Olivenhain is the easternmost community of Encinitas, bordering the western part of Rancho Santa Fe in North County San Diego. It consists mainly of custom single-family homes on large lots, set among rolling hills and narrow winding roads, with a large network of trails for walkers and horse riders.[1]
History
Olivenhain lies on the old Rancho Las Encinitas Mexican land grant, given to Andrés Ybarra in 1842.[1][2] German immigrants settled a colony there in the 1890s under the Homestead Act. The name is German for "olive grove".[1][2] The settlers set up an experimental farming community along Escondido Creek, upstream of San Elijo Lagoon. Their ploughing of the creek corridors was the first large human change to the vegetation around the lagoon.[3]
Olivenhain stayed unincorporated until 1986, when it joined Leucadia, Cardiff-by-the-Sea and Encinitas to form the city.[1]
Olivenhain Meeting Hall
The German settlers built a meeting hall that still stands. It hosts community functions including the annual Oktoberfest, a haunted house, a summer movie series, craft fairs and civic meetings. Residents can book the hall and grounds for private events, and it is a popular wedding venue.[1] Encinitas's citywide Oktoberfest is held on the last Sunday in September.[2]
Landscape and land use
Minimum lot sizes in Olivenhain range from half an acre to five acres. The topography is rolling, and most streets are small and wind through the hills.[1] The community includes a 4-H Club and several private equestrian facilities.[2] Hot-air balloons are a common sight in the late afternoon and at dusk.[1]
Olivenhain has a Dark Sky Policy that restricts street lights, tennis-court lighting and other light pollution, so its night sky is noticeably darker than that of coastal San Diego towns.[1] Encinitas Boulevard connects the community west to the coast and east to Rancho Santa Fe.[2]
Trails and nature
A large network of recreational trails crosses Olivenhain for pedestrians and equestrians.[1] Escondido Creek, which drains a watershed of about 54,000 acres, runs through the area to San Elijo Lagoon.[3] See parks and nature for the lagoon reserves.
Education
Olivenhain is in the Encinitas Union School District and the San Dieguito Union High School District. Elementary students attend Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary, then Diegueño Middle School, which opened in 1985. Public high-school students attend La Costa Canyon High School or San Dieguito Academy, and several private schools are nearby.[1][4]
Services for large properties
Large lots, long driveways and equestrian facilities mean Olivenhain households often need contractors who serve semi-rural property. Many trades in this wiki's directory list service areas that include Olivenhain and neighbouring Rancho Santa Fe; see electricians, roofers, plumbers and HVAC. Contractor licences can be checked with the Contractors State License Board.[5]
Community life
The meeting hall is the centre of Olivenhain's community life. Besides Oktoberfest it hosts a haunted house, summer films, craft fairs and civic meetings, and its grounds are a popular wedding venue.[1] The community's 4-H Club and private equestrian facilities reflect its agricultural roots.[2] The skies above it, protected by the Dark Sky Policy, are some of the darkest in coastal San Diego County.[1]
Olivenhain's semi-rural character is protected by its large minimum lot sizes, which range from half an acre to five acres.[1]
Common questions
- What does Olivenhain mean?
- It is German for "olive grove". The community was settled by a German colony in the 1890s.
- Is Olivenhain part of Encinitas?
- Yes. It joined the City of Encinitas at incorporation in 1986.
- Why is it so dark at night in Olivenhain?
- Olivenhain has a Dark Sky Policy that limits street lights and other outdoor lighting.
See also
Notes and sources
- Olivenhain, Encinitas, California. Wikipedia.
- Encinitas, California. Wikipedia.
- San Elijo Lagoon. Wikipedia.
- San Dieguito Union High School District. Wikipedia.
- Check a License. Contractors State License Board.