Published September 25, 2025
In 1969, Morrison Homes introduced the Something Special Series in Pleasanton Valley, adding five new house designs to the growing neighborhood. Designed by architect Jack Bloodgood, AIA, the homes emphasized features that were still unusual in suburban tract housing, including vaulted ceilings, expanded glass areas, garden-view kitchens, open staircases, and sunken conversation pits. The five model homes opened on Elmridge Court in February 1969, giving prospective buyers a firsthand look at Morrison's increasingly contemporary approach to suburban living.
Mapping Pleasanton Valley
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| Annotated aerial map of the Pleasanton Valley neighborhood in Pleasanton, California. Base imagery from Google Maps. |
The Something Special Series homes and architectural style
When Morrison Homes introduced the Something Special Series in 1969, prospective buyers encountered the series through its model homes. The models showcased the different designs, floor plans, and lifestyles the builder was offering to buyers in Pleasanton Valley.
The original Something Special Series models
The original model homes provide a useful cross-section of the Something Special Series' architecture. Morrison Homes selected five models for the 1969 opening on Elmridge Court. Although buyers could choose among different elevations and options, these models document the versions Morrison chose to put on display.
The Woodhaven House
This model offered approximately 1,808 square feet with up to 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
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| March 1972 Oakland Tribune advertisement for the Woodhaven House, showing the 1,801-square-foot floor plan and $35,425 price. |
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| Original Woodhaven House model today via Google Street View. |
The Miramar House
This Mediterranean-style model offered approximately 2,093 square feet with up to 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms.
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| June 1971 Oakland Tribune advertisement for the Miramar House, showing the 2,093-square-foot floor plan and $38,250 price. |
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| Original Miramar House model today via Google Street View. |
The Regency House
This model offered approximately 2,338 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms.
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| Original Regency House model today via Google Street View. |
The Gallery House
This model offered approximately 2,110 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.
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| May 1970 Oakland Tribune advertisement for the Gallery House, showing the floor plan and $36,960 price. |
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| Original Gallery House model today via Google Street View. |
The Colony House
This model offered approximately 1,931 square feet with up to 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The design was an updated version of a house from Morrison's previous series and was promoted as the best-selling model in Pleasanton Valley.
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| September 1971 Oakland Tribune advertisement for the Colony House, showing the 1,931-square-foot floor plan and $35,900 price. |
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| Original Colony House model today via Google Street View. |
Marketing the Something Special Series
The Something Special homes were designed around a more open and informal approach to family living.
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| Newspaper ad from the Oakland Tribune, February 1969, announcing the launch of the Something Special Series in Pleasanton Valley. The ad highlights the five new models offering features for modern families, including vaulted ceilings, sunken conversation pits, and garden-view kitchens. |
Their distinguishing features emphasized a more open relationship between interior and exterior spaces, while creating larger and more informal areas for family living and entertaining.
Increased glass areas: Expansive floor-to-ceiling windows and glass walls blurred the lines between interior and exterior, turning the garden patio into an integral part of the living space.
Garden-View kitchens: These kitchens featured sliding glass windows that opened up to the patio, making it easy to serve snacks or entertain guests without leaving the kitchen.
Conversation pits: Sunken living areas, centered around a fireplace, provided an informal place to gather and relax.
Vaulted ceilings: Dramatic ceiling heights created a greater sense of openness and volume.
Open staircases: Exposed staircases became architectural features, reinforcing the open character of the interiors.
Master bedrooms with private retreats: Several designs included additional private space associated with the master bedroom, giving homeowners a retreat within the house.
Together, these features gave the Something Special homes a more open, informal character than the conventional ranch houses that had dominated earlier Pleasanton Valley construction.
The end of Something Special
By late 1974, Morrison Homes was advertising closeout prices for the Something Special Series, marking the end of the series' run in Pleasanton Valley. The homes, however, remained part of the neighborhood's housing stock as Morrison continued developing Pleasanton Valley with new designs and later home series.
Collection
Pleasanton — building a suburban city
Continue exploring
Morrison Homes continued developing Pleasanton Valley for more than a decade, introducing new home series as the neighborhood expanded.
- Pleasanton Valley: Morrison Homes’ 1964 housing tract in Pleasanton
- Pleasanton Valley – Walnut Grove Series by Morrison Homes — 1966
- Pleasanton Valley – Executive Series by Morrison Homes — 1976
- Creeks Bend: Morrison Homes' 1978 housing tract in Pleasanton
- Morrison Homes — how one builder helped shape modern Pleasanton
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