San Diego county real estate
City: Solana Beach


The first known residents of the Solana Beach area migrated here from Nevada and eastern California about 9000 BC. Known as the San Dieguitos, they relied on large herd animals for food , and lived here for about 2000 years before new people began moving in. The new inhabitants, known as La Jollans, dwelled in small bands along the coast, and around the lagoons, and were seafood collectors and seed gatherers. The inflow of the La Jollans forced the San Dieguitos to adapt to new ways of hunting and living. Evidence of these early settlers can still be found on the bluffs and rolling hills east of the ocean.

In their turn, the La Jollans were ousted, or absorbed, by a new group of immigrants from the Colorado River area known as the Yumans. They fished and foraged along the coast, and gathered acorns, pinon nuts and other edibles in the mountains. They were peaceful, healthy, attractive and good-natured.

The discovery of small metates off the Solana Beach reef has provided some archeological history from the shell mounds in the area. When the Spanish first explored the area Indians were living around the lagoons from Del Mar to Oceanside.

The Spanish arrived in 1769 led by Don Gaspar de Portola. Portola's charge was to press north from San Diego to Monterey Bay where he was to establish a mission and a colony. He was, of course, accompanied by Franciscan padres, whose job it was to convert the local Indians. In traveling between the San Diego and Monterey missions, the Portola party established a trail that was later known as El Camino Real. In the Solana Beach area, the Spanish traveled inland to avoid the many marshes and inlets near the coast. The original road crossed at Conley's corners on Via De La Valle which is now the east end of the Polo Field. Captain Juan Bautista Anza came within a stone's throw of Solana Beach on his now famous trek from Sonora to San Gabriel in 1774.

Control of the area passed to Mexico when it gained independence from Spain in 1822. Many of the inhabitants were sons and grandsons of the original Spanish settlers who became influential in government and were owners of enormous ranchos. Many thousands of acres in what is now San Diego County became privately owned during the Mexican regime. The then current mayor of the City of San Diego, Juan Maria Osuna, claimed the land known as Rancho San Dieguito in 1840. His eldest son, Leandro, lived in a three-room adobe overlooking El Camino Real, and Osuna soon built his own adobe about a mile east. Restored in 1923, the house is located in Rancho Santa Fe.

Following the Mexican War with the United States, California became a U.S. territory, and on September 9, 1850 was admitted to the Union. Until the 1860's and the gradual influx of the Anglos, the Californios (early Mexican, large land owners) continued to dominate life in the Solana Beach area. The County of San Diego was established by the State Legislature on February 18, 1850. The population numbered 790. Records show that the first American homesteader in the vast San Luis Rey District, was William A. Ewing who took up 180 acres in the San Dieguito River valley in 1862.

Grandpa Frank Knowles, who died more than 50 years ago came to the San Dieguito area in 1885. He had memory of a few Indians living on the San Elijo Lagoon at that time. He lived to 104 years of age. The main area known as Solana Beach was originally called Lockwood Mesa and was first settled by the George Jones family in 1886. Chief crops were grain and lima beans.

The oldest house in Solana Beach is the Steven's House, originally located on the Molly Glen Ranch in what is now Solana Beach. The ranch was established by Henry and Belle Sanford of Del Mar on the south slopes of Solana Hills. Their spread included the site of the Del Mar Fair Grounds and Race Track. In 1898, the ranch was bought by Edwin Stevens and his parents for whom Stevens Street and Stevens Creek are named. The Stevenses were originally from New York, but later lived in North Dakota where James West Stevens was a State Senator in the 1st legislature of that state (1892-1896).

Grandma Stevens, as Susannah was known, was a celebrity when she reached her 105th birthday. By the time she had turned 100 she had been interviewed and photographed by many L.A. and San Diego newspapers. She and her husband, James, celebrated their 60th anniversary with a big party on the Del Mar Beach in 1906. James died in 1907 and Susannah died a few days short of her 106th birthday in June 1927. Grandma Stevens lived in the ranch house from 1892 until her death in 1927.

After Susannah's death her heirs began selling off portions of the ranch property. The house itself and a small piece of the original ranch changed hands twice after her death. The final owners found pieces of old 1890 newspapers under the wallpaper when they lived there. The Stevens House today is in La Colonia Park and houses the Solana Beach Heritage Museum. It is open on Fridays from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm or by appointment by calling (858) 755-6213.

The area encompassing Solana Beach began to develop rapidly, when Lake Hodges Dam was built in 1917-18. The creation of the 12,000 acre Santa Fe Irrigation District in 1918 insured that the area from Rancho Santa Fe through Solana Beach would prosper and expand. The coastline from Solana Beach to Oceanside began to boom in the early 20's. In 1922 Ed Fletcher (an early community leader) purchased 140 acres at $20 per acre from farmer George H. Jones to develop the town of Solana Beach, under the watchful eye of his brother-in-law, Eugene Batcheldor. The Solana Beach area was promoted as an avocado growing center. This paralleled the development of the entire county during the 1924-29 period.

In order to provide an ocean view for the town, hydraulic water pressure was used to erode away tons of earth and create the Fletcher Cove entry and beach. This took one man three months with a fire hose, using water that was coming over the spillway at Lake Hodges Dam. Fletcher also built the Bank of Solana Beach, which he subsequently sold to the Bank of America. He was later forced to sell half of Solana Beach when the depression hit in 1929. At this time Solana Beach had a business center, a Ford agency, a bank, grocery, drugstore and other allied businesses.

The depression stifled growth in Solana Beach. The price of lots tumbled and land went back to the San Dieguito Irrigation district for lack of tax payments. For almost a decade progress was at a standstill. With the approach of clouds of World War II, the community began to stir. It was not until the early 1950's that the community reached a stage of development predicted for the early 1930's.

After World War II, the community began to grow. The Chamber of Commerce was formed. A sanitation district and a fire district were created. For a 10 year period between 1950 and 1960, the community underwent tremendous growth. The Bill Jack plant (1949) introduced industry into the area and private contractors built a number of homes. Marview Heights, land originally owned by the Santa Fe Irrigation District and later sold as individual home sites by Fred Howland Ford and his brother, gave impetus to local residential development. Eden Gardens, one the oldest residential areas of Solana Beach, was a community formed by Mexican farmers who were hired by the owners of large ranches in Rancho Santa Fe and the Molly Glen Ranch. The farmers wanted to have their families nearby, hence the formation of the Colonia. The name Eden Gardens came later from a developer who thought it would be a good sales tool. Many still refer to it as La Colonia.

The money market tumbled in 1959-60 and it was not until late 1967 that the trend reversed itself. Paul Tchang, a San Diego builder, had constructed almost 100 premium homes in Solana Beach by 1969, 33 more were built in 1970 and 500 more from 1971 to1977. Lomas Santa Fe completed their golf course and opened the sale of lots in Isla Verde in 1968. This signaled the beginning of a real estate boom which lasted well into the 80's and 90's. After a brief interval in the mid 90's, real estate sales were once again on the rise.

As the community progressed additional emphasis was placed on beautification. The Solana Beach Women's Civic Club (reorganized as the Civic and Historical Society in 1989) gave the town a positive identity with the renovation of the plaza and installation of the Sun Burst Fountain. They were also instrumental in the removal of numerous billboards along Highway 101 (replacing them with trees), and installing welcome signs at City entry-points. Recent years have seen the incorporation of Solana Beach in 1986, creation of the Cedros Design District, building of the Solana Beach train station, formation of the 101 Merchants Association, construction of a new library, and the influx of many new businesses too numerous to include here.

The residents of the coastal community of Solana Beach officially incorporated as a city in 1986. A Council-Manager form of government was established. (City Government)

Approximately 14, 000 residents reside in the 4 square miles beach community of Solana Beach. The Pacific Ocean is to the west, the City of Encinitas to the north and the City of Del Mar to the south. The unincorporated community of Rancho Santa Fe is located on the east side of Solana Beach. Property values in the upscale community have appreciated significantly since the community incorporated in 1986. The business community has equally enjoyed the prosperity of a healthy economy. The community is home for many artisans, high tech business and professionals.

The elementary school district is composed of five elementary schools, of which only two are actually within the city limits of Solana Beach. The middle school is under the administration of the San Dieguito Union High School District. The high school students in the area attend Torrey Pines High School located to the south of Solana Beach. Additionally there are several private and parochial schools in Solana Beach. (Schools)

The City has two community centers, Fletcher Cove and La Colonia. The Community Center at La Colonia Park was dedicated on May 5, 1991. Program activities include adult education classes, a meeting location for numerous community groups, i.e. narcotics anonymous, civic & historical society, federal food distributions, toastmasters, swami surf, soccer clubs, little league, girl and boy scouts and Indian guides. Additionally, individuals frequently rent the community centers for private functions. In November of 1996, a community storefront office for the San Diego County Sheriff's department was instituted at the community center in La Colonia Park.

In 1995 the train station was moved from Del Mar to Solana Beach. Additionally, in 1999, North County Transit District and the City completed a multi-million dollar project to lower the train tracks under Lomas Santa Fe Drive.

The South Cedros area of the City has been developed as an upscale design district that attracts many artisans, decorators and antique dealers. The area continues to be a focal point for the city.