More than a century ago, the University of California established the University Farm at Davis to showcase the achievements of its thriving College of Agriculture and to train students in the practical arts of farming. Since enrolling its first students in 1908, UC Davis has evolved into a world-class university offering a full spectrum of studies. UC Davis research over the decades has had far-reaching impacts, including innovations in viticulture and enology that have improved winemaking around the world. Colorful traditions like Picnic Day celebrate the depth and breadth of this historic institution and show off its handsome campus. Most pictures in this book come from the university archives, with some images from the McCurry and Eastman collections and others taken by the distinguished photographer Ansel Adams.

Dennis Dingemans, a UCD faculty member from 1972 to 2005, taught and researched historical, regional, and urban geography. Active in college and city affairs, he coauthored Arcadia's Woodland and directs the museum in Davis. Ann Foley Scheuring, author and editor, wrote the definitive history of UC Davis, Abundant Harvest. She recently published Valley Empires, a history of California's great Central Valley viewed through the careers of two 19th-century ranchers.