Transforming the Irvine Ranch: Joan Irvine, William Pereira, Ray Watson, and the Big Plan

by H. Pike Oliver, C. Michael Stockstill

From citrus trees to spring breakers, Transforming the Irvine Ranch tells the story of Orange County’s metamorphosis from 93,000 acres of farmland into an iconic Southern California landscape of beaches and modernist architecture. Drawing on decades of archival research and their own years at the famed Irvine Company, the authors bring a collection of colorful characters responsible for the transformation to life,

Ray Watson, whose nearly century-long life took him from an Oakland boarding house to the Irvine and Walt Disney Company boardrooms Joan Irvine Smith, a much-married heiress who waged war against the US government and the Irvine Foundation's reactionary board and won William Pereira, the visionary architect whose work became synonymous with the LA cityscape. Spanning the history of modern California from its Gold Rush past to the late 1970s, Transforming the Irvine Ranch chronicles a storied family’s largely successful attempts to remake the vast Irvine Ranch in its own image.

338 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 24, 2022

Reviews

[Aishee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an interesting and thought provoking read! As I get ready to leave Irvine, it was satisfying to read such a thorough account of the history of Irvine that did not shy away from the dense and unfavorable details - from exclusionary and antisemitic policies to water usage and tax reform all the way down to the fun tidbits of Ray Watson stealing Fritos from his colleagues. I loved the various deep dives into personalities and anecdotes which kept this book moving without feeling so bogged down by facts.

On a personal note, in learning about the planning of University Park and Woodbridge, I realized how grateful I am for how child friendly and pedestrian oriented the greenbelts, bridges, and walkways were built. As a kid who wasn’t allowed to do much other than walk or bike around alone - I didn’t realize how much I took my pedestrian safety for granted until I first moved away for college. Reading that these parts of Irvine were planned meticulously to make sure children could run free and play without parents having to worry about errant cars and other dangers made me feel very grateful and a little teary. The various greenbelts of University Park, Turtle Rock, and Woodbridge have kept me company for so many years and I feel comforted knowing that this was always their intention. There is so much power in imagining better ways of life and it is gratifying to see it accomplished.

[Ron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be a MUST READ for anyone living in Irvine or Newport Beach if they have any curiosity about how their home and neighborhood came to be. It takes a lot of talent to document what could be a very dull story. Oliver & Stockstill did it by focusing on the personalities of the key players in the BIG PLAN.. Ray Watson, Bill Pereira & Joan Irvine. Plus a lot of research. I remember a lot of the history, but I learned a lot more by reading this. Bottom line: It is not easy to design and buid a new community from scratch.

Best quote:
“We have to dream, or we won’t survive. We have to come up with boldly different concepts for a boldly different future, or we won’t have a future to enjoy”…… Bill Pereira