The early inhabitants of the Mexican land grant known as Rancho San Juan, sprawling alongside the American River, could never guess that their humble settlement would someday become a bustling and scenic suburb with some of California's most desirable real estate. Yet that is the tale of Carmichael, which evolved from an initial 2,000-acre purchase by founder Daniel W. Carmichael to the busy section of homes and businesses we know today. Showcased in this engaging volume of more than 200 vintage images are many aspects of life in Carmichael, from the wide-open pastures where roadside stands once offered fruits, vegetables, and eggs along today's Fair Oaks Boulevard to the 1920s service stations that sprang up, along with schools, churches, and shopping centers, to serve the burgeoning population of that era. The development of other important aspects of civic life, including road construction, community educational facilities, and shopping centers such as Crestview are explored in these pages as well.