Published June 13; 2025
In the golden age of San Ramon’s suburban expansion, the Rancho Solano housing tract 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 development 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 development was first planned in the late 1960s, Kay Homes was 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 tract a touch more authenticity, even if its origins were more marketing than mission.
Mapping Rancho Solano
Rancho Solano was built in southern San Ramon, between I-680 and California High School. Familiar streets follow a Maine theme, with names such as Milo Way, Weymouth Court, Yarmouth Way, and Millbridge Drive.
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| Annotated aerial map of the Rancho Solano housing tract built by Kay Homes and Carl Damè in southern San Ramon, California. Image via Apple Maps. |
Rancho Solano homes and architectural style
When Kay Homes introduced Rancho Solano in 1966, prospective buyers encountered the housing tract through its model homes. The models showcased the different designs, floor plans, and lifestyles the builder was offering to buyers in San Ramon.
The original Rancho Solano models
The original model homes provide a useful cross-section of Rancho Solano's architecture. Kay Homes selected five models for the 1966 opening on Winslow Place, with Dame adding two more models in 1967. Although buyers could choose among different elevations and options, these models document the versions Kay Homes and Dame chose to put on display.
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. |
The Plan 2
This model offered approximately 1,530 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. A Dame addition in 1967, 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. |
The Plan 614
This tri-level model offered approximately 2,053 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.
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| 1966 newspaper clipping of Rancho Solano's Plan 614 model home. Features such as carved wood window screens and horizontal wood siding reflected the growing emphasis on architectural variety in late-1960s suburban developments. |
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| Original Plan 614 model today via Google Street View. |
The Plan 424
This model offered approximately 1,795 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
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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. |
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| Original Plan 424 model today via Google Street View. |
The Plan 5
This two-story 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. |
The Plan 6
This model offered approximately 1,645 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Introduced by Dame in 1967.
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| Original Plan 6 model today via Google Street View. |
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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| 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. |
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| Original Plan 7 model today via Google Street View. |
The Dame era
By mid-1967, developer Carl Dame—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"), Dame reinvigorated the development 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, backyard fencing, and wall-to-wall carpeting—all included in the base price.
Marketing Rancho Solano
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.
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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. |
Homes came packed with modern must-haves: dramatic split-level floor plans, oversized living spaces, and the 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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| 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. |
By the end of 1968, Rancho Solano had sold out. One lot—left open during the model home phase—was eventually filled with a custom home, completing the tract at 288 houses.
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