Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego, March 2021. A map of Rancho Santa Fe's historic downtown district. A decidely upscale neighborhood, the average home price as of 2020 was $2.7 million.
![Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego, March 2021. Located about 15 miles northeast of San Diego, Rancho Santa Fe is one of the regions most affluent communities. In 1841, Rancho San Dieguito, as it was originally named, was a Mexican land grant of 8,824 acres (35.71 km2) from Governor Pío Pico of Alta California to Juan Maria Osuna, the first alcalde (mayor) of the Pueblo of San Diego.<br />
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In 1906, the Santa Fe Railway, a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, purchased the entire land grant to plant a Blue gum eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) tree plantation for use as railroad ties, but the wood proved too soft to hold railroad spikes. The railroad then formed the Santa Fe Land Improvement Company to develop a planned community of country estates, and 6,200 acres developed from the original Rancho San Dieguito land grant were renamed "Rancho Santa Fe" in 1922.[citation needed]<br />
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In 1921, architect Lilian Rice, working under Requa and Jackson, was chosen to develop the community's master plan. Rice worked through to 1927, designing, supervising, and constructing the village center, as well as several homes.[5] The basics of the original Lilian Rice land plan are in effect to this day, and the resulting low density high green space community is unique in Southern California.<br />
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In 1923, the Santa Fe Land Company constructed a guest house called "La Morada" to house potential land purchasers. It was renamed in 1941, as "The Inn", when it was purchased by a private owner.[6]<br />
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From 1937 to 1947, Bing Crosby hosted a golf tournament known as the "Bing Crosby Clambake" at the Rancho Santa Fe Country Club. Crosby's golf tournaments, which included Hollywood celebrities matched against professionals, drew great crowds to the area. After 1947, the tournament was moved to Monterey Peninsula, just outside San Francisco.<br />
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In 1989, "The Covenant" of Rancho Santa Fe was registered as California Historical Landmark #982 for its status as a historic planned community.<br />
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In 1996, the religious cult Heaven's Gate began renting a mansion in Rancho Santa Fe which, in March 1997, became the site of the group's mass suicide.<br />
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In 2007, the Witch Fire caused significant damage to Rancho Santa Fe, damaging or destroying over 80 homes.](https://photos.smugmug.com/Neighborhoods-Of-San-Diego/Rancho-Santa-Fe-San-Diego-March-2021/i-r9LkGz6/2/0a68ba59/Ti/_67A0255-Ti.jpg)
