Irvine’s post office opened in 1914, and 3 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 19% of U.S. towns · #506 of 847 in California. What drives it
Most of Irvine was built recently: 0.6% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 2002. Its Register listings are the Frances Packing House, the Irvine Bean and Growers Association Building and the Irvine Blacksmith Shop. Below: 8 old photos and papers, maps from 1896 on, and the census since 1970.
The Irvine post office opened in 1914, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1971. Another post office, Myford (1899), opened inside today’s city and later closed.
First census: 7,381 in 19702020 census: 307,670112 years
How did Irvine get its name?
Irvine was named in 1888 for the landowner James Irvine.
How historic is Irvine?
C−
More historic than 19% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Irvine is more historic than 19% of U.S. towns, #506 of 847 in California. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Irvine’s overall grade.
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Irvine ranks #348 on History.
Few California towns list much on the Register (a typical California town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Irvine’s 0.1 sits near the middle of its state (63% of California towns have fewer) while its 3 listings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.
Newer cities are common at Irvine’s size: in the typical U.S. city of 100,000 or more, 5% of homes predate 1940.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D− to C. The pre-1940 share (±0.2 points) is firm at this size. The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date; Wikidata gives 1971.
Founding year: the first post office (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Irvine’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The Kizh (Tongva) people (also known as Gabrieleño) inhabited the Irvine area for thousands of years prior to European contact. In the present, the city and the schools within are taking action to educate the community about the indigenous history. In 2024 there was a proposal to create a village based on Putuidem Village located in San Juan Capistrano. UCI set a Land Acknowledgement to inform the history of the land their campus is based on as well as many other immigrant groups that had also lived on that land.
Gaspar de Portolá, a Spanish explorer, came to the area in 1769, which led to the establishment of forts, missions and cattle herds. The King of Spain parceled out land for missions and private use.
Passages that mention Irvine, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Orange County, California1921 · page 589Read the page →
Read the text
In October, 1914, Joseph R. Jahraus organized the Laguna Beach Lumber Company, being president of the same, and except for the period of his overseas service he has served continuously as manager of the business. Their shipping station is at Irvine, on the Santa Fe Railroad, and all lumber is hauled by truck to Laguna Beach. The company is enjoying the heaviest business in its history, and this bids fair to increase greatly with the continued growth of Laguna Beach.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Orange County, California1921 · page 1658Read the page →
Read the text
In additidii to the 320-acre ranch north of Irvine on which Mr. Jerome makes his home, the brothers operate 800 acres of the Whiting ranch and the tract of 200 acres south of Irvine whicli their sister, M. Louise, holds under lease. They also are the owners of 200 acres, all under cultivation, 160 acres lying in the Imperial Valley and forty acres near Tustin. Formerly they devoted the greater part of their holdings to hay and grain, but of late years they have specialized in lima beans, and in this they are most successful, producing up to twenty sacks an acre on some of their land.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Irvine, 1895 to 2000
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
The Irvine post office opened in 1914, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1971.
How does Irvine rank for history?
Irvine is more historic than 19% of U.S. towns, #506 of 847 in California. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Irvine?
Three places: the Frances Packing House (listed 1977), the Irvine Bean and Growers Association Building (1986) and the Irvine Blacksmith Shop (1986).
How old are the homes in Irvine?
0.6% of Irvine’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 2002.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (4), the Library of Congress (17), Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
Date?
Date?
Date?
Date?
Date?
Date?
Date?
Date?
2026
2026
2025
2024
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012