As many towns and cities are, Encinitas is broken apart into five distinct communities. Each represents a diverse type of people that makes Encinitas the culture-enriched city that it is.
Old Encinitas
One of the oldest communities, Old Encinitas comprises the downtown area, nearby Moonlight beach, and Swami’s Beach at the south end. This community represents a look at Encinitas in the days of years gone by, with many of the buldings in the area from as early as the 1920′s still being renovated and restored. The reason that the city has kept it so esthetically pleasing is so that remind us of the past of our little town by the sea as we move into the future and onto bigger and better things.
the S.S. Encinitas (left) and the S.S. Moonlight (right), in 2009, celebrated their 84th birthday.
One of the most notable landmarks are these boathouses, located on 3rd street in Downtown. These houses were built in 1928 by local architect Miles Minor Kellogg. In 1925, he salvaged the wood from the defunct Moonlight dance hall and spent the following three years building these two boathouses. He named them the S.S. Encinitas and the S.S. Moonlight, and they still serve as on of the most well known symbols of Encinitas and it’s past.
Olivenhain
Another one of the older communities, Olivenhain was settled in the late 1800′s by German settlers that came here in search of new and prosperous lands in the west. Once here, they established a farming community known as Olivenhain, German for “olive grove”. The area became prominent in the production of flowers when Albert Ecke, a German immigrant, established his ranch in 1906, and thus an empire was born.
The Colony Olivenhain Town Hall, est.1885.
Olivenhain has still retained its rural esthetic as well, with many of the multi-million dollar mansions being kept in an old-west style of architecture. It’s town hall, built when the colony was established in 1885, is still used as the community’s center for events and meetings.
Cardiff-by-the-sea
Cardiff-by the-sea was settled by Welsh immigrants in the early 1900′s. They named it Cardiff to commemorate their homeland in Cardiff, Wales. This is also why many of th street names are synonymous with many cities in the United Kingdom: Birmingham Dr., Manchester Ave., etc.
The Cardiff sign.
Pipe's Cafe...a breakfat place.
This seaside community hosts many single-family homes, beach houses, shopping centers, restaurants, and schools including a community college. It is home to famous places like Pipes Cafe and VG Donuts, which are both popular eateries in Encinitas.
Leucadia
Leucadia is one of the most historically significant areas of Encinitas. The area was first inhabited by the Kumeyya Indians who lived on the banks of the Batiquitos lagoon. It was later established as an agricultural community by English spiritualists, which is why the area is home to many greenhouses. They were heavily influenced by Greek mythology, and they named the area Leucadia, meaning “sheltered paradise” in Greek, and many of the streets are named after gods and goddesses: Orpheus, Vulcan, Pireaus, etc.
Today, Leucadia is mostly a residential area with a few community stores and restaurants, as well as a local park. The area is still covered in trees from 60 years ago and one of the few well-preserved areas in town.
New Encinitas
Encinitas is one of the newer communities in Encinitas located on the east side of the I-5 freeway. It represents the growth and development of Encinitas into the future. It is composed of many large housing tracts, shopping centers, restaurants, and recreational areas.
