorporated area was recruited a= nd the FCA was incorporated. The shoppingcenter development was prevented. This was the first in the succession of manysuccessful initiatives to preserve t= he character of the community. Harold Gimenois listed as one of founders of th= is association.

Harold continued his ar= t and architectural designs until his death onJune 8, 1980.