About Us
The San Dieguito Heritage Museum was founded in 1988 to preserve artifacts, photos, records and stories pertaining to local history before they were lost to the passage of time. The founders had deep roots in the local communities and cherished the uniqueness of the history in the area. They sought to preserve and share this history through a combination of hands-on experiences as well as traditional exhibits. The San Dieguito region comprises the area surrounding and including communities of Del Mar, Solana Beach and Encinitas (Leucadia, Cardiff, Olivenhain), and Rancho Santa Fe – roughly the area between the Batiquitos Lagoon and the Los Peñasquitos Lagoon.
Thanks to the generosity of the City of Encinitas, the 1.5-acre property on Quail Gardens Drive (Heritage Ranch) was made available, and this allowed the Museum to move to its permanent home in 2007. Since that time, we have created our living-history museum spanning the history of the region from Native American times through to the 1960s, including the Main Museum building, Native American Ki’icha or E’waa, the 1885 Teten house, the General Store, Ecke Ranch Bunk House and our latest addition, Main Street Building.
Mission:
The mission of the San Dieguito Heritage Museum is to collect, preserve and interpret local history and to share the story of the communities of the San Dieguito region to children and adults in ways that are authentic and exciting. The Museum recognizes and respects the cultural diversity of the community we serve—past, present and future. We strive to offer a balanced interpretation of history of the diverse people of San Diego and our common humanity.
Board Of Directors
- Kerry Witkin – President and Treasurer
- Sinéad Ní Ghabhláin, Ph.D. Vice President
- Linda McArdle - Secretary
- Mark Berning
- MaryLou Binkinz
- Daphne Fletcher
- Skyler Martin
- John Neubauer
- Dominique Valentino
- Pam Walker
- Evelyn Weidner
- Elissa Yanez
- Natalie Neal
Museum Staff
- Barb Grice – Executive Director
Testimonials
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What a
surprise it was to visit Heritage Ranch recently and see first-hand the remarkable additions to the San Dieguito Heritage Museum. For years, the museum has been a go-to place for my research and stories about Encinitas, Olivenhain, and the San Dieguito River area. Now I found buildings and exhibits that were new to me, and a fresh and positive energy among the staff and volunteers for the way the Ranch and Museum are being transformed.The museum’s plan for a centerpiece Barn will be a wonderful spot where community get-togethers of every kind can happen in a place that’s so rich in the history of the region.
Ken Kramer
I share your enthusiasm for the kind of historical preservation that has been part of the Museum’s mission for the past 30 years and am so impressed with your commitment going forward to bring that history to life in new and exciting ways!
Ken Kramer
About San Diego
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