US Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District History (1990)
On 29 June 1949, and on 6 May 1953, the United States Army acquired 701.54 acres from the Irvine Company through two leases.
The Tustin National Guard Rifle Range site was used by the Army as a military rifle range during World War II. A permanent Quonset Hut was constructed at the western end of the property. This
construction was undertaken during the period from 1949 to 1953 while the property was under the Army control.
The Army abandoned the 701.54 acres when the leases were terminated on 15 May 1974. There are no records of the lease agreements terminating Army's interest in the subject property and, therefore, it has not been established whether there were any restoration provisions, recapture clauses or restrictoins in the lease cancellations. The site is currently owned by the Irvine Company and used as agricultural farming and pasture land. No intervening ownerships have existed at this site since Army disposal.
Today the site consists of mixed use of orchard and pasture land. Approximately 18 acres of the property are being operated for commercial nursery use by lease to Crowl Nursery. In addition, the Regents of the University of California currently operate an agricultural research field station on the site which undertakes experimental crop tests. There are no buildings remaining from the time period of Army ownership and no related structural debris exists at the site. Although the former Army structure has since been demolished, the existing concrete foundation currently supports an office trailer for Crowl Nursery.