Local History

Rancho Santa Fe was originally created from the Juan Osuna Ranch back in 1906, when the Santa Fe Railroad purchased the area now known as "The Covenant" and planted most of the 3,000,000 Eucalyptus trees to be used for railroad ties and then discovered that the wood wasn't suited for the heavy demands of the trains. From that point on the railroad built The Inn and divided the Ranch into varying size parcels and proceeded to start selling lots. The railroad hired an architect from San Francisco, by the name of Lillian Rice who felt the area was ideally suited for Spanish style architecture and laid out the plan for the village as well as designing homes for some of the first settlers. Over the years, due to extremely good architectural control "The Ranch" is now considered one of the "Top 10" communities in the U.S. and was rated #1 community by The Robb Report Magazine, in a recent article.

The Covenant area is populated by approximately 1500 very active households that enjoy a lifestyle that is the envy of everyone who visits 'The Ranch'. The golf course is reserved mainly for homeowners along with over 21 miles of horse and hiking trails that meander through the Covenant boundaries. The many clubs and civic organizations allow anyone to become integrated into the community in a very short time. The age mix ranges from young executive families to youthful retirees that enjoy an active lifestyle.

Besides "The Covenant", there are other lovely areas in Rancho Santa Fe that are in either gated communities, built around golf courses, or have their own special amenities to offer. After looking at various areas from San Francisco south, most residents will say that they chose Rancho Santa Fe for their home, due to the best weather, fewer tourists, great schools, great sports facilities, and a life style that just doesn't exist in too many other communities.