Out & About with Jim Frimmer, Your Realtor in Mission Valley — A short history of the German Colony of Olivenhain

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Out & About with Jim Frimmer,
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About 25 miles north of downtown San Diego is the City of Encinitas:

In the 2000 Census, Encinitas had about 58,000 residents. The 2005 estimate of median household income was $86,520. It's one of San Diego County's more affluent cities.

On the eastern side of Interstate 5 in Encinitas is the somewhat rural community of Olivenhain, featuring two-lane roads, wood rail fences, and parks and trails for pedestrians, bicycles, and even horses. Most of the homes are single family residences at the upper end of the price scale. Olivenhain has a "dark skies" policy which limits outdoor lighting so as not to interfere with the view of the nighttime sky.

The Colony had its beginnings on May 21, 1884, with the initiation of its first seven members: Johann Bumann, Louis Denk, Paul Glave, Lina Pinther, Otto Pinther, Theodore Pinther, and Joseph Ullrich. Along with an initiation fee, each member also paid a membership fee and monthly dues.

Members received five acres of land, a house of moderate size (either 16'x24' or 14'x28') built on their property, and the use of colony-owned horse teams, wagons, and fruit processing machinery. Members could have bigger houses built simply by paying additional money to the colony. Those who didn't have enough money or still owed money to the Colony could get a smaller house, known as a shanty.

By June 1, Colony membership had increased to 20. In order to be accepted into the Colony, you had to be honest and hard working. Although people of of any nationality could be accepted, they had to speak fluent German. Gamblers and other people of questionable character were not welcome, and that included lawyers, pawnbrokers, and insurance agents. (I wonder where the Colony members went when they needed a lawyer, pawnbroker, or insurance agent.) On October 31, 1884, 67 additional German immigrants boarded a train in Denver and headed to Colony Olivenhain at the invitation of Theodore Pinther.

In 1895, a community hall was built to be used for meetings and social events. The community hall still stands:

That building is a board and batten redwood structure and had just one room measuring 28 feet by 36 feet. It featured a bar, a music stage, and a pot-bellied stove. Dances, picnics, family celebrations, and Fourth of July events were held at the Meeting Hall, even up through the 1950s. In the early 2000s, the Meeting Hall and the surrounding buildings and park again became the center of community events in Olivenhain.

The Meeting Hall is a California Point of Historical Interest and in the National Register of Historic Places.

Also on the grounds surrounding the Meeting Hall is the Germania Hotel:

The Germania Hotel was built for Herman Baecht, his wife Katharine, and their ten children. It was the largest and most expensive home in Olivenhain during the height of the Colony era. On the first floor were the kitchen, living room, and four bedrooms. Three more bedrooms were on the second floor. The Baechts took in boarders to help support their family.

The home was sold in 1900 to Carl Teten who owned it until sometime in the early 1960s. In 1982 the home was moved from its original location on Teten Way to the park where it now stands.

There are two more smaller buildings in the park. This one had no plaque on it but a peak through the window indicated that it probably was a shanty.

And then there was the following building, which I'm sure most people will recognize:

If you're wanting to buy or sell a home in Olivenhain, Encinitas, or anywhere in San Diego County, please feel free to contact me. I'll help you successfully work through the trials and tribulations of buying and selling real estate here. 

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If you're looking for a great real estate agent in San Diego, well,
let me Google one for you.

I'm available 24/7, so feel free to contact me by phone or email.

Jim Frimmer, Realtor
Century 21 Award Mission Valley
California DRE License #01458572
619-729-5701
jimfrimmer@century21award.com
Mission Valley Condos Information

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Try RusselRayPhotos.com for inexpensive, royalty-free photos.

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