The history of Encinitas includes the communities of Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Leucadia and Olivenhain as they are intertwined. They all shared a common need of water, the influence of the railroad and their main export, flowers.
Hansen's started
in a little shack on Kawela Bay, North Shore, Oahu in 1961.
Don Hansen surfer-shaper then moved to Cardiff-by-the-Sea
in the spring of 1962 where he opened up the original Hansen
Surfboard shop on the beach at the Cardiff reef. Eventually
Hansen Surfboards became one of the most recognized names
in surfing, sending surfboards to every corner of the globe!
The photos to the left show Hansen's first store in Cardiff
in 1962 and a small portion of the store as it looks today.
The Hansen family has been a proud sponsor of the famed Hansen/Machado Surf Classic presented by
the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce for the past 8 years.
2. The Boathouses (726 & 732 Third Street)
“To the people of this district... the building of these boats helped the building up of Encinitas
as much as any editor that has come to town.” - from the Encinitas Progress, late1920s.
So spoke Miles Kellogg in response to a local newspaper that
made fun of his creation. Mr. Kellogg was a builder, inventor
and businessman who picked up materials at a bargain... in
this case, wood from the dismantled dance hall and bathhouse
at Moonlight beach in 1925. Since the building had a low ceiling,
the wood wasn't long enough to use in an ordinary house. Mr.
Kellogg had a lingering interest in the sea, so the idea came
to him to use the material for boat houses.
The Boathouses and Their Creator
He was undoubtedly one of Encinitas' most noted recyclers, certainly within that period when he lived
here in the 1920's and 1930's. His name was Miles Minor Kellogg and he was a versatile builder with a
talent for taking scrap material and incorporating it into new structures.
When the third story of Mr. Hammond's 1883 hotel became infested with bats in the late 1910's,
Mr. Kellogg, who owned the building at the time, removed the top floor and used the wood to build a
small silent movie theatre next door at the northeast corner of 101 and E Street.
But perhaps his ultimate recycling triumph was the boathouses on the west side of Third Street
between F and G. What a stir they created back in the late twenties. The editor of the local paper
poked fun of Mr. Kellogg's creation and Mr. Kellogg retaliated with a major tongue-lashing!
But then his imagination soared and he thought
back to earlier days when he had worked on bats at Lake Michigan
and the idea came to him to build “boat houses.”
His young son, Miles Justin Kellogg, helped every day after
school until they were completed. In 1928 the boat houses
could be seen from Highway 101 and people passing through
town began to turn west for a better look at the structures.
Down through the years the boathouses probably have been the
most photographed buildings downtown and are a unique symbol
of our surfing, beach, and Hwy 101 culture.
3. La Paloma Theatre (471 S. Coast Hwy 101)
“It may have been the first ‘talking’ theater
in ‘rural’ U.S.A.”
On opening night, February 11, movie stars came from Hollywood,
the Kilgen Wonder Organ played the “La Paloma” overture,
vaudeville acts performed. Then, as heavy red velvet curtains
parted and lights dimmed, a feature film flashed in the screen,
“The Cohens and Kelleys in Paris”. It was the most
exciting night in Downtown Encinitas history.
On February 11, 1928 La Paloma Theatre opened with the film “The Cohen's And Kelly's in Paris.”
The gala event was attended by Hollywood starlet and soon to be Academy Award winner Mary
Pickford. It has been rumored that she rode her bicycle all the way to La Paloma from Fairbanks Ranch
for the event.
La Paloma (The Dove) was one of the first theatres to show
“Talkies.” Talking pictures premiered in 1927 with
the Warner Bros. film “The Jazz Singer” starring
Al Jolson. Making the transition from silent pictures to “talkies”
didn't happen overnight, so La Paloma was also equipped with
a beautiful pipe organ, a standard piece of theatre equipment
during the Silent era. Films in the early days of motion pictures
were usually preceded by a vaudeville stage act, and La Paloma
was well suited for that.
4. Moonlight Beach (Moonlight Beach, West end of B street)
Migratory Chinese workers on the railroad were the first inhabitants to enjoy the waters of Moonlight Beach.
With the settlement of the town by permanent residents, the beach became a popular bathing, picnic, and horse and
buggy racing area. By the ‘20s, it was a haven for midnight bootlegging.
“Like a herd of locust, citizens descended upon the cans”.
- Unidentified 1920s resident
In the dark of night, 1928, a boat slipped ashore with cans of illegal booze. Plans went awry when the truck
dispatched to pick up the cargo got stuck in the sand. By morning, word of the stalled operation spread around town.
As scores of residents gathered on the cliffs above the beach, the lone guard fled the scene. With his departure,
townspeople helped themselves to the stranded alcohol. Today, Moonlight Beach is a popular family beach with
residents and visitors alike.
Food/dining: There is a concession stand on site and several shops and restaurants near and along Highway
101 are within walking distance.
Restrooms: Moonlight Beach has both showers and restrooms.
5. Swami's
Swami's was originally known as Noonan's Point, for James
Noonan, who bought the property in 1887 for $1,000. In 1937
a hermitage was built for Paramahansa Yogananda, followed
by the construction of a Golden Lotus Temple, and finally,
the Self-Realization Fellowship, which currently stands on
the site adjacent to the park.
As the world-class waves along the point became popular for surfing, enthusiasts began to refer to the spot as “Swami's” and the name stuck. Swami's is now recognized as the official name of the park. The park has beautiful bluff-top views of the Pacific and the beach, down a long flight of stairs, is rocky (especially north of the stairs) with excellent tidepools. It is immortalized in the famous Beach Boys song, Surfing USA.
Food/dining: The nearest food to Swami's is a long
walk or a short drive north along Highway 101 toward Encinitas
Boulevard or south to Restaurant Row across near Cardiff Reef.
Restrooms: Showers and restrooms are available.
6. Cottonwood Creek Cottonwood Creek, S. Coast Hwy 101 and B Streets
“Water was pumped out of ‘the Cottonwood’ by a windmill. If the tank was full when the train came
through, the conductor would climb up and shut the water off.” - Annie Cozens, pioneer 1880s
As a primary source of water and wood fuel in Encinitas in 1881, Cottonwood Creek was the single most important
factor in the California Southern Railroad choosing Encinitas as a water stop. This railroad access and the availability
of water and wood from the creek in turn made possible the format establishment of the town of Encinitas in 1883...
the first town in San Diego County between National City and Oceanside to grow up along the railroad line.
Two Civil War veterans from the Midwest, Tom Rattan and John Pitcher, were the town's founders. Rattan and surveyor
D. N. Sanford laid out the streets in 1881. Every street had an alley.
7. The Tom Cozens Home (112 C Street)
In 1890, pioneer E.G. Hammond helped his son-in-law and daughter, Tom and Annie Cozens, build a new home along the
bluff near G street. Ten years later, with droughts deepening, Mr. Cozens sought a way of insuring their household
would always have a reliable water supply. His solution was to move the house to the bluff overlooking Cottonwood
Creek, then dig a well in the canyon below. In time, he added a protective cover around it... the discarded metal
bar enclosure of the town's jail.
With the completion of Lake Hodges Dam in 1922, running water became available to townspeople and the Cozens were
the first to install an indoor bathtub.
“I remember when the only bathtub we had in Encinitas was the Pacific Ocean”.
- Bert Cozens, son of Tom and Annie Cozens
8. The Coast Dispatch Office (470 S. Coast Hwy 101)
Local builder Miles Kellogg constructed these false-front Spanish style buildings in 1928 and the Coast Dispatch
newspaper moved into the north-end space.
As Mrs. Hicks sat working at the Linotype machine one evening, "Harmonica Bill" appeared and crawled under a
counter. Soon after, Prohibition officers arrived. But when asked if she had seen Harmonica Bill, Mrs. Hicks
responded, "Why, no, I really haven't."
After the officers departed, Harmonica Bill came out of hiding. As he slipped out the door, he reached under his
coat, pulled out a bottle, and handed it to Mrs. Hicks.
“Much obliged for not turning me in. Here's some liquor for you.” - Harmonica Bill,1928
9. The Rupe Store (149 W. D Street)
When Mr. Rupe brought his family to Encinitas in 1913, he opened a small general merchandise store at S. Coast
Hwy 101 and D Street. Working timelessly, he provided a broad array of services... groceries, dry goods, medicine,
hardware, clothing, a meat market, a lunch counter, even a pool table. All the family pitched in to make the store
a success.
In the evenings Mr. Rupe dreamed about the future... a new, larger store, more stylish and completely his own.
His dream came true, for a while, just one block west a Second and D. Builder Miles Kellogg completed a white,
art deco structure for him there in 1928. But a new Safeway store opened and its competition, plus the Depression,
were too much for Mr. Rupe. He lost everything... a circumstance of the times.
“My sisters and I, and mother too, liked to go to dances at the community hall. Dad never went with us.
He stayed home working on plans for his store.” - Irene Rupe Swoboda
10. The Community Methodist Church 560 Third Street)
“The Church site cost $250.00 and Cozens and Hammond graded it as a contribution to the effort.” -
Elizabeth Hammond, member of the congregation,1931
When the townspeople decided to build a new church in the middle of the Depression, the First National Bank
of Oceanside handled financing on a monthly basis... until the bank failed. It was a hopeless setback. But then
Mr. J.W. Leslie reached deep into his pockets and produced sixty dollars. His contribution enabled the project to
survive.
By 1940, members had finally paid off the loan. Within a decade, however, the congregation outgrew the building
and relocated to 170 Calle Magdalena.
The downtown site is also the location of the first church in Encinitas built by townspeople in 1887. The
church was moved by wagon to San Marcos in the early 1900s and exists there today as the Grace Episcopal Church of
the Valley on Rose Ranch Road.
When town founder John Pitcher deeded land at third and E Street for a school, E.G. Hammond and his son, Ted,
completed a redwood structure for the town's children in 1883. Today, the schoolhouse bears traces of its age
through the presence of handmade square nails. It is a frontier era carpenter's Classical Revival building of
shiplap siding.
Originally the school faced eastward toward downtown. Moved from the site in 1927, it was converted to a home.
When threatened with demolition in 1983, the Encinitas historical Society rallied to save it. With help of the
Encinitas School District and the community, the school was returned to its approximate original location and is
undergoing restoration.
“Each pupil had a garden plot. We were required to plant vegetables so we would know how to grow our own
food”. - Janie Hammond Grice, daughter of Ted Hammond and pupil at the 1883 schoolhouse.
“To the people of this district... the building of these boats helped the building up of Encinitas
as much as any editor that has come to town.” - from the Encinitas Progress, late1920s.
“It may have been the first ‘talking’ theater
in ‘rural’ U.S.A.”
La Paloma (The Dove) was one of the first theatres to show
“Talkies.” Talking pictures premiered in 1927 with
the Warner Bros. film “The Jazz Singer” starring
Al Jolson. Making the transition from silent pictures to “talkies”
didn't happen overnight, so La Paloma was also equipped with
a beautiful pipe organ, a standard piece of theatre equipment
during the Silent era. Films in the early days of motion pictures
were usually preceded by a vaudeville stage act, and La Paloma
was well suited for that.
Migratory Chinese workers on the railroad were the first inhabitants to enjoy the waters of Moonlight Beach.
With the settlement of the town by permanent residents, the beach became a popular bathing, picnic, and horse and
buggy racing area. By the ‘20s, it was a haven for midnight bootlegging.
Swami's was originally known as Noonan's Point, for James
Noonan, who bought the property in 1887 for $1,000. In 1937
a hermitage was built for Paramahansa Yogananda, followed
by the construction of a Golden Lotus Temple, and finally,
the Self-Realization Fellowship, which currently stands on
the site adjacent to the park.
“Water was pumped out of ‘the Cottonwood’ by a windmill. If the tank was full when the train came
through, the conductor would climb up and shut the water off.” - Annie Cozens, pioneer 1880s
In 1890, pioneer E.G. Hammond helped his son-in-law and daughter, Tom and Annie Cozens, build a new home along the
bluff near G street. Ten years later, with droughts deepening, Mr. Cozens sought a way of insuring their household
would always have a reliable water supply. His solution was to move the house to the bluff overlooking Cottonwood
Creek, then dig a well in the canyon below. In time, he added a protective cover around it... the discarded metal
bar enclosure of the town's jail.
Local builder Miles Kellogg constructed these false-front Spanish style buildings in 1928 and the Coast Dispatch
newspaper moved into the north-end space.
When Mr. Rupe brought his family to Encinitas in 1913, he opened a small general merchandise store at S. Coast
Hwy 101 and D Street. Working timelessly, he provided a broad array of services... groceries, dry goods, medicine,
hardware, clothing, a meat market, a lunch counter, even a pool table. All the family pitched in to make the store
a success.
“The Church site cost $250.00 and Cozens and Hammond graded it as a contribution to the effort.” -
Elizabeth Hammond, member of the congregation,1931
When town founder John Pitcher deeded land at third and E Street for a school, E.G. Hammond and his son, Ted,
completed a redwood structure for the town's children in 1883. Today, the schoolhouse bears traces of its age
through the presence of handmade square nails. It is a frontier era carpenter's Classical Revival building of
shiplap siding.