In the golden age of San Ramon’s suburban expansion, the Rancho Solano new-home community stood out—not just for its hillside views or its catchy name, but for its size, sophistication, and flair. Built between 1966 and 1968, the 288-home community was a two-phase endeavor, beginning with Kay Homes and finishing with Carl Damè. These homes were larger than their mid-’60s counterparts—some by nearly 300 square feet—and filled with upscale touches that made everyday living feel like a custom experience.
Rancho Solano wasn't simply another development. It was where open-beam ceilings, sweeping living rooms, and wide kitchen bars met families ready for California's next chapter.
When the community was first planned in the late 1960s, the developers were clearly aiming for that Spanish-influenced charm so popular at the time. Though the land itself had historical ties—once part of the original Rancho San Ramon land grant—the builders chose to invent a fresh, romanticized name: Rancho Solana. There was just one problem—it wasn’t grammatically correct. “Solana” was likely meant to evoke sunshine, but it missed the mark in Spanish. Eventually, the name was quietly corrected to Rancho Solano, bringing it more in line with proper Spanish grammar—and giving the neighborhood a touch more authenticity, even if its origins were more marketing than mission.
Streets in this subdivision follow a Maine theme, with names such as Milo Way, Weymouth Court, Yarmouth Way, and Millbridge Drive.
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| January 1967 ad for Rancho Solano by Kay Homes, promising more space for the same price—up to 300 extra square feet. As families sought comfort and privacy in the late '60s, features like sunken master suites, walk-in closets, and “Vista Kitchens” spoke to a new suburban ideal. |
The Damè era
By mid-1967, developer Carl Damè—best known for his work on nearby Twin Creeks—took over the second phase of Rancho Solano after a business split with Kay Homes. With a fresh approach and a new name ("Solano" instead of "Solana"), Damè reinvigorated the project by introducing two additional home plans, upgrading finishes, and rebranding the kitchen as the "Panorama Kitchen." The update retained the expansive glass and backyard access but leaned even more into the idea of indoor-outdoor living.
Damè also sweetened the deal with extras: fully landscaped front yards, mature trees, backyard fencing, and wall-to-wall carpeting—all included in the base price. It was suburban living, leveled up.
Selling the dream
Kay Homes broke ground on Rancho Solano in fall 1966, launching a $7 million project with an eye for bold interiors and family-friendly design. Homes came packed with modern must-haves: dramatic split-level floor plans, oversized living spaces, and the instantly iconic Vista Kitchen—a bright, airy space with panoramic windows and a serving bar that opened right onto the backyard. Whether you were watching the kids or hosting the neighbors, this kitchen was made to be lived in.
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| 1966 Oakland Tribune photo showcasing the Plan 424 Vista Kitchen, featuring a wall of glass windows that invite natural light and offer a clear view of the outdoors—an innovative design element that made cooking a brighter, more open experience. |
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| A 1968 Contra Costa Times photo capturing the elegant sunken living room of the Plan 5 model. The space is framed by wrought-iron railings and styled with a printed couch, large lamps, and Mediterranean-inspired décor, reflecting the era’s taste for dramatic yet comfortable interiors. |
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| This Carl Dame ad from the Oakland Tribune, May 1966, celebrated Rancho Solano’s Panorama Kitchen, with ceiling-high sliding glass windows. But behind the cheerful sketch—mom serving guests while everyone else relaxes—lurks a familiar '60s reality: suburban luxury, still built on traditional gender roles. |
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| From the 1967 Contra Costa Times—after Damè acquired full control of the tract, he introduced new models and threw a grand re-opening “fiesta.” And nothing said “festive” like a live mariachi band under the California sun. |
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| March 1968 Oakland Tribune photo—A view of the formal spaces inside the Plan 424, with arched dining room, tiled entryway, and sunken living room. |
Legacy of Rancho Solano
By the end of 1968, Rancho Solano had sold out. One lot—left open during the model home phase to preserve green space—was eventually filled with a custom home, completing the subdivision at 288 houses. Though it launched with plenty of fanfare, Rancho Solano wasn’t without its surprises. In 1971, geologists discovered the Calaveras Fault running beneath its eastern edge. Fortunately, the homes were already built—but developers like Tom Gentry, who owned the neighboring Lynnbrook tract, quickly adjusted their plans to avoid direct construction on the fault line.
Rancho Solano homes brought a new level of design sophistication to San Ramon, with open-beam ceilings, sunken living rooms, wide kitchen bars, and airy “Vista” or “Panorama” kitchens that connected indoors with out. Rancho Solano held onto a charm that couldn’t be duplicated. With its mature trees, quiet cul-de-sacs, and homes built with intention, it remains a lasting example of mid-century vision meeting everyday livability. Rancho Solano didn’t just promise more home—it delivered a better way to live.
Exploring the original Rancho Solano today
Although the sales office is long gone and the advertisements have faded, the original Rancho Solano model homes remain part of the neighborhood. These homes gave prospective buyers their first glimpse of Kay's vision for suburban living in 1966.
Today, they provide a tangible connection to Rancho Solano's earliest days. The guide below documents the original model home complex, the homes themselves, and how they appear today.
Original advertised prices
- 1966: $23,650 - $27,650
- 1967: $24,350 - $27,950
- 1967 (Oct): $24,950 - $28,950
- 1968: $26,950 - $30,250
- 1968 (Dec): $27,850 - $31,150
Original model home complex
When Rancho Solano opened, buyers toured a carefully staged collection of Kay model homes showcasing the neighborhood’s mix of architecture, indoor-outdoor living, and family-oriented floor plans. Though individual elevations varied, these original models helped define much of the neighborhood’s visual identity.
The five original models opened in 1966 on Winslow Place, when the street was sod-covered and unpaved—inviting families to image a tranquil charm. After Damè took over the development in 1967, two more models were added.
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| Annotated aerial map of the Rancho Solano model home complex on Winslow Place. Base imagery from Apple Maps. The home between models 2 and 3 is custom and was an empty lot during the selling period. |
Original sales materials
The following newspaper advertisements document the original Rancho Solano homes as they were presented to prospective buyers. Together they preserve the exterior renderings, floor plans, pricing, and marketing language used during the neighborhood's first years.
Plan 424
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| The innovative 1966 floor plan of the Plan 424, featuring a popular layout with distinct formal and casual living spaces, a dedicated bedroom wing, and a design that influenced homebuilding trends for over a decade. |
Plan 7
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| 1967 ad illustrating the Plan 7 floor plan, featuring a central and sunken living room overlooking the backyard, a separate dining room, and a casual living area with kitchen, nook, and family room. The opposite wing housed four bedrooms, blending formal and everyday living spaces with thoughtful separation. |
Original model home designs
1. The Plan 1 - This model offered approximately 1,533 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
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| Original Plan 1 model today via Google Street View. |
2. The Plan 2 - This model offered approximately 1,530 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. A Carl Damè addition, this plan was a simplified version of Plan 424 without sunken spaces.
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| Original Plan 2 model today via Google Street View. |
3. The Plan 614 - This model offered approximately 2,053 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Believed to be San Ramon’s first mass-produced tri-level homes.
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| Original Plan 614 model today via Google Street View. |
4. The Plan 424 - This model offered approximately 1,795 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
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| Original Plan 424 model today via Google Street View. |
5. The Plan 5 - This model offered approximately 2,229 square feet with 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.
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| Original Plan 5 model today via Google Street View. |
6. The Plan 6 - This model offered approximately 1,645 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Introduced by Damè in 1967.
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| Original Plan 6 model today via Google Street View. |
7. The Plan 7 - This model offered approximately 1,734 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. A four-bedroom version of Plan 1.
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| Original Plan 7 model today via Google Street View. |
Collections
San Ramon — the neighborhoods that built a suburban city
This collection explores the new-home communities, builders, and neighborhoods that shaped San Ramon during its principle years of suburban growth that gradually became the modern city.
The San Ramon Village collection explores the master-planned community that transformed former ranches and orchards into today's Dublin and South San Ramon. Although the name has largely disappeared, the neighborhoods, subdivisions, schools, parks, and shopping centers built as part of the original plan continue to shape the Tri-Valley.
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