By Charles N. Stevens
Photos by Dolores Seidman

Just beyond the fine homes and gated communities of Orange County lies a beautiful valley studded with great oak trees. It is in this valley that Irvine Regional Park was created. There is something for everyone in the park from having a picnic on a grassy slope in the shade of the trees to riding surrey bicycles holding a whole family or renting a paddleboat to cruise a small lake.
We visited the park with my grandson and his wife and my two year old great grandson. The weather on this day was clear and crisp. What I noticed right away was that all the people I saw were having such a good time being out in the open. We spend so much time inside that just getting outdoors gives one a sense of freedom. So many families, mom, dad and all the kids were enjoying themselves on the park’s endless attractions.
We strolled around the park, first noting the vast green lawns and the stately oaks and sycamores. The Coast Live Oaks are the oldest in Orange County. It was very peaceful, relaxing and so pleasant to behold. What a place for a picnic! Picnic tables are scattered everywhere, some in shade and others in bright sunlight.
At one end of a small lake is a waterfall, the water tumbling over sizable boulders. It’s easy to be mesmerized with the sight of all that splashing and the special sound of water against rock. Nearby, mallard ducks and wood ducks cruised on the water .My great grandson loved watching the ducks. A cormorant dried its wing on a projecting boulder so it made me think that there must be at least some fish in the pond and the lake. Then I saw two people fishing at one side of the lake, but they weren’t having much luck.
One of the most popular rides in the park was the Irvine Park Railroad. The train winds through the most scenic parts of the park and is headed by a realistic-looking, polished and gleaming steam locomotive. However, it is not powered by steam, but by a small internal combustion engine. But it has a beautiful whistle that can be heard all over the park. The locomotive hauled a half dozen covered cars full of happy looking passengers. The train runs on rails ballasted professionally with crushed rock.
For the little ones there are pony rides. Each rider was accompanied by an adult as the pony walked slowly around a small course. For the more mature riders horses can be rented. Bridal paths extend from the park.
Away from the rides, in the quieter parts of the park we watch woodpeckers pecking like a machine gun and squawking in the oaks. A raven flew overhead with its rough voice. Small migratory birds flited among the tree branches.
The 160 acre Irvine Regional Park was the first regional park to be established in Orange County. The year was 1897. As in most places in California, the area was once part of a rancho, this one being Rancho Lomas de Santiago. The acreage was first used to graze cattle, then sheep. The German immigrants who founded Anaheim established the park area as their “picnic grounds.” Once the park area was purchased, a custodian was assigned in 1898 to ward off sheepherders and wood cutters. In 1983 the park was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
There is something for all ages in the park. That is why it is so popular. It can be quite crowded on weekends, but well worth the trip. The park is located at the east end of Jamboree Road.

This train is one of the highlights at the park as it winds throughout.

My grandson points out the ducks to my great grand-son.

The restful part of the park is a paradise of lawns, giant trees, and picnic benches.

A rocky waterfall splashes from the lake into the duck pond.

MONTEREY PARK AUTHOR PUBLISHES 4th BOOK – Seeking More of the Sky: Growing Up in the 1930’s:

Charles “Norm” Stevens, a 43 year resident of Monterey Park has recently published his 4th book: Seeking More of the Sky: Growing Up in the 1930’s. This is the story of a young boy growing up in Inglewood, California in the l930’s. This was a time during the depression when unemployment was affecting many and the banks were closed, while the clouds of war were gathering in Europe. But he was lucky enough to be raised in a loving family, the power of that love reflected throughout his stories.
Stevens is the author of three previous books about his experiences during WWII:
An Innocent at Polebrook: A Memoir of an 8th Air Force Bombardier (Story of his 34 bombing missions from his base at Polebrook, England over Germany and France)
The Innocent Cadet: Becoming A World War II Bombardier (A prequel to the first, telling of his training in the U.S. before going overseas into combat.)
Back from Combat: A WWII Bombardier Faces His Military Future from Combat: (This book details the time from when he returned from combat in England until the end of the war.)
He is known to the readers of The Citizen’s Voice as the author of Travel Log Articles including “Cruising the Rhine and Mosel”,” Best of the West”, “In Search of Snow” ,  “From Paris to Normandy on the Seine”, and “Exploring New York”.  He is retired, having taught for 32 years, primarily in the Montebello Unified School District.
Those interested in purchasing an autographed copy of any of his books, may contact the author at 323-721-8230 or  Normstevens24@gmail.com.