Conceived in the 1990s and dedicated in 2009, IRWD’s San Joaquin Marsh Campus is a community gathering place, an educational hub, and a walk through the historic Irvine Ranch. The water district — which was born out of the old Irvine Ranch in 1961 — renovated five historic buildings and built a learning center to form the campus in the heart of its wildlife sanctuary. In doing so, IRWD has preserved the community’s past while creating resources for customers.
Outdoor space is open every day, dawn to dusk.
Outdoor space at the Marsh Campus is open to the public every day from dawn to dusk.
The three historic ranch houses that line the San Joaquin Marsh Campus were built on the Irvine Ranch in the early 1900s. As the century neared its end, the houses were slated to be bulldozed to make room for modern homes and businesses in central Orange County. IRWD stepped in, moved the houses to the Marsh Campus site in 1990, and restored them. (An additional historic ranch house was moved to IRWD’s Rattlesnake Reservoir to serve as the caretaker’s house.) These are the houses on the Marsh Campus:
Built by the Spencer family circa 1915, the Irvine Ranch Marsh House was an early adopter of running water, using a motorized well pump. Once home to tenant orange growers, the house (pink) now is available as a venue for meetings and small events — free to residents and nonprofit groups in IRWD’s service area. Reserve the Marsh House.
Built circa 1905 for young Jimmy Irvine, this house was occupied instead by the Irvine family’s ranch warehouse manager. The house (green) now serves as a private home for IRWD’s on-site caretaker.
Built circa 1900, this home was leased by farmer George O. Cook on a 17,000-acre lima bean field on the Irvine Ranch. The house (blue) serves as office space for Sea and Sage Audubon Society.
From the 1940s through 1988, the San Joaquin Marsh site was home to the Ricker-McHone and Old San Joaquin duck-hunting clubs, operating under permits from the Department of Fish and Game. Hunting has not been permitted since that time. In 1992, IRWD took ownership of the clubs’ dining hall and bunkhouse and renovated them for public use.
This building served as the dining hall for duck-hunting clubs until 1988, after being moved here from the Irvine Ranch in 1940. Restored and enlarged by IRWD, it is available for use as a venue for meetings and events — free to residents and nonprofit groups in IRWD’s service area. Reserve the Duck Club.
From the 1940s to 1988, this was the bunkhouse where duck club members slept before morning hunts. In 1992 it was renovated as the home of Sea and Sage Audubon Society, an IRWD partner devoted to protecting and teaching about birds, wildlife and the San Joaquin Marsh. Sea and Sage welcomes you to visit.
Offering modern classrooms in a natural setting, the IRWD Learning Center is dedicated to water education and environmental programs for the community. Built in the style of its historic neighbors, it opened in 2009. The center features two classrooms and a patio that can be used for outdoor learning. Its location at the San Joaquin Marsh provides a wide variety of teaching opportunities using IRWD’s Natural Treatment System, the Butterfly Garden, and San Diego Creek.
The Learning Center is home to environmental education programs hosted by the Sea and Sage Audubon Society, including the Outdoor Adventures science program, nature day walks, bat tours, group tours, birding classes, Seasons of Nature walks, and more.
The center houses IRWD educational programs, community tours and events. Find an event.
Please email info@IRWD.com for information.
One of IRWD’s first historical refurbishment projects, this old ranch windmill stands at the entrance to the Michelson Water Recycling Plant. It had been slated for demolition to make way for a freeway project.
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