Heninger Park is named for Martin Heninger. He and his brother purchased the land and they planned, improved, and developed
the neighborhood. Over the years Martin Heninger and his wife Mary raised their family, lived in three houses on three
different streets, and spent the rest of their lives in Heninger Park.
Martin R. Heninger was born on November 29, 1851, in Monroe County, Missouri. His parents were Eliza J. (Stalcup) and William
W. Heninger. Martin grew up on a farm. When he was seventeen years old his father died. Martin left school to assist in
caring for his mother and his seven brothers aDd sisters. He remained on the farm until 1882.
On July 9, 1882, Martin Heninger married Mary A. Way. He and his bride moved to Dakota Territory, now South Dakota. He worked
in the retail lumber business in Ordway. After a year they moved to Wesport where he spent the next twenty years. Mr.
Heninger became one of the town's most successful businessmen. He worked in the banking exchange business and owned a
450-acre farm. He later sold his farm and moved to Aberdeen where he bought a third interest in the Aberdeen Electric Light
and Gas Company. He lived in Aberdeen until 1906.
Mr. Heninger's father had been a Republican and Union man during the Civil War. Like his father, Martin Heninger also had an
allegiance to the Republican Party. During the years of Mr. Heninger's residence in South Dakota he was very prominent in
Republican politics and in the public life of the State. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention held at Sioux Falls
where he participated in the admission of South Dakota to statehood in 1889. He was elected clerk of Brown County in 1895 and
served as clerk for two years. He was '8 Mason and affiliated with both the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Modern
Woodmen of America. Eventually he sold his holdings in the Aberdeen Electric Light and Gas Company, left South Dakota, and
moved to Santa Ana, California.
Martin Heninger arrived in Santa Ana, California, on May 15, 1906. His brother H. B. Heninger had been in SantaAna since
1903. In 1907 the brothers bought thirty-four acres of land from the Noah Palmer Ranch. This land was to become Heninger
Park. When they purchased the property it was a barley field. Later they purchased additional land, a tract of ten acres and
a tract of eighteen acres. These properties are known as the Heninger Additions. They improved the property by planting
trees, putting in sidewalks and curbs, and paving streets. They sold lots and built beautiful homes for their clients. Over a
period of twelve years they had built 150 homes and by the end of the 1920s had developed most of the lots.
The first Martin Heninger family home was on South Broadway and has been torn down. The second Heninger family home is
located at 602 South Birch. This large, two-story Colonial Revival style house with a wraparound porch and a sweeping front
lawn was built on two lots.
This was Martin and Mary's dream home. They lived here wah their three daughters: Nora, Mabel, and Mildred.
The third Heninger family hQme is located at 714 South Ross. Martin Heninger lived here until his death on April 1, 1922. He
is buried in Fairhaven Memorial Park; his gravesite and marker can be found at Lawn K, Lot 60.
In 1922 Heninger Park was known as the finest residential neighborhood in the City. During Martin Heninger's lifetime in
Santa Ana, no one had been more instrumental in the development of the southern section of the City. In recent years the
Heninger Village Retirement Apartments and Martin R. Heninger Elementary School have been built and were named his honor.
