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On February 3, 1989, the Covenant area known as Rancho Santa Fe was unanimously approved as California State Historical Landmark, # 982, by the State Historical Resources Commission. Historical Landmark applications in California must have statewide significance to be considered. The director of California's Department of Parks and Recreation concurred with the S.H.R.C's recommendation. The plaque is on permanent display in the park on Paseo Delicias and following is a little bit of an explanation why Rancho Santa Fe became a State Historical Landmark.
Several Indian tribes lived in the fertile parts of this region we call California. After their first contact with the "white man", many thousands died of diseases they had never known, leaving the land undefended. Rancho Santa Fe was once an Indian rancheria. |
| A Portuguese explorer, Juan Rodriques Cabrillo (employed by Spain) discovered San Diego Bay in 1542. Spain considered California to be their property. Another fellow by the name of Francis Drake, an English sea captain was going around the world and decided to take a look at the coast of California and claimed the land for England and even named it, New Albion. The Spaniards learned of this and feared they might lose California to the English so they sent several expeditions to see if it was worth saving. One of these expeditions was lead by Sebastián Vizcaíno. He named many landmarks along the coast, and sent an enthusiastic report about California to the king of Spain urging that Spain colonize California. |
His advice was finally taken and in 1769, the
governor of Baja California (lower), Gaspar de Portolá, led an expedition
that established the first presidio (military fort) in San Diego.
The soldiers accompanying the governor were known as "leather-jacket soldiers" and it
was one of these who was the father of Juan Maria Osuna. The son, also
became a soldier and for many years served at the San Diego Presidio. In
1806, Osuna married Maria Juliana Josefa Lopez in a ceremony at the San
Diego Mission. Osuna played a major role in the establishment of the pueblo
of San Diego (population 150) and was elected alcalde (mayor). In addition,
Juan Osuna became a Justice of the Peace and was administrator of the San
Diego Mission.
As Mayor, one of Juan Maria Osuna's powers included the
approval of petitions for land and he quiet naturally approved his own
application for the San Dieguito grant (Rancho Santa Fe). In 1845, Governor
Pio Pico awarded him full title to the two square leagues of land (8,824.71
acres) that comprised Rancho San Dieguito. Osuna built an adobe home on the
ranch for himself and his wife and gave an existing adobe to his son, Leandro.
Osuna was considered a fine alcalde but was also a gambling man and lost
some of his land to pay off bad debts. Leandro took possession of the ranch
in 1851 when his father died. Although a veteran of the battle of San Pasqual
in 1846, Leandro was a man of unpredictable temperament and treated the
Indians cruelly. Rumor has it that the Indians tired of his harsh treatment
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| From 1906 to 1917, the Santa Fe Land Improvement Company, a subsidiary of Santa Fe Railway, purchased all the lands that made up the original San Dieguito Land Grant. The railway began planting groves of eucalyptus trees which they wanted to harvest for new railroad ties. The eucalyptus wood was too hard to hammer spikes into so it was decided that the Santa Fe Land Improvement Company should develop the property. |
| Before any development could take place, flooding in the the San Diequito Valley had to be resolved. With the cooperation of Colonel Ed Fletcher, a noted civic leader and developer, William G. Henshaw, who had acquired extensive riparian rights and reservoir sites, and W.E. Hodges, then vice president of the Santa Fe Railway, the agreements were made towards the construction of Lake Hodges Dam. The Santa Fe railway financed the project, Mr. Henshaw contributed the site and the dam opened the area for orchards and residential development. The dam was completed in 1917 and soon thereafter, the Santa Fe Land Improvement Company began a carefully planned subdivision of its tract, using every source to preserve its beauty and historic traditions. |
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Ms. Rice believed that Paseo Delicias, the Civic Center, should be the foundation of the development and a resource for subsequent building throughout the community. Lilian Rice served as supervisory architect for Rancho Santa Fe from 1922 -1928. She designed the school, La Morada (now the Inn), the Civic Center and a number of private residences. Rice also served a the architectural reviewer, a function of the present day Art Jury.
Also, among her many contributions towards preservation of the community's heritage was rehabilitation of the two Osuna adobes. A.H. Barlow, a prominent La Jolla businessman, purchased the historic Leandro Osuna Adobe in 1924, saving it from certain destruction. Serveral years later, Lilian Rice completed its rehabilitiation. It remains intact on a knoll overlooking the San Dieguito River Valley.
Today, Rancho Santa Fe provides country living at its best with a championship calibre golf course and tennis courts, as well as a Riding Club blessed with miles of well maintained, dedicated trails. Children attend an outstanding school and are provided with spacious playgrounds for sports. The beautiful Library and Garden Club present many and varied programs. For the older residents, the Senior Center offers transportation and various other services when needed. The Association Art Jury and the Rancho Santa Fe Historical Society are working to maintain the beauty and traditions of the Ranch, and the many service clubs and social organizations provide for a well rounded and enjoyable life style. |
For Property In Rancho Santa Fe
and Other Luxury
North Coastal Communities
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Prudential California 6119 La Granada / P.O. Box 2708 Rancho Santa Fe CA 92067
Office: (858) 756-5600
E-Mail:
ken@crosbyandhewitt.com
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and poisoned Leandro. They told Leandro of his impending, painfully slow
death and it is said that he committed suicide rather than face such an end.
The care of Rancho San Diequito fell to Juliana, Juan Osuna's,
widow. By 1875, only a small portion of the land remained in the possession
of the Osuna family. The last parcel under their ownership, 116 acres,
was sold in 1910.
The second of the two adobes is believed to have been built by Juan Maria Osuna on the land grant deeded to him around 1845.
Called Rancho San Dieguito, the surrounding land and adobes passed through various owners in the the ensuing years. In 1932, Bing Crosby purchased Adobe #2 with fifty acres and hired Lilian Rice to design an additional house that would blend with the
old adobe. 