Abstract
The MacDonald Ranch Development Records (1972-2010) contain correspondence, maps, land assessments and investigations, master plans, and architectural, civil engineering, and landscape drawings primarily detailing the community development process of MacDonald Ranch, a master-planned community in southwest Henderson, Nevada.
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Scope and Contents Note
The MacDonald Ranch Development Records (1972-2010) contain documents, maps, master plans, and architectural, civil engineering, and landscape drawings primarily detailing the community development process of MacDonald Ranch, a master-planned community in southwest Henderson, Nevada. Master plan drawings include phasing diagrams, land use allocation studies, land surveys, parcel maps, and topographic maps. Architectural drawings include overall site plans, commercial building plans, and conceptual sketches. Civil drawings include plans detailing street proposals and modifications, water and sewer work, power and electrical work, and slope and drainage analyses. Landscape drawings include landscape development plans for community entryways, golf courses, and country clubs. Included in the drawings is an early plan of the Green Valley master-planned community.
In addition to the architectural, civil engineering, and landscape drawings, the collection includes records documenting the planning and development process for the communities Sunridge at MacDonald Ranch and Foothills at MacDonald Ranch. These materials consist of land use and planning documents; engineering studies and plans; construction and landscaping plans; environmental, geotechnical, and hydrology studies and reports; project management documents; property sale documents including covenants and restrictions; and legal correspondence relating to various disputes with the City of Henderson, Nevada Power, and construction contractors. Additional materials include site maps, plat maps, and parcel maps.
Access Note
Collection is open for research, with the exception of materials that are restricted to protect personally identifiable information. Restrictions are noted at the file level of this inventory and will be open for research use on September 30, 2069.
Publication Rights
This material is made available to facilitate private study, scholarship, or research. The donor, Rich MacDonald, transferred all right, title and interest they had in the MacDonald Ranch Development Records (MS-00892) to UNLV. However, some material may be protected by copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity rights, or other interests not owned by UNLV. Users are responsible for determining whether permissions are necessary from rights owners for any intended use and for obtaining all required permissions. Acknowledgement of the UNLV University Libraries is requested. For more information, please see the UNLV Special Collections policies on reproductions and use or contact us at special.collections@unlv.edu.
Arrangement
The collection is organized into three series:
Series I. Sunridge development records, 1986-2010;
Series II. Foothills development records, 1985-1998;
Series III. MacDonald Properties records, 1972-1996.
Biographical / Historical Note
MacDonald Ranch is a master-planned community in southwest Henderson, Nevada, located in the foothills of the McCullough Mountains. The community is bordered by Eastern Avenue to the west, Horizon Ridge Parkway to the north, the Black Mountains to the east, and the McCullough Mountains and Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area to the south. It consists of multiple developments, including The Foothills, Sunridge at MacDonald Ranch, MacDonald Highlands, and Sun City MacDonald Ranch by Del Webb.
MacDonald Ranch was planned and developed by Richard C. “Rich” MacDonald, Jr. and his wife, Claire MacDonald. Rich and Claire formed MacDonald Properties in 1983 and spent the rest of the decade working with the City of Henderson, the utility companies, and various land planners and engineers to secure the rights and approvals to begin construction. Construction on the various parts of MacDonald Ranch began in the 1990s and continues as of 2025. Separate companies were formed to manage the development of each community within MacDonald Ranch, including the Foothills Partners and the Sunridge Development Company.
The Foothills and Sunridge at MacDonald Ranch were the two earliest developments. Building on the success of these, MacDonald built the luxury community of MacDonald Highlands, including the DragonRidge Country Club. In the 1990s, MacDonald Properties sold a parcel of its original land to Del Webb, which built the retirement community Sun City at MacDonald Ranch. Signature features of MacDonald Ranch include the incorporation of natural elements of the desert hillside in the development’s landscaping, and its elevation, providing views of the surrounding mountains and Las Vegas Valley.
Sources:
Baumer, Jennifer Rachel. “Neighborhood Watch: MacDonald Ranch Country Club.”
Caruso, Monica. “New Sun City planned for Henderson.”
Evans, Charlotte. “Las Vegas Icons.”
Henle, Mike. “Henderson development outlined.”
Local improvement district T-6 bond issue. MacDonald Ranch Development Records, 1972-2010. MS-00892. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada. http://n2t.net/ark:/62930/f13d2x
Richard C. “Rich” MacDonald, Jr. is a real estate developer who has been active in the industry since the late 1960s. He was born in 1945 to Richard “Mac” MacDonald, Sr. and Frances R. MacDonald. The family moved from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1959, where Richard Sr. entered the real estate business.
The MacDonald family moved to Hawaii in 1964, where Rich would begin his real estate career in 1968. He later formed a real estate company there with his parents in 1971. While working and living in Hawaii, the MacDonald family began acquiring land in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada throughout the 1970s. In 1983, the family returned to Las Vegas, where Rich and his wife, Claire, established MacDonald Properties. As of 2025, Rich MacDonald has continued to develop property in the Las Vegas Valley.
Sources:
Local improvement district T-6 bond issue. MacDonald Ranch Development Records, 1972-2010. MS-00892. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada. http://n2t.net/ark:/62930/f13d2x
“MacDonald discovered LV was the most ideal stop of all.”
Preferred Citation
MacDonald Ranch Development Records, 1972-2010. MS-00892. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada. http://n2t.net/ark:/62930/f13d2x
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Acquisition Note
Materials were donated in 2018 and 2024 by Rich MacDonald; accession numbers 2018-039 and 2024-046.
Processing Note
In 2018, as part of an archival backlog elimination project, Jimmy Chang rehoused and arranged the materials, wrote the finding aid, and entered the data into ArchivesSpace. In 2024, Landon Paljusaj processed accession 2024-046. This work consisted of rehousing materials into new boxes and/or folders, updating the collection’s arrangement and description, and integrating the existing materials into the newly-created series. Many folders were in good condition and were reboxed as-is. Folder titles in quotes indicate that the title was copied from an original folder that was discarded. Some of the materials were categorized by the creator with a label and number corresponding to an internal filing system. These labels were transcribed into the general note field. Approximately 2.71 linear feet of materials were discarded, consisting of duplicate material and blank and canceled checks.
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Additions
Further additions to these records are anticipated.