【Epoch Times, March 11, 2026】Katie Wheeler Library, as the third branch library belonging to the city of Irvine, reopened on March 7, attracting many residents who brought their children along. Some descendants of the Irvine Family also gathered at the site of the original Irvine Ranch Historical Park to celebrate the library’s opening.
Irvine Mayor Larry Agran, in his speech, introduced the library as the third one transferred from the Orange County Library system to the city of Irvine, the other two being University Park Library and Heritage Park Library. He stated, “We hope to expand the existing libraries and establish new ones in the next two to three years, as our readership is substantial and library usage is very high.”
Surrounded by residential cottages, gardens, and carriage paths of the Irvine Ranch, the Wheeler Library holds a special significance. Agran explained that the library was reconstructed based on the former home of the Irvine Family; the original house was built in 1876 and became the family’s main residence after an expansion in 1908. After the family moved out, it served as the offices of the Irvine Company’s building and planning department, and later as an early office for the enlarged Irvine Branch.
“We want people to understand the history of Irvine, the Irvine Ranch, and the Irvine Family, who once owned one-fifth of Orange County’s land,” Agran said.
In 1965, the house was severely damaged in a fire caused by electrical overload and was subsequently demolished. However, detailed plans were drawn up before its demolition, including key elements of the interior such as fireplaces, windows, staircases, room layouts, and decorative details, making restoration and reproduction possible. Years later, when Orange County decided to build a public library on the land, the James Irvine Foundation donated $1 million and honored family member Katie Wheeler for her decades of contribution.
“The opening ceremony today was quite spectacular, with many families coming together to celebrate,” said librarian Allison Tran. The library prepared a variety of activities for children, including crafts, lawn games, a performance by a quartet, and library tours.
On the grass in front of the library, people were enjoying games like cornhole and tug-of-war, watching performances, and children were earnestly making bookmarks or engaged in crafts. Some were drawing small birds and birdcages on paper, which they then wrapped around thin bamboo sticks, rotating them to create the illusion that the birds were “trapped” in the cages.
Craig Ewing, a tenor who joined a choir in 2015, said, “We are the Velvet Frog Quartet, having won numerous competitions. Each of us is over seventy years old now, and we even won the Super Senior Quartet Championship.”
“We practice together every week,” Craig, who served as music director of the Orange Empire Chorus for 16 years, shared, having sung in quartets for fifty years. Lead singer David Livingston has been performing in quartets for over sixty years. They present “old songs” in a classic style.
Named after James Irvine II’s granddaughter Katie Wheeler (1920—2003), who was raised on a ranch after her mother passed away when she was four days old, the library pays tribute to her by showcasing her contributions to the James Irvine Foundation for 40 years starting in 1950. She supported educational, artistic, and community organizations, including the University of Irvine, Pacific Symphony Orchestra, South Coast Repertory, and Saint Anne’s Aid Alliance. Irvine City was established in 1971 following the completion of the University of Irvine in 1965 as per the Master Plan.
Katie’s grandson Chris Connolly expressed pride at witnessing Irvine’s reopening and operation of the library. He mentioned attending the library’s groundbreaking ceremony about twenty years ago, highlighting the transformation of the house his grandmother grew up in into a library. Many Irvine family members attended the event.
James M. Irvine, a grandson of Irvine II, described the structure as the “Ranch Cottage,” built by his grandfather, where he spent his childhood, reminiscing about a time of horse-drawn carriages and abundance of flies. “The reconstructed house is exactly as I remember it, and I am delighted that it now serves as a public library, named after my cousin,” Irvine shared, recalling his wedding ceremony held on the lawn in 2018, where they rode a carriage past tall palm trees to the library’s entrance.
Connolly revealed that many family members donated family items to the library, including documents, photographs, furniture, and artwork. He emphasized the importance of preserving this heritage and mentioned future collaborations with the city to make it accessible to the public for generations to come. ◇