Are you interested in learning more about the history of Rancho Santa Fe? Then why not consider taking a self guided walking tour offered by the Rancho Santa Fe Historical Society. The tour offers a brief historical overview of Rancho Santa Fe by examining the buildings and architecture that define this beautiful city. Here are some of the highlights:
La Flecha House
The La Flecha House is the first home in Rancho Santa Fe designed by Lillian Rice in 1923. It’s a great example of the Spanish Colonial Revival architectural style that she set for the community. The La Flecha House was also one of the first residences in San Diego county to be all-electric, and it served as its first library. It was given to the Rancho Santa Fe Historical Society in 1988 by the Reitz family. The RSF Historical Society is housed in the La Flecha House and is home to all its artifacts, documents, photographs and furniture.
Original Rancho Santa Fe Garden Club
Lillian Rice changed her architectural style in 1937 for this board and batten building. The land it sits on was donated by the Santa Fe Land Improvement Company, and private donors contributed to the building of the clubhouse and the acquisition of its furnishings. Country Friends now occupies the building, an organization that grew out of the original Garden Club.
The Inn
The Inn was designed in 1923 by Lillian Rice and was originally called “La Morada”. This building not only served as accommodations for prospective buyers during the early days of Rancho Santa Fe, but it also helped to solidify the city’s architectural style.
Country Squire Courtyard
This courtyard features an arched entry that opens into a charming small pool. It originally provided space for equipment for the Santa Fe Land Improvement Company and Glen Moore, the landscape architect who worked with Lillian Rice on many of Rancho Santa Fe’s early estates.
The Francisco Building
The Francisco Building is an office building completed in 1923 and was also the location of the first post office for Rancho Santa Fe. It housed a single counter and a scale at the rear of the room. In 1938 Robert Francisco purchased the building and opened “Ashley’s”, which for many years was Rancho Santa Fe’s only market.
About the Rancho Santa Fe Historical Society
The mission of the Rancho Santa Fe Historical Society is to collect, preserve, research, and interpret the documents, photos, and artifacts that connect us and Rancho Santa Fe to its past. The opportunity to learn more about the history of this special village is offered through exhibitions, historic sites, archives, special events, educational programs and publications.
The RSF Historical Society provides educational tours and lectures to students of all ages, offers their archives to researchers, and provides expertise and advice to residents on the preservation of historic homes. They are located at the corner of Via de Santa Fe & La Flecha Avenue, and are open from 10am – 3pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
A downloadable copy of the Rancho Santa Fe Walking Tour brochure can be found at http://ranchosantafehistoricalsociety.org/self-guided-tour/.
