Located inland 10 miles north of Newport Bay. The Portolá expedition of 1769 camped near the river three or four miles east of the present town and Father Crespi named the area "Jesu? de los Temblores" because the party experienced four earthquakes in one day. The soldiers of the party called the river Santa Ana and their name stuck.

The inland city has no fish handling facilities other than a shed where abalone is processed and a couple of smoke houses. One large market in the city bought directly from fishermen and retailed fresh fish as well as their own processed smoked fish. Another dealer smoked fish and processed abalone. Also one or two fishermen living in the town peddled their own catches. This accounts for the poundage recorded as delivered to an inland town. Most of this fish actually was first landed at Newport Bay.

The annual poundage of fish credited to Santa Ana has varied from 10,000 pounds in 1950 to 45,000 pounds in 1946. The leading species in 1950 were rockfish, white seabass, sablefish, California halibut, abalone and lobster.