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Limestone / Whiting Ranch Parks History
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The properties now known as Limestone Canyons & Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park have associations with several pioneer Orange County families. In 1842, Jose Serrano was granted 10,668 acres of land known as Rancho Canada de Los Alisos. Serrano and his sons raised crops to sell such as corn, beans and watermelons. However, their principal industry was cattle, from which hides and tallow were sold. Unfortunately, the drought of 1863 and 1864 caused the death of Serrano's herds, forcing foreclosure of the ranch to Los Angeles banker J.S. Slauson and Associates. Slauson divided the ranch into ten parcels, the largest being 10,000 acres. The property was then sold to Dwight Whiting in 1885. Whiting encouraged the development of El Toro by subdividing level land, bringing the railroad through, and by planting olive trees, grape vineyards and some 400 acres of eucalyptus trees. This area is now known as Lake Forest. However, due to the arid climate and poor soil, agricultural use was unsuccessful. In 1959, the Whiting properties were sold to V.P. Parker and Associates, and residential development has since ensued.
In July of 1988, approximately 1,200 acres were dedicated to Orange County to be preserved as an open space wilderness park. Since then additional acquisitions have enlarged the park to approximately 4,300 acres and with future acquisitions totaling approximately 10,000 acres. An additional 87 acre parcel adjacent to El Toro Road just south of Cook's Corner, known as the McFadden Ranch House, includes the ranger station and interpretive center. The house was built in 1915 by James McFadden for two purposes. One to provide housing for the ranch foreman and his family, and the other to utilize the ranch more fully for farming and livestock pasture.
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