Ever wonder why a park in Orange is called Irvine Regional Park? That’s because it once was part of the Irvine Ranch. In 1897, James Irvine II gave the county a 160-acre oak grove (then known as the Picnic Grounds) for its first park, “Orange County Park.” It soon added a dance pavilion, boat pond, burro rides and, later, bike rentals and a miniature railroad. In 1926, the county renamed it for the man who donated it: Irvine Regional Park. (Visit www.irvinehistory.org for more Irvine history.)