Irvine Valencia Growers.

Planning for the Irvine Valencia Growers (IVG) packing house in Orange County, California began as early as 1926. Ultimately, the contract for the project, including all plans and specification and supervision of construction, was awarded to F. S. Bishop. IVG reached an agreement with the A. T. & S. F. Railroad on April 29, 1929 to provide railroad access to the facility. The land was acquired from the Irvine Company on July 1, 1929. The main purpose of the packing house was to protect the fruit from injury and decay during its journey from the citrus groves to the consumer. Oranges were picked by hand and transported by truck to the packing house. At the packing house they were sorted, graded, washed, and waxed. The oranges were then systematically and carefully packed in cartons, stacked on pallets, and stored in the pre-cooler until loaded onto the trucks or railway freight cars that transported them to their final destinations. Citrus fruit became one of California's few export products and provided a significant economic base for the young state. The earliest California orange crops consisted of Navel oranges, which were harvested during the winter in Riverside County, and Valencia oranges, which ripened during the summer in Orange County. From its inception, the Irvine Valencia Growers was directed by men who were employed by the Irvine Ranch and/or close friends of the Irvine family. The Irvine Company acquired the packing house at some point, thus becoming the owner of its records. Over the years, several alterations were made to the Irvine Valencia Growers building complex, greatly changing its appearance from its original state and compromising its historical significance from an architectural standpoint. Although the packing house was recognized as a cultural resource, an environmental impact report in 2003 recommended demolition of the complex due to its fragile condition and the prohibitive cost of preserving it. The historic status of the packing house led to a Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) project in accordance with the guidelines set forth by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. The site upon which IVG once stood is now part of the Jeffrey Open Space Trail in Irvine; it is commemorated by a historical marker and a large mosaic.

From the description of Irvine Valencia Growers packing house records. 1923 - 2003 (University of California, Irvine). WorldCat record id: 643383910

Historical Background

Planning for the Irvine Valencia Growers (IVG) packing house in Orange County, California began as early as 1926. Initial plans, which were abandoned in 1928, included a joint facility with the Frances Citrus Association. Ultimately, the contract for the project, including all plans and specification and supervision of construction, was awarded to F. S. Bishop. IVG reached an agreement with the A. T. & S. F. Railroad on April 29, 1929 to provide railroad access to the facility. The land was acquired from the Irvine Company on July 1, 1929. The main purpose of the packing house was to protect the fruit from injury and decay during its journey from the citrus groves to the consumer. Oranges were picked by hand and transported by truck to the packing house. At the packing house they were sorted, graded, washed, and waxed. The oranges were then systematically and carefully packed in cartons, stacked on pallets, and stored in the pre-cooler until loaded onto the trucks or railway freight cars that transported them to their final destinations.

The first orange trees were planted in California in 1804 at the San Gabriel Mission, but the Californians did not send their product east in any significant quantity until 1877 after the opening of the transcontinental railroad. Citrus fruit soon became one of California's few export products and provided a significant economic base for the young state. The earliest California orange crops consisted of Navel oranges, which were harvested during the winter in Riverside County, and Valencia oranges, which ripened during the summer in Orange County. Complications in distribution in the early 1890s resulted in financial hardship for many growers and led them to band together into cooperatives. The growers established the Southern California Fruit Exchange in 1893 to protect their interests. The organization was renamed the California Fruit Growers Exchange in 1905 and renamed Sunkist Growers, Inc. in 1952. Throughout the years, the term "Sunkist" had been used by the exchange to identify their highest quality fruit.

James Irvine, owner of the Irvine Ranch in the early 1900s, was a supporter of the co-operative principle of marketing produce. The Irvine Ranch joined the California Fruit Growers Exchange. The Irvine Ranch had three co-operatives: The Valencia Growers Association, the Golden West Citrus Association, and the Frances Citrus Association. The first articles of association for IVG show the company name "Valencia Growers Association" crossed out and replaced by the name Irvine Valencia Growers. From its inception, the Irvine Valencia Growers was directed by men who were employed by the Irvine Ranch and/or close friends of the Irvine family, providing the Irvine Company with the potential to exert a strong influence over IVG. Case in point: IVG's first president, A. J. McFadden was also the president of the Irvine Foundation and later president of the Irvine Company. The Irvine Company acquired the packing house at some point, thus becoming the owner of its records.

Over the years, several alterations were made to the Irvine Valencia Growers building complex, greatly changing its appearance from its original state and compromising its historical significance from an architectural standpoint. Although the packing house was recognized as a cultural resource, an environmental impact report in 2003 recommended demolition of the complex due to its fragile condition and the prohibitive cost of preserving it. The historic status of the packing house led to a Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) project in accordance with the guidelines set forth by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. HABS is administered by Heritage Documentation Programs and is the Federal Government's oldest preservation program. HABS was created in 1933 to document America's architectural heritage by recording the history of significant built environments prior to their destruction. The site upon which IVG once stood is now part of the Jeffrey Open Space Trail in Irvine; it is commemorated by a historical marker and a large mosaic.

From the guide to the Irvine Valencia Growers packing house records, 1923-2003, (University of California, Irvine. Library. Special Collections and Archives.)