Escondido History Center

Our Office and Research Center in the city's first Library Complex here at Grape Day Park is open again, 10:00-4:00 pm Tuesday - Saturday. Stop in to see our World War I/Spanish Flu Pandemic or buy one of our recently published pictorial books. Due to limited staffing, we recommend call 760-743-8207 to make sure we'll be there if you're planning a visit.

We're happy to announce that the Santa Fe Depot here in our History Center Complex at Grape Day Park, will finally be open to the public again this Saturday from 1:00-4:00 pm. Masks required, limited entry; household groups are asked to stay together once inside. See railroad artifacts and memorabilia as well as items from Escondido's distant past. As always, we do not charge admission but donations are gratefully accepted.

Our handsome 2021 Wall Calendars are now ON SALE for just $5 each! With January behind us (How did that happen so fast!), we're discounting our terrific wall calendars. Enjoy this BARGAIN price because they still have 11-1/2 great months for tracking all the stuff you have coming up. The beautiful photos, some in black and while and some in color, were taken by respected local photojournalist Dan Rios over the course of 30 years; something to enjoy forever. You can purchase your calendar at the History Center in Grape Day Park (call 760-743-8207 to schedule an appointment) or Rosemary-Duff Florist, El Plantio Nursery, Owens Automotive, or the Urban Barn. Photo is featured for August, a past shot of one of the trains that still come to Escondido regularly.

Our beautiful new books - Escondido, A Pictorial History - are flying out the door, thanks to a nice recent article in the San Diego Union Tribune. We look forward to selling more of them, to help more members of our community renew memories and learn more about our local history, as well as to help pay for our ongoing operations expenses. Instructions for buying copies can be found in the comments. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com//new-book-out-on-esco

We’re at the Farmers Market right now, selling our Great wall calendars and books. Come by and say hello! If you can’t make it today, we plan to be here next Tuesday, too. Corner of Grand and Juniper in Heritage Park.

Happy New Year! Here's a free online jigsaw puzzle for you to assemble of the January photograph from our attractive new wall calendar, which features historic photos of Escondido taken by respected photojournalist Dan Rios. This photograph shows interesting perspective as a welder works on the California Center for the Arts, Escondido in August of 1994. Rios was assigned coverage of the Center's construction for the Times-Advocate and he took more than 8,000 photos of the site, from beginning to end. Visit www.escondidohistory.org to buy a calendar or our new book. https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=30b8d77201cc

2021 Wall Calendars are still available! These handsome calendars, featuring historic photos of Escondido, can be purchased online at the link or in person. They're now available at the Urban Barn, 404 E. Grand, as well as at Rosemary-Duff Florist, 101 W. 2nd; Owens Automotive, 302 N. Juniper; and El Plantio Nursery, 1322 San Pasqual Valley Rd., so that you can combine stops while you're out. They're nice gifts to others - and to yourself, too - don't start the New Year without one!

The lights are on and we’re in the train depot at Grape Day Park for the Northern Lights event. We’re handing out candy canes and selling our new calendars and books. The authors of the history book are here signing copies, too. Come by and see us tonight and tomorrow night, 6 - 9:00.

Enjoy the free light display at the Center for the Arts and Grape Day Park this evening - and do some Christmas shopping at the same time! We'll be selling our new calendars and books from 6 - 9:00 pm. at the train depot. Stop by and say hello!

We are extremely pleased to announce that our latest book is now available for sale. This attractive 248-page book, "Escondido, A Pictorial History of the Hidden Valley," features hundreds of full-color and black-and-white historical photos. Written by History Center Director Robin Fox and local historian Carol Rea, this book is certain to be enjoyed for years to come. Call 760-743-8207 to schedule a time to pick up your copy at the History Center office in Grape Day Park or order through our website, www.escondidohistory.org when our ordering process is ready.

Our train depot is so nicely decorated as part of the Center for the Arts Northern Lights event that we added some very merry lights to our office/research center, the city’s first library, too. Many thanks to the Brothers of 6 for putting up the lights that were provided by an anonymous donor today.

Quite a scare at the History Center today the original Bandy Blacksmith outhouse burned, catching the large bay tree next to it on fire and damaging a small windmill. While flames reached more than 25 feet into the air and the small wood structure was totally destroyed, quick action by the fire department meant that the nearby tank house, Victorian House, and Library office were not significantly damaged. Fire investigators determined the fire to be of suspicious nature and the investigation continues; please contact the Escondido Police Department if you have any information regarding who might have started it.

A big thank you to the Escondido Times-Advocate for helping us get the word out about our new calendar, too. Local photojournalist Dan Rios did a wonderful job capturing everyday life moments in Escondido and we are honored to share a few with our community. https://www.times-advocate.com//history-center-releases-2/

Museum collections can include incredibly diverse artifacts, each with varying degrees of significance. The story behind this simple window washer’s tool is compelling and a fine reminder of an event we must never forget - 9-11.

Our awesome friends, the Brothers of 6, came by to help spruce up the grounds again last Saturday. They raked, swept, and handled other tasks to make our complex look better for visitors to Grape Day Park. Thanks, guys!

We appreciate the Union Tribune for the great article about our very special calendar featuring historic local photos. They’re selling well - have you purchased yours yet?

Today is Giving Tuesday and we’re getting close to reaching our goal for this year’s Matching Campaign. Please help us reach our goal so that we can continue to preserve and share our community history!

Do you shop with Amazon? Did you know that a percentage of what you spend can benefit the History Center without raising the cost of what you buy? It's easy to set up and, once you do, AmazonSmile will automatically donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible Amazon purchases to benefit our organization. Support the Escondido History Center by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com today! For more information, click on the link. https://smile.amazon.com///homepage/ref=smi_chpf_redirect

We're proud to have been a big part of its restoration. Thank you, SOHO for protecting this significant piece of local history!

Happy Thanksgiving! We hope you are appreciating this special day, thinking of all the things that you can be thankful for in these difficult times. We are truly grateful to the community for supporting us to ensure that we are able to preserve Escondido's past for the future. And, turkeys! This photograph is from 1910 in what is now the Old Escondido Historic District.

Appropriate for the coming holiday, we're counting our blessings this week and a big one happened last Wednesday. The City Council approved grant funds that will go toward making urgent repairs on the Hoffman Victorian House! Those funds, along with the $15,000 a very generous friend donated specifically toward replacing the roof, will mean that we have a shot at stopping the leaks that are damaging the interior. We're optimistic that the poor old building will begin to look better, or at least be better protected within 3-4. months. Funds were also allocated by the city to put a new roof on the barn, which was also sorely needed. Things are definitely looking up for the Escondido History Center complex!

Happy Independence Day! Celebrate this special day in a fun way but safely, like this band parading down Grand Avenue on July 9, 1909. This is just one of the thousands of photographs in our collection; to view more than a thousand online, visit https://www.escondidohistory.org/photographs-collection

It’s been a good week for the Escondido History Center. Today the Brothers of 6 came out to help us a lot! In addition to freshening up the grounds, which meant filling 7 bags with leaves and trash, they cleaned out the charred debris from between the office and Victorian House, hauling it with a small cart and trash cans to a distant dumpster. They also moved out a very heavy display case and other items to make it possible to move a carriage into the Train Depot. We owe a great deal to these dedicated and enthusiastic historic preservationists!

Congratulations to all of our Escondido Legends honorees!

Even though we won't be be able to provide our regular guided walking tour this Saturday, you can still explore the Old Escondido Neighborhood on your own, at your own convenience. Two downloadable maps, one for the east side and the other for the west, with directions and information about the historic homes, can be found at https://www.escondidohistory.org/tours. Happy walking and stay healthy!

How do you get a carriage through a narrow entry door? You take the wheels off! Our Bandy blacksmiths and wheelwrights built this bright yellow carriage based on historic designs from scratch about three years ago and it’s been stored in the barn, unseen by the public most of its lifetime. This morning, it moved into the Train Depot lobby, where it will be seen more often once we’re allowed to open again.

We're very pleased that museums have finally been approved to open at the end of this week - with specific conditions we will need to prepare for. We look forward to opening the buildings within our complex to the public again, but with many of our current volunteer docents in the greater risk groups, our opening will probably be slightly delayed and limited initially. If YOU would like to help out - even one Saturday each month, 1:00-4:00, contact us and let us know! We'll provide training and you'll make a difference in the community by sharing Escondido's heritage with visitors of all ages. Email [email protected] or call 760-743-8207 for more information.

Beautiful 2021 wall calendars with historic photographs now on sale! The Escondido History Center is raising needed funds by selling this "must have" calendar. "Escondido Remembers" features 12 photographs from Escondido's past by prolific local photojournalist Dan Rios. Priced at only $15 each, it's a treasure to give as a gift or buy for yourself! Visit https://www.escondidohistory.org/product-page to order online or pick one up at one of the following locations: -Esco...ndido History Center in Grape Day Park -Rosemary Duff Florist, 101 W. 2nd Ave. -Grangetto’s Farm & Garden Supply, 1105 W. Mission Ave. -El Plantio Nursery & Landscaping, 1322 San Pasqual Valley Rd. -Owens Automotive, 302 N. Juniper St. -Hair Station, 240 W. Crest St., Ste. C See more

Please consider donating to the History Center. Your contribution will be matched, so the value of your donation, no matter how small or big, will be doubled.

It’s a beautiful day today and the area around our buildings is looking much better again, thanks to the efforts of the Brothers of 6 (and two of their hard-working kids) who came by yesterday to clean up cobwebs, leaves, and trash. Inside the office/research center, work is ongoing to install a new exhibit. We look forward to opening to the public again during phase 4 - thank you for your patience.

Quite a scare at the History Center today the original Bandy Blacksmith outhouse burned, catching the large bay tree next to it on fire and damaging a small windmill. While flames reached more than 25 feet into the air and the small wood structure was totally destroyed, quick action by the fire department meant that the nearby tank house, Victorian House, and Library office were not significantly damaged. Fire investigators determined the fire to be of suspicious nature and the investigation continues; please contact the Escondido Police Department if you have any information regarding who might have started it.

"Memories of their deeds fade away, but their glory, never." In this photo from Memorial Day 1969, members of Barracks 449, Veterans of WWI, gathered at a monument inscribed with those words at Oak Hill Cemetery. Barracks 449, WWI, received its charter Feb 4, 1956, with 158 members. The average age of a WWI Veteran at the time of this photo, half a century ago, was 74 years. All its members having passed away, Barracks 449 no longer exists. May we all keep their glory, and that of all who gave the last full measure of devotion to our country, foremost in our minds on this Memorial Day.

Happy Mothers Day from the Escondido History Center!

Do you shop with Amazon? Did you know that a percentage of what you spend can benefit the History Center without raising the cost of what you buy? It's easy to set up and, once you do, AmazonSmile will automatically donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible Amazon purchases to benefit our organization. Support the Escondido History Center by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com today! For more information, click on the link. https://smile.amazon.com///homepage/ref=smi_chpf_redirect

Today, Tuesday, is Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving and unity as an emergency response to the unprecedented needs caused by COVID-19. The History Center is grateful to those who have already donated to help us through this difficult time. If you haven’t yet and you’re able to assist us with any amount, please consider clicking the donation button to play your part in helping us continue to carry out our mission to collect, preserve, and exhibit the history of our community. Take care and stay healthy!

We're proud to have been a big part of its restoration. Thank you, SOHO for protecting this significant piece of local history!

The Escondido History Center has been serving our community since 1956 and we've had our share of challenges over the years, but nothing like what we are experiencing today. We’ve had to postpone fundraising events and presentations and close our facilities to the public, but we are here to stay, even though expenses continue. Tomorrow, Tuesday, is Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving and unity as an emergency response to the unprecedented needs caused by COVID-19. Please consider clicking the donation button to play your part in helping us continue to carry out our mission to collect, preserve, and exhibit the history of our community.

"Memories of their deeds fade away, but their glory, never." In this photo from Memorial Day 1969, members of Barracks 449, Veterans of WWI, gathered at a monument inscribed with those words at Oak Hill Cemetery. Barracks 449, WWI, received its charter Feb 4, 1956, with 158 members. The average age of a WWI Veteran at the time of this photo, half a century ago, was 74 years. All its members having passed away, Barracks 449 no longer exists. May we all keep their glory, and that of all who gave the last full measure of devotion to our country, foremost in our minds on this Memorial Day.

It's National Historic Preservation Month! We're celebrating by rolling out a new section on our website dedicated to Historic Preservation. Please take a look - and check for updates as it grows! https://www.escondidohistory.org/historic-preservation

Enjoy our latest jigsaw puzzle! If you're looking for something fun to do on your computer, how about putting together a beautiful recent photograph from our collection. Just click on the link https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=2f9c90258eba to access the puzzle.

Happy Easter from the Escondido History Center! This cheerful Easter display decorated the front window of Rolfe’s Drugstore at 113 E. Grand, sometime in the 1930s. Back then, 2.5 pounds of assorted chocolates cost 79 cents and greeting cards were only 5-25 cents each! To see more photos within our very large collection, please visit https://www.escondidohistory.org/photographs-collection. The History Center Office and Museum remains closed indefinitely and the Old Escondido East Walking Tour previously scheduled for tomorrow morning has been cancelled. We look forward to opening again and resuming our Walking Tours as soon as we can. In the meantime, Stay home, save lives.

The awesome Adobe Home Tour will happen, they’re just not quite sure when.

We still have a good number of Googie buildings and signs still standing in Escondido to enjoy. Which one is your favorite?

Bored at home? Ready for something to distract yourself from everything going on around you? Click on the link to become a Citizen Archivist and help preserve our national historic documents.

COVID-19/Corona Virus Response In accordance with the guidance of our state and local public health officials regarding the COVID-19 situation, the Escondido History Center Complex at Grape Day Park will be temporarily closed to the public effective Monday, March 16 through March 31. At that time, we will evaluate our options for re-opening; please check our website for updates. Please know that our thoughts are with all those within the community we serve, and that we are especially grateful to those who are working diligently in emergency services and other City departments to serve and protect us.

This was a difficult decision but, under the circumstances, a necessary one.

We regret that the celebratory lighting of the Giving Arch at Grand and Centre City Parkway, planned for tomorrow night, has been postponed indefinitely due to concerns about the Corona Virus. We at the Escondido History Center still look forward to documenting the details of the amazing gift to our community along with our responses to its installation and will let you know how we decide to do so.

One of the amazing homes on this year's Adobe Home Tour. Don't miss it - get your tickets now!

The Morris-Brown House was built in 1920, when the population of Escondido was 1,789 and the Kinema Theater opened on West Grand with the movie, "Zorro." Learn more about it and other Old Escondido Houses during a free 90-minute walking tour this Saturday, March 14. The tour starts at 10:00 am at the southeast corner of Broadway and Grand unless it's raining - then you can stay at home, warm and dry!

A wonderful home tour you won’t want to miss!

UPDATE Great news! Our phone lines are back up and we were able to retrieve all voice mail messages. We regret that we still do not have phone service following the fire in the AT&T facility last Thursday. Although you are invited to leave a message if you call, we are unable to retrieve any voice mails at this time and might not be able to hear them in the future. Your calls are very important to us, so please call back until you are able to connect with a live voice. In the mean time, our email system is operational; please contact us at [email protected]. Also, enjoy this 1955 photo of hard working telephone operators at the same location as the current AT&T building.

Have you purchased your ticket for the Adobe Home Tour to be held on March 22? One of the four featured homes is the 1920’s Hidden Lake Ranch Estate, featured last fall in San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles Magazine. Tickets and more information are available online at www.https://adobehometour.com.

Beautiful day to shop in Grape Day Park and we’re still here. Already low prices will drop to half off at noon! Lots of books to choose from and quite a treasure trove for anyone who collects shot glasses!

During World War II, soldiers lined up at Grape Day Park for a hot meal. Tomorrow you can line up at Grape Day Park to buy some hot deals at our Rummage Sale! It starts at 9:00 am and runs until 1:00 pm. Get here early for the best selection.

Terrific treasures will be on sale at bargain prices this Saturday, February 29, at the History Center in Grape Day Park from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm. Our faithful volunteers are back, pricing vintage and new merchandise as they have for for 20-30 years. Sallie Goswick, Gwen Poole, Marie Tuck, and Allene Robinson are still doing a great job. We hope you'll come early to find your favorite items!

While you might think that this is just another one of our earlier walking tours of the Downtown, it’s actually the Decoration Day Parade from 1889, moving past the first office of the Times newspaper at 114 W. Grand. Walk along the same street tomorrow, Saturday, during a walking tour led by the History Center’s Executive Director Robin Fox and learn about the history behind the buildings along Grand Avenue and how our unique Downtown got its start. The free 90-minute tour starts at the southeast corner of Broadway and Grand at 10:00 am. For more information, check our website at www.escondidohistory.org.

The owner of Rosie’s Cafe in our historic Downtown Escondido was in a serious motorcycle accident last December and Restaurant Impossible’s Robert Irvine is coming back to town to sponsor a boardwalk-themed party and fundraiser to help raise money for Kaitlin on February 17. You can help and have fun, too! More info at https://www.times-advocate.com//food-networks-restaurant-/

Thanks to Baker Electric’s generous donation of new energy-efficient track lighting and City of Escondido staff installation, the historical displays in our Santa Fe Train Depot are more brightly lit than ever before! Visit soon to see for yourself, Tuesday - Thursday and Friday, 1:00 - 4:00 pm. No charge for admission.

This will be another very special home tour - tickets available online now!

Likely to be one of the best tours so far, and that’s saying a lot!

The 9th Annual San Diego Adobe Home Tour will explore the "Romance of the Rancho" with four beautiful adobe homes in Rancho Santa Fe and Escondido on Sunday, March 22, 2020. Ticket holders will have a rare opportunity to tour the interiors and grounds of the diverse properties, the earliest built in 1831 and restored under the guidance of Lillian Rice in 1924. This is a Home Tour not to be missed! For more information, visit www.adobehometour.com The Annual Adobe Home Tour is hosted by the volunteers of the San Diego Adobe Heritage Association, whose mission is to inspire the appreciation and understanding of adobe heritage in San Diego County and proceeds benefit the Escondido History Center.

We wish everyone who sees this a wonderful New Year! We also take this opportunity to thank all of our terrific volunteers for all that they do to help us share Escondido's fascinating history with our community - every single one of them is AMAZING! And, if you haven't contributed to our matching campaign, it's NOT TOO LATE! Any amount is appreciated - it's what will keep our doors open in 2020 and beyond - and, until the end of the year, it will be matched by a generous donor, so it will go twice as far!

Our hero today was Joseph, who picked up horse exhaust from numerous horses all the way from Woodward to the high school starting point and then followed our entry all the way back. Well done, Joseph!

What a great Christmas Parade! We have to say that we were very proud of our entry - the fully restored antique carriage rolled smoothly behind Andy, the horse, all decked out and beribboned along with the 1935 winery panel truck.

We're looking forward to participating in the 69th Annual Jaycee's Christmas Parade tomorrow morning! Our Bandy Wheelwright Shop has painstakingly restored the MacKay Family carriage, purchased new in 1908, and it will make its public debut carrying four generations of Mackays. Following close behind the horse-drawn carriage will be the History Center's 1935 Borra Winery truck, also carefully restored and part of the Escondido History Center's diverse collection. After 1:00 pm, visit the Train Depot in our museum complex at Grape Day Park during the post-parade festival to see more artifacts from Escondido's fascinating history. We look forward to seeing you!

As we put the finishing touches on our holiday decorations, here’s a fascinating look into what Christmas might have looked like in Escondido’s earliest days. http://oldphotoarchive.com//what-christmas-trees-looked-li

Today we commemorate the December 7, 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor with a community connection. Naval pilot Leavitt Lev Thurlow, Jr. and his wife Peggy were stationed in Oahu on that fateful day when more than 2,300 Americans were killed during the Japanese attack. The couple and their two children survived and, according to her 2015 obituary, Peggy and the children were evacuated on a Matson-line ship in April 1942, escorted by a Navy submarine to Long Beach. Lev remain...ed in the South Pacific theater, flying PBY Catalina 5As, searching for Japanese submarines and rescuing American sailors. After the war ended, the Thurlows and their four children settled in Escondido, building an American-International-style house located on Broadway just at 8th Avenue and pictured here as it stands today. Her obituary also states that Peggy would live here for 50 years, teaching in Escondido elementary schools. She is also notable for helping to establish the Old Escondido Neighborhood Group. We salute the Thurlow family and all those whose lives were touched that day "...which will live in infamy." See more

Make history - attend the first ever Escondido Vet Fest tomorrow (Monday) and salute our Veterans during the parade on Grand Avenue! https://facebook.com/events/397890090869218/?ti=icl

The many historic buildings we cherish in our community also happen to be very green!

Beautiful day today at Grape Day Park for the Tamale Festival! Enjoy dozens of great vendors and live music while you eat terrific tamales but be sure to visit the Escondido History Center, too. The recently restored Victorian House, the train depot, and the Pullman train car are all open to tour AND we have an old-fashioned yard sale going on with lots of collectibles at bargain prices.

Congratulations to Del’s Barber Shop for 60 years of history, serving our community!

We had a terrific time at our museum complex in Grape Day Park today! In addition to more than 1,000 visitors who came inside our 1920s Pullman train car to see the model train layout, many watched our blacksmiths and wheelwrights in action, and bought collectibles, ice cream, and home-baked cookies. It was a joy to see a huge number of families enjoying the multiple events at Grape Day Park!

BUSY day at Grape Day Park today! We’re selling many wonderful collectibles, ice cream, and yummy doughnuts while the Grape Day 5K wraps up and the Tots ‘n Trucks are getting together along Broadway while the Bandy Blacksmith Guild members working their forges. If you’re not here already, come join us!