This collection documents the history of the Serrano Irrigation District of Orange County California, now known as the Serrano Water District. It includes records from the various water associations and companies that served the Villa Park region and led to the establishment of the Serrano Irrigation District. Organizations represented include the Serrano Water Association, Lotspeich Water Association, Gray Tract Water Company, Gray Tract Well Association, Santiago Well Company, Cerro Villa Mutual Water Company, and the Villa Park Mutual Water Company.

The Serrano Irrigation District in Orange County, California developed out of a consolidation of several water companies and associations established as early as the 1870s. These mutual irrigation organizations were privately owned by ranchers and farmers in the Villa Park, California area. In 1927 the Serrano Water Association, the John T. Carpenter Water Company, and the Irvine Company agreed to form the Serrano Irrigation District as a public corporation under the Irrigation Districts Act of the State of California. This enabled the district to hold elections to establish bonds to finance their share of the construction of the Santiago Dam. At this time, the assets of the Serrano Water Association, which included landowners from both the Gray Tract and Lotspeich Tract, were assigned to the Serrano Irrigation District.

7 Linear Feet (15 boxes and 3 oversized folders)

Property rights reside with the University of California. Intellectual property rights for materials not yet in the public domain are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or to publish, please contact the Head of Special Collections and Archives.

The collection is open for research.