Rancho Santa Fe

Rancho Santa Fe or ‘The Ranch,’ as it is known locally, was first inhabited by Kumeyaay Indian communities until being colonized by Spanish conquistadors in the early 19th century.

In the 1830’s, a significant portion of then-called Rancho San Dieguito, came under the possession of Juan Maria Osuna. A respected soldier in the San Diego Company, Osuna’s ranch overlooks the San Dieguito River Valley where his now-protected adobe house still stands.

At the turn of the century, the Santa Fe Railway purchased Osuna’s tract and several others that had made up the San Dieguito area. The new owners littered the landscape with millions of fast-growing eucalyptus trees in hopes of supplying cheap lumber for railroad ties. The experiment failed, but ultimately culminated in the development of gentleman-farmer estates, setting the stage for the California community to blossom.

Throughout the 20th century a long line of notable persons left indelible marks on The Ranch.

One is Lilian Rice – designer and master architect of the ‘Village’ Civic Center.

Another, L.G. Sinnard, led the Santa Fe Land Improvement Company in 1921. Under his direction, Rancho Santa Fe’s rural infrastructure was planned, constructed, and standardized over five years.

Colonel Ed Fletcher, former California State Senator and salesman, worked with the Santa Fe Railway and other community leaders to undertake the construction of the Lake Hodges Dam.

Today, Rancho Santa Fe is a vibrant community, rich in architecture, California culture and history. To date 9 historically significant buildings have been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

 

This information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. You should rely on this information only to decide whether or not to further investigate a particular property. BEFORE MAKING ANY OTHER DECISION, YOU SHOULD PERSONALLY INVESTIGATE THE FACTS (e.g. square footage and lot size) with the assistance of an appropriate professional. You may use this information only to identify properties you may be interested in investigating further. All uses except for personal, non-commercial use in accordance with the foregoing purpose are prohibited. Redistribution or copying of this information, any photographs or video tours is strictly prohibited.

This information is derived from the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) service provided by San Diego MLS. Displayed property listings may be held by a brokerage firm other than the broker and/or agent responsible for this display. The information and any photographs and video tours and the compilation from which they are derived is protected by copyright. Compilation © 2024 San Diego MLS. SanDiego