Villa Park’s street names preserve much of the city’s history. Roads throughout the city are named for early ranching families, citrus growers, local leaders, residential developments, geographic features and Villa Park’s agricultural past. This guide explores the known origins of Villa Park street names and includes a complete street list.
Some Villa Park street-name origins are well documented in historical records, newspaper archives, development materials and local accounts, while others are less certain or have been lost over time. Where an origin is not documented, this guide identifies it as unknown, possible or traditionally attributed rather than presenting speculation as fact. If you have historical records that document the origin of a Villa Park street name not explained here, please contact us.
Villa Park Street Name Meanings
Abbott Lane – Abbott is one of the pioneer family names the City of Villa Park identifies as preserved in the city’s street names. The specific Abbott family member or property represented by the street has not yet been established from the historical records reviewed, so the entry remains intentionally cautious.
Adams Circle – One of the first ranching families in Villa Park dating back to 1890 when John and Agnes Adams bought the general store and a ranch on the southeast corner of Center and Villa Park Road. Their son Al and his wife Becky bought a ranch south of there, which is where Adams Circle and Ranch Road are located today. The family continued to live there even after the tracts were developed.
Adams Ranch Road – See Adams Circle.
Arden Villa Drive – Arden Villa, plus Hummingbird, Morningstar, Orange Blossom, Sunkist Circle, and Three Arches Circle are all part of themed streets within the gated Villa Park Orchards community. The streets are an ode to Villa Park’s past where the houses also reside on the old Sunkist Packing House. The street is named after a Villa Park Orchards Association Valencia Orange Label from the 1930s. The inspiration for the label possibly comes from Helena Modjeska’s home which she named Arden after the forest from Shakespeare’s “As You Like It.” There is also a famous mansion in Los Angeles that was built in 1913 called Arden Villa.
Beardsley Circle – Two streets were named after two, then-young Civil Engineers: Robert Frank Beardsley and Forrest Fredrick Dunbar (Fredrick Drive) who, in 1972, working for Salkin Engineering Corporation in Orange, designed the lot layouts, grading, streets and other infrastructure for the residential subdivision containing these streets.
Bixby Circle – The Bixby family held extensive Southern California land interests and was important to the development of the broader historic Villa Park area. The Jotham Bixby Co. subdivided and marketed Cerro Villa Heights as citrus property in the early 20th century. Contemporary records described Cerro Villa Heights as north of Villa Park, so the tract should not automatically be treated as lying within the boundaries of the city incorporated in 1962. George Bixby was associated with a large residence in the Loma-area hills.
Brewer Way – Harold Brewer came to Villa Park in 1923 to grow Valencia Oranges and resided in Villa Park until his death in 1990. He was the second president of the Villa Park Orchards Association. His land was in Cerro Villa Heights where Brewer Way can be found today, including his home.
Brynmar Drive & Brynmar Lane – These streets are associated with Brynmar Estates, a Villa Park residential development dating to the early 1970s. The development connection is documented, although the reason the Brynmar name itself was selected has not been established.
Canyon Drive – Canyon Dr. is a self-descriptive street.
Canyon Circle – Canyon Cir. was named after Canyon Dr. Prior to 1977 Canyon Cir was owned by one owner who lived at the corner of Canyon Dr. and Las Flores where he had about 8 horses and an equestrian ring. He kept the house and about 2 acres and sold the rest to a developer. Canyon Cir. and the houses were developed at that time.
Center Drive – This is one of the oldest streets in Villa Park and Villa Park’s version of a main street. At one point this street was lined with Eucalyptus trees.
Cerro Villa Drive – The street preserves the Cerro Villa name associated with Cerro Villa Heights. The Jotham Bixby Co. marketed citrus parcels there in the early 20th century. Contemporary newspaper accounts described the tract as north of Villa Park, within the broader historic Villa Park district, so its early history should not be interpreted using today’s incorporated city boundaries. See also Bixby Circle and the Villa Park neighborhoods history.
Charter Road, Fleet Road, James Road & James Circle – These streets are associated with the Gainsborough residential development built in Villa Park in the early 1960s. Their development context is known, but the specific reasons the individual street names were chosen have not been documented.
Daron Dr. & Derek Dr. – The grandsons of the person that bought the land from the Morrows and subdivided it.
Durfee Circle – The Durfees came to Villa Park in 1887 where they lived on a large ranch where Durfee Cir. and Ln. are located today. The Durfee family played a large role in establishing Villa Park.
Durfee Lane – See Durfee Circle.
El Moro Way – El Moro and El Rito were most likely proposed by the developer of these two streets so the reason for these street names may be lost. El Moro means The Promontory or The Headland and there is also the El Morro National Monument in New Mexico. This is relevant because there is also an El Rito, New Mexico. The developer described the estate area as “nestled beautifully in the panoramic hills” which would match their vision of the area with the street names.
El Rito Drive – El Rito is Spanish for Little River. See also El Moro Way.
Hazel Circle – Hazel Circle is named after the wife of Harold Brewer (see Brewer Way for more information). The Brewer’s daughter, Kathryn, married Arthur Craft who became the first Mayor of Villa Park.
Helena Circle – Helena Modjeska was one of the most famous actresses of her time and took up residence in what is now called Modjeska Canyon. Helena would visit the Bixby house in Cerro Villa Heights on occasion.
Henderson Way – Named for Dortha Henderson. She remarried & became Dortha Kellar. Her property was actually on Mesa.
Hummingbird Circle – Hummingbirds are native to the Villa Park area and it’s the City’s official bird. See also Arden Villa for more details.
Fitschen Ranch Road – Named for the Fitschen family, whose approximately 20-acre citrus ranch was assembled from property acquired in 1938 and 1940 in the Wanda area. The road was originally called Little Wanda Road, but the similar name caused confusion with nearby Wanda Road. In 1991 it was changed to Fitschen Ranch which many residents still didn’t like because they had no say in the matter.
Florence Circle – Named for Florence Morrow of the Morrow family, one of Villa Park’s early ranching families. The name is connected with nearby Morrow Circle and preserves the family’s long association with the historic Villa Park district.
Fredrick Drive – See Beardsley Circle.
Joshua Tree Circle – Along with Peppertree and Smoketree, this is one of the themed streets associated with the Patrician-Butler development. The Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) is a species of yucca, not a palm. Its common name is traditionally attributed to Mormon pioneers who thought the tree’s outstretched branches resembled the biblical Joshua raising his arms toward the sky. See also the Patrician Homes history.
Katella Avenue – While not officially in Villa Park but since it borders VP as it turns into Villa Park Rd. and then Santiago Canyon we’ll cover it. John Rea bought a ranch in Anaheim to start a walnut orchard. He had two daughters named Kate and Ella and decided to combine the two names and call it Katella Ranch. The dirt road was also called Katella.
Knuth Circle – Named for the longtime Knuth ranching family of the Villa Park area. Margaret Knuth married James T. Workman, the Olympic gold medalist who became an incorporation leader, original City Council member and later mayor. Contemporary records also document Margaret Knuth’s active social and community life in the Villa Park district. Knuth Circle and Workman Circle sit beside one another off Santiago Boulevard, preserving the connected family histories.
Larson Circle – The Larson name is associated with Raymond Larson, one of the area’s best-documented late agricultural residents. In 1966 Larson sought agricultural-preserve status for local farmland, and a 1973 newspaper profile described him continuing to grow oranges and raise poultry on roughly 1.5 acres as residential development surrounded the property. The available records strongly document Larson’s farming history, but until a source explicitly confirms the street-naming decision, the connection between Larson Circle and Raymond Larson should be considered probable rather than certain.
Lemon Street – Nothing fancy here, lemons were grown in Villa Park and there was the Central Lemon Packing House on Katella and Villa Park Road. It’s one of the first streets in Villa Park. Also, at one point in the 60’s Orange County had plans to make this a four lane road all the way up to Cerro Villa Drive.
Little John Way – LJW, Sherwood Cir. and Robin Hood Cir. are themed streets named by the developer Buccola Homes. They also built other communities in other cities with similar names.
Loma Street – Loma is Spanish for a hill or knoll, fitting the road’s climb into the foothill area. Historical accounts associate George Bixby and a large residence with the upper Loma area, but those early references come from the broader Villa Park district and should not automatically be read as locations within today’s city boundaries. The Loma name itself dates to the area’s early road history.
Mary Circle – Mary is among the pioneer names the City of Villa Park identifies as preserved in local street names. The records reviewed so far do not identify which Mary the circle commemorates, so no specific pioneer biography is assigned to the street without stronger documentation.
Morningstar Circle – Jacob Morningstar worked at both VPOA and the Central Lemon Packing House. There was also a Morningstar Ranch. See also Arden Villa Drive.
Morrow Circle – Named for the Morrow family, early ranchers associated with the Villa Park district beginning in the 1880s. Multiple generations of the family remained connected with the community. Nearby Florence Circle commemorates Florence Morrow and reinforces the family’s place in the area’s pioneer and ranching history.
Mountain View Circle – Mountain View preserves one of the community’s earliest names. The area that became Villa Park was originally known as Mountain View, but when residents sought a post office the name could not be used because another California community already had it. The community subsequently became known as Villa Park.
Nichols Avenue – Hervey Nichols and his family arrived in Villa Park in 1918 in order to become the Villa Park Orchards foreman. Hervey would later serve as manager for 35 years while living on their 12 acre ranch in Villa Park.
Old Lamplighter Circle & Old Lamplighter Lane – These streets are associated with the historic Old Lamplighter Estates residential development in Villa Park. The development connection is known, although the origin of the Old Lamplighter name itself has not been documented.
Orange Blossom Circle – The orange blossom was one might expect is tied to the orange groves. Many Villa Park residents used orange blossoms for bouquets and in their hair for formal events. See also Arden Villa Drive.
Colony Circle & Colony Grove Lane – The Colony names are associated with Villa Park’s Colony-named residential developments, including Colony Orchard Homes and Colony Ridge. They reflect the city’s subdivision era, although the exact naming sequence and reason the developers chose the Colony theme have not been fully documented.
Orangegrove Circle – A self-descriptive name of the Villa Park area of the past.
Orchard Lane – A self-descriptive name of the Villa Park area of the past.
Park Villa Circle – Flip the city’s name and you have Park Villa. To add to the originality of these street names the developer named the 16 homes in this area Villa Park Estates.
Park Villa Lane – See Park Villa Circle.
Patrician Drive – This area and several other areas in Villa Park were built by Patrician-Butler thus the name.
Peppertree Drive – Although probably not named for this, Peppertrees were planted in Villa Park including at Villa Park Elementary in the 1880s. See also Joshua Tree Circle.
Prado Circle – See below, Prado Woods Dr.
Prado Woods Drive – Prado Woods Drive and Prado Circle are associated with the Prado Woods residential development. The development explains the shared street name, although the reason the developer selected the name Prado Woods has not been documented.
Radec Court – Radec is cedar backwards which is all we have on this one for now.
Ragan Circle – Named after Bob and Marcine Ragan and his father who owned the property along Taft.
Robin Hood Circle – Theme street. See Little John Way.
Rosanne Circle – Rosanne Circle was named after Roseann Winn, the wife of Don Winn, one of the first mayors in Villa Park. See also Winn Circle.
Rosenau Circle – The Rosenau family had a long agricultural and educational connection to the Villa Park area. A 1973 newspaper profile documented Gisela Rosenau living on roughly five acres remaining from her family’s much larger ranch on the north edge of Villa Park. A 1999 historical account also remembered the teacher for whom Rosenau Drive was named. Until stronger documentation identifies that teacher by first name, the street’s connection is best attributed to the Rosenau family rather than specifically to Olga Rosenau.
Rosenau Drive – See Rosenau Circle.
Ryan Circle – Claud Ryan had a family connection to the Villa Park area near Santiago and Lemon and went on to become an important Southern California aviation figure. Ryan’s aviation career included work connected with the development and construction of the Spirit of St. Louis, the aircraft Charles Lindbergh flew across the Atlantic in 1927. Historical references also document Ryan’s early flying-service career, but the available evidence does not establish that the aviation business itself operated within today’s Villa Park city boundaries.
Santiago Boulevard – The name is connected to Santiago Creek and the area’s early Spanish history. The Portolá expedition traveled through what is now Orange County in 1769 on its journey north toward Monterey. Santiago is the Spanish name for Saint James, a name that became associated with the creek and surrounding area.
Sherwood Circle – Theme street. See Little John Way.
Squires Circle – Chauncey and Lillian Squires owned 5 acres on Santiago, east of Center, right where you can find Squires Cir. today.
Serrano Avenue – In the mid-1800s Leandro Serrano owned land in the area that includes present-day Villa Park, as well as land elsewhere in Southern California. The Serrano name remains prominent locally through Serrano Avenue, Serrano Heights, Serrano Water District and Serrano Elementary School.
Smoketree Circle – Smoketrees have wispy clumps of filaments that look like puffs of smoke. See also Joshua Tree Circle.
Smoketree Lane – See also Smoketree Circle and Joshua Tree Circle.
Sterling Avenue – Sterling Murdock was grandson of Van and Amelia Durfee and in addition to the Durfee Ranch he served as President of the Serrano Irrigation District Board of Directors for 20 years.
Sunkist Circle – This street is named after the old Sunkist Packing House where Sunkist Circle now resides. See also Arden Villa Drive for more details.
Taft Avenue – Named after the 27th President of the United States, William Howard Taft.
Three Arches Circle – The street is named after a Villa Park Orchards Association Valencia orange label. The label depicts the rock formation Three Arches in Laguna Beach. See also Arden Villa Drive for more details.
Timothy Lane – Originally named Platanal Drive, this street was renamed in 1995 after a 4 year old boy named Timothy Doyle. Timothy was selling lemonade with his brothers when, for an unknown reason, he darted onto Lemon St and was struck by a car. The death was ruled an accident and the driver was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Tritt Circle – Named for the Tritt family, longtime ranchers and citrus growers in the historic Villa Park district. A 1941 newspaper account documented Harry Tritt’s association with the Villa Park area for roughly 48 years, placing the family’s local connection back to about 1893. Because this history predates incorporation, references from that period describe the broader Villa Park district rather than necessarily the boundaries of today’s city.
Villa Woods Drive & Villa Woods Circle – The matching street names indicate their shared residential-development origin. Villa Woods is part of Villa Park’s later subdivision history; the specific reason the developer selected the Villa Woods name has not been documented.
Valley Drive – Valley describes the area where the street resides and is one of the first in Villa Park.
Villa Isles Drive – Villa Isles Dr. and Cir. was a planned development of 15 homes and the developer called these home Villa Isles. Thus, the streets were named the same. Villa means a large country house which is how the developer described these homes. Isles means peninsula or island and at the time of construction these homes were set along rolling ridges and canyons without much development behind them.
Villa Isles Circle – See Villa Isles Dr.
Villa Park Road – One of the community’s early principal roads, Villa Park Road carries the city’s name through the center of the community. To the west, the roadway continues as Katella Avenue.
Wanda Road – Wanda Road takes its name from Southern Pacific’s Wanda Station, which served the historic Villa Park agricultural district near today’s Wanda Road and Villa Park Road. By 1915 a local agent was handling freight, baggage and produce shipments associated with the area’s agricultural economy. The origin of the name Wanda itself has not been established, so earlier speculation that it honored a railroad employee’s relative has been removed.
Winn Circle – Named after Don Winn, one of the early Mayors of Villa Park.
Workman Circle – James T. Workman was one of the leading proponents of incorporating Villa Park, served on the city’s first City Council and later became mayor. A graduate of Orange High School and the University of California, Workman was a member of Cal’s eight-oared crew that won the gold medal at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. He married Margaret Knuth of the longtime Villa Park ranching family; fittingly, Workman Circle and Knuth Circle are next to each other off Santiago Boulevard.
Wulff Drive – John and Agnes Adams sold their ranch to the Wulff’s in 1907 right where Wulff Dr. exists today. Lincoln used to dead end at Center and that is where the Wulff driveway began.
This street-name history is updated as additional historical records become available. For related local history, explore Villa Park neighborhoods, Villa Park history and Villa Park Knowles.
Villa Park Street Names FAQ
How did Villa Park streets get their names?
Villa Park street names come from several sources, including early ranching families, citrus growers, local leaders, geographic features, residential developments and themed street names selected by developers.
Which Villa Park streets are named after local families?
Examples include Adams Circle, Bixby Circle, Durfee Circle, Knuth Circle, Morrow Circle, Rosenau Circle, Tritt Circle, Winn Circle and Workman Circle.
Which street names reflect Villa Park’s citrus history?
Lemon Street, Orange Blossom Circle, Orchard Lane, Sunkist Circle and Valencia Circle are among the names tied to Villa Park’s agricultural and citrus-growing past.
What was Timothy Lane originally called?
Timothy Lane was originally named Platanal Drive. It was renamed in 1995 in memory of Timothy Doyle.
Where can I find a complete list of Villa Park streets?
The complete street list below includes the streets within Villa Park. Entries with known historical origins are explained in the Street Name Meanings section above.
Villa Park Street Names
| Abbott Lane | Gloria Circle | Portsmouth Circle |
| Aberdeen Lane | Hallsworth Circle | Potter Circle |
| Adams Circle | Haninger Way | Prado Circle |
| Adams Ranch Road | Hastings Drive | Prado Woods Drive |
| Albany Circle | Hazel Circle | Providence Drive |
| Alice Lane | Helena Circle | Radec Court |
| Alma Lane | Henderson Way | Ragan Circle |
| Alta Drive | Hidden Valley Drive | Rama Street |
| Amate Circle | Hillcrest Avenue | Regency Circle |
| Arden Villa Drive | Hummingbird Circle | Ridgeview Circle |
| Athens Avenue | Hunting Circle | Ridgeview Road |
| Aubrey Circle | Huntington Circle | Ridgewood Lane |
| Balliet Drive | James Circle | Robbie Circle |
| Beardsley Circle | James Road | Robin Hood Circle |
| Beckley Circle | Janice Circle | Robin Way |
| Bishop Circle | Jerome Street | Rosanne Circle |
| Bixby Circle | Jocotal Avenue | Rosenau Circle |
| Brewer Way | Joshua Tree Circle | Rosenau Drive |
| Briley Way | Katawpa Circle | Ryan Circle |
| Brynmar Drive | Kenwick Drive | San Miguel Drive |
| Brynmar Lane | Knuth Circle | San Ramon Circle |
| Camden Circle | Laconia Drive | Sandra Circle |
| Cannon Street | Larson Circle | Santiago Boulevard |
| Canyon Circle | Las Flores Circle | Serrano Avenue |
| Canyon Crest Drive | Leatrice Drive | Sharon Lane |
| Canyon Drive | Leigh Circle | Sharon Lynn Road |
| Cardinal Circle | Lemon Street | Sherwood Circle |
| Carmel Drive | Lincoln Circle | Smoketree Circle |
| Carolyn Circle | Lincoln Street | Smoketree Lane |
| Carpenter Circle | Lipps Lane | Smokewood Drive |
| Castleford Drive | Little John Way | Squires Circle |
| Catherine Circle | Loma Street | Sterling Avenue |
| Cedarhill Circle | Ludwig Street | Stratford Circle |
| Center Drive | Marion Way | Sunkist Circle |
| Cerro Villa Drive | Mariposa Drive | Sycamore Circle |
| Charter Road | Mark Circle | Sycamore Street |
| Christine Circle | Martinique Court | Tacoma Circle |
| Churchill Lane | Mary Circle | Taft Avenue |
| Collins Avenue | Mendocino Circle | Three Arches Circle |
| Colony Circle | Mesa Drive | Timothy Lane |
| Colony Grove Lane | Miller Circle | Tritt Circle |
| Coral Tree Circle | Montana Circle | Valencia Circle |
| Covington Circle | Monte Vista Circle | Valley Drive |
| Crestview Circle | Morningstar Circle | Verde Lomas Circle |
| Daron Drive | Morrow Circle | Verde Lomas Drive |
| Derek Drive | Mountain View Circle | Via Bravo |
| Dodson Way | Nathan Circle | Via Corta |
| Dorchester Circle | Nichols Avenue | Vida Drive |
| Dorothy Circle | Oakfield Drive | Villa Drive |
| Durfee Circle | Oakwood Circle | Villa Isle Circle |
| Durfee Lane | Old Lamplighter Circle | Villa Isle Drive |
| Eastwood Circle | Old Lamplighter Lane | Villa Park Road |
| Edgewood Avenue | Old Ranch Circle | Villa Vista Way |
| El Moro Way | Orange Blossom Circle | Villa Woods Circle |
| El Rito Drive | Orangegrove Circle | Villa Woods Drive |
| Estates Drive | Orchard Lane | Walker Ranch Circle |
| Evergreen Circle | Pamela Place | Wellington Circle |
| Featherhill Drive | Park Villa Circle | Westwood Drive |
| Fernando Circle | Park Villa Lane | Wildwood Circle |
| Fitschen Ranch Road | Park Villa Place | Wildwood Way |
| Fleet Road | Parker Circle | Winchester Circle |
| Flintridge Drive | Patrician Drive | Windsor Drive |
| Florence Circle | Patrick Drive | Winn Circle |
| Francisco Drive | Peppertree Drive | Workman Circle |
| Fredrick Drive | Phelan Drive | Wulff Drive |