Rancho Santa Fe, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rancho Santa Fe
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| Nickname(s):
The Ranch
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 Rancho Santa Fe, California
Location in San Diego County, California
Rancho Santa Fe, California
Location in southern California
Rancho Santa Fe, California
Location in California
Rancho Santa Fe, California
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State | California |
| County | San Diego |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.788 sq mi (17.581 km2) |
| • Land | 6.715 sq mi (17.392 km2) |
| • Water | 0.073 sq mi (0.189 km2) 1.07% |
| Elevation | 246 ft (75 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 3,156 |
| • Density | 464.94/sq mi (179.51/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific Time Zone) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes |
92067, 92091
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| Area code | 858 |
| FIPS code | 06-59584 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 247968, 2409138 |
| Reference #: | 982 |
Rancho Santa Fe is a special community in San Diego County, California. It's called a census-designated place (CDP) because it's a specific area counted by the government. In 2020, about 3,156 people lived here.
This area is mostly homes. It also has a few shops, a middle school, an elementary school, and some restaurants. Rancho Santa Fe is next to the Fairbanks Ranch community, Solana Beach, and Encinitas.
Contents
History of Rancho Santa Fe
Early Days: Rancho San Dieguito
Back in 1841, this area was known as Rancho San Dieguito. It was a large piece of land, about 8,824 acres. The governor of Alta California, Pío Pico, gave this land to Juan Maria Osuna. He was the first alcalde (or mayor) of the Pueblo of San Diego.
Santa Fe Railway's Plans
In 1906, the Santa Fe Railway bought all this land. They wanted to grow Blue gum eucalyptus trees. Their plan was to use the wood for railroad ties. However, the wood turned out to be too soft. It couldn't hold the railroad spikes needed for tracks.
So, the railway company started a new plan. They formed the Santa Fe Land Improvement Company. This company decided to build a planned community of country estates. In 1922, 6,200 acres of the original land were renamed "Rancho Santa Fe."
Designing the Community
In 1921, a talented architect named Lilian Jeannette Rice was chosen. She worked on the community's master plan. From 1921 to 1927, Lilian Rice designed and oversaw the building of the village center. She also designed several homes in the area.
In 1923, the Santa Fe Land Company built a guest house. It was called "La Morada." This house was for people who might want to buy land in the new community. In 1941, a private owner bought it and renamed it "The Inn."
Famous Visitors and Events
From 1937 to 1947, the famous singer and actor Bing Crosby hosted a golf tournament here. It was called the "Bing Crosby Clambake." Hollywood celebrities played against professional golfers. This event brought many people to Rancho Santa Fe. After 1947, the tournament moved to Monterey Peninsula.
A Historic Planned Community
In 1989, "The Covenant" of Rancho Santa Fe became a California Historical Landmark. It was recognized as a historic planned community. Its official number is #982.
Witch Fire Impact
In 2007, a large wildfire called the Witch Fire hit Rancho Santa Fe. It caused a lot of damage. Over 80 homes were damaged or completely destroyed.
Geography and Climate
Where is Rancho Santa Fe?
Rancho Santa Fe is located at coordinates 33°1′26″N 117°12′0″W.
The area covers about 6.8 square miles (17.6 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 6.7 square miles (17.4 square kilometers), is land. A small part, about 0.1 square miles (0.2 square kilometers), is water.
Rancho Santa Fe's Climate
Rancho Santa Fe has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. This type of climate is common in areas like the Mediterranean Sea. It means the summers are warm and dry, and the winters are mild and wet.
The weather here is similar to the rest of the San Diego area. However, because Rancho Santa Fe is higher up and a bit further inland, its temperatures can change more throughout the day and year.
People of Rancho Santa Fe
Population in 2010
In 2010, the population of Rancho Santa Fe was 3,117 people. Most of the people living here were White (93.4%). There were also people of Asian (2.8%), African American (0.3%), and other backgrounds. About 5.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
There were 1,195 households. About 30.5% of these households had children under 18. The average household had 2.61 people. The median age of residents was 51.3 years old.
Most people (85.8%) lived in homes they owned. The median household income was very high, over $188,859. This shows that Rancho Santa Fe is a very wealthy community.
Population in 2000
In 2000, there were 3,252 people living in Rancho Santa Fe. The racial makeup was similar to 2010, with most residents being White (93.33%). The median age was 47 years.
The median household income was over $200,000. Rancho Santa Fe was known as the second wealthiest community in the United States at that time.
Education in Rancho Santa Fe
Rancho Santa Fe has several school districts that serve its students:
- Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School District
- Solana Beach School District (for Pre-Kindergarten through 6th grade)
- San Dieguito Union High School District (for 7th through 12th grade)
The public library in Rancho Santa Fe is part of the San Diego County Library system. Anyone living in California can use it. The Rancho Santa Fe Library Guild owns the library building and land. They also provide staff for the children's room.
Famous People from Rancho Santa Fe
Many well-known people have lived or currently live in Rancho Santa Fe. Here are a few:
- Warren Barton, a former English football player
- Bud Black, a baseball manager for the Colorado Rockies
- Drew Brees, a former NFL quarterback
- Jenny Craig, who started the Jenny Craig weight loss company
- Steve Finley, a former major league baseball player
- Taylor Fritz, a professional tennis player
- Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft
- Jonathan Goldsmith, an actor
- Gordon Hayward, a professional basketball player
- Charley Hoffman, a professional golfer
- Trevor Hoffman, a former professional baseball player
- Kawhi Leonard, a professional basketball player
- Mike Love, a singer and songwriter from The Beach Boys
- Phil Mickelson, a professional golfer
- Bill Murray, a famous actor
- Reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran, a royal figure
- Philip Rivers, a professional football player
- Arnold Schwarzenegger, a former bodybuilder, actor, and governor of California (has a vacation home)
- Richard Simmons, an actor and weight loss guru
- Tiger Woods, a professional golfer (has a vacation home)
Notable Former Residents
Some famous people who used to live in Rancho Santa Fe include:
- Jackson D. Arnold, a retired Admiral from the U.S. Navy
- Glen Bell, who founded Taco Bell
- Bing Crosby, the famous actor and singer
- Howard Hughes, a business leader and filmmaker
- Joan Kroc, a philanthropist and wife of McDonald's founder Ray Kroc
- Victor Mature, a stage and film actor
- Patti Page, a well-known singer and actress
- Lilian Jennette Rice, the architect who designed parts of Rancho Santa Fe
- Pete Rozelle, a former commissioner of the NFL
- Milburn Stone, an actor known for "Doc Adams" on Gunsmoke
- Bill Paxton, an actor
See also
In Spanish: Rancho Santa Fe para niños
