Improvement Company under
the supervision of its president, W.E. Hodges, constructed a dam to capture the
waters of the San Dieguito River and form Lake Hodges. Without ample water for
irrigation, Rancho Santa Fe could never become a reality. A village plan was
adopted, roads were laid out and properties were plotted. The 6,200 acres
carved from the original "Rancho San Dieguito" land grant, was named
in 1922, "Rancho Santa Fe." The company chose a San Diego-based
architectural firm called Requa and Jackson, noted for their expertise in
Spanish and Mediterranean architecture, to develop the master plan. Lilian
Rice, an employee with the firm, worked from the 1920s through the 1930s
designing, supervising, and constructing the village center, as well as several
homes throughout the Ranch. Her philosophy in architecture was to "create
unity between buildings and their surroundings in a simplistic blend of
picturesque romantic charm." Her architectural influence can be seen
throughout the village today.
In 1923 the Santa Fe Land Company started residential development and
constructed a guest house called "La Morada" to house potential land
purchasers. In 1941 the name was changed to "The Inn", when it was
purchased as a guest resort by Col George Richardson from Chicago.
A part of Rancho Santa Fe's history is
Fairbanks Ranch, known in the olden days as "Rancho Zorro". At one
time Rancho Zorro was owned by Douglas Fairbanks and his wife Mary Pickford.
Today it is a gated community
