Walking Tour of the Historic Rancho Santa Fe Village

1. Rancho Santa Fe Historical Society - La Flecha House

The first residence in Rancho Santa Fe designed by Lilian Rice in 1923 is an example of the Spanish Colonial Revival architecture style she set for the community. It is also one of the first all-electric homes in San Diego County and served as the first library. Donated to the Rancho Santa Fe Historical Society by the Reitz Family in 1989, it was restored with a section of an interior adobe wall still visible under glass.

2. State Historic Landmark #982

On February 3, 1989 the California State Historical Resources Commission approved the Covenant area known as Rancho Santa Fe as a designated State Historic Landmark. This monument is situated in the park surrounded by the roads La Flecha, Avenida De Acacias, and La Gracia. On October 23, 2021, a statue commemorating Lilian Rice will be unveiled in the green opposite of this landmark.

3. Original Santa Fe Land Improvement Company Office

This landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places has retained almost all its historical integrity. It remains the cornerstone of the commercial block designed by Lilian Rice in 1923 with architectural details establishing a distinctive and varied harmony. Today it is home to restaurant, office, and retail space.

4. Country Squire Courtyard

The arched entry opens to an interior courtyard with a charming small pool. Originally it provided space for equipment for the Santa Fe Land Improvement Company and for Glenn Moore, the landscape architect who worked with Lilian Rice on many of the early estates. Today a fountain replaces the pool.

5. The Francisco Building

This office building, completed in 1923 for the Santa Fe Land Improvement Company, was also the location of the first post office in the Village, with a single counter and a scale at the rear of the room. In 1938, Robert Rancisco purchased the building and opened Ashley’s Market. Today the building contains offices.

6. Louise Badger House

This Lilian Rice designed building during the late 1920s was used for storage for the adjoining garage quadrangle, and later as a home for Louise Badger, who operated a soda fountain in an adjacent building. The Badger family has managed citrus groves in Rancho Santa Fe since its earliest days. This building and a subsequently added building currently house an antique store.

7. La Valencia Apartments

This two story building in the Monterey style was built for multiple investors, one being Barron Millard, one of the early planners and developers of the Rancho Santa Fe golf course. It accommodated rooms for short term rentals upstairs with offices below. Lilian Rice had her offices here. It retains much of the original beautiful facade. Today various businesses occupy the space.

8. Lilian Rice Row Houses

The rowhouses, with joint walls and similar floor plans, were designed to provide private residences within the Village commercial district. Lilian Rice gave each a separate and distinct exterior along the street, with lovely gardens behind high walls in the Spanish style. Completed in 1927, two have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today they remain private residences.

9. Joers/Ketchum Store

Designed and completed in 1927, this was the first commercial building constructed in the Village by private owners, W.E. Joers and H.E. Ketchum. The two-story design allowed for an apartment above and a store below. At one time, it served as a location for the post office. Today it is a retail space.

10. First Rancho Santa Fe School

Designed by Lilian Rice and Hamond Whitsitt and completed in 1924. That year’s graduating class consisted of one student, Ivy Fidero Laughter. The corner building was added at a later date. Today it is a combined restaurant and commercial space. The building has since been slightly remodeled, but its former character still remains recognizable.

11. Original Rancho Santa Fe Garden Club

In 1937, Lilian Rice changed her architectural style for this board and batten building. The Santa Fe Land Company donated the land and private donors contributed the clubhouse and furnishings for the original Garden Club building. Today, the building now houses various office and retail space, including a real estate business.

12. Second Site of Rancho Santa Fe School

Designed by Lilian Rice and constructed in 1931, this building's original purpose was for the new site of the local Rancho Santa Fe school. As the population of Rancho Santa Fe grew due to the areas increasing popularity, this schoolhouse was built to accommodate for the rising student population. In the past, the building was used as a post office and now it is the office of the Rancho Santa Fe Homeowners Association.

13. Rancho Santa Fe Irrigation District Office

This building was designed by Lilian Rice in a residential style to blend into the neighborhood of Rancho Santa Fe. A buttressed mule barn housed the equipment within and the recent careful restoration uncovered the original blue-green trim paint color, which was replicated in the remodel. Today, it remains the Irrigation District office.

14. The Inn

Designed by Lilian Rice for the Santa Fe Land Improvement Company in 1923 and originally called “La Morada”, The Inn set the style and provided accommodations for prospective buyers during the early days of Rancho Santa Fe. It continues in the private hands to the present, with a renewed appreciation of its historic traditions.

15. Hilton House

This building is a residence that was designed by Lilian Rice in 1924 and used for a time as her home. Today it is the Rancho Santa Fe Senior Center. With it's design of pathways, terraces, and granite floors, the Hilton House is accessible for wheelchairs and walkers, making it a perfect fit for the Rancho Santa Fe Senior Center today.

16. Paseo Delicias - Main Road

Paseo Delicias, circa 1923. Today the roads are paved and trees and plantings are abundant. The spirit of the place still remains.Connecting to Del Dios Road and ending at The Inn, Paseo Delicias resides in the heart of the Civic Center, the first development of the Rancho Santa Fe planned community.As the central road of development in the area, many of the Rice designed buildings were built around this road including, the Original Santa Fe Land Improvement Company Office, the Francisco Building, the Louise Badger Home, the First Rancho Santa Fe School, the Joers/Ketchum Store, the Row Houses, and the La Valencia Apartments. Because of its centrality, the Village expanded outward from this point and the area surrounding Paseo Delicias became a hub of activity as multiple stores and businesses took up space during Lilian Rice’s time and today.While the street is now paved and the storefronts have changed overtime, the historic charm of the place remains and at its heart is Paseo Delicas.

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Walking Tour of the Historic Rancho Santa Fe Village

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