Olivenhain is a neighborhood in the city of Encinitas, California, located in the North County area of

San Diego County San Diego County (), officially the County of San Diego, is a county in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,298,634, making it California's second-most populous county and the fi ...

. It is the easternmost community of Encinitas, bordering the western portion of

Rancho Santa Fe Rancho Santa Fe is a census-designated place (CDP) in San Diego County, California, United States, within the San Diego metropolitan area. The population was 3,156 at the 2020 census. The CDP is primarily residential with a few shopping block ...

. The community of Olivenhain is primarily single family custom homes with relatively large lots. Minimum lot sizes range from to . The topography tends to be rolling, and most streets are small and wind through the hills. Olivenhain has a vast network of recreational trails, used by walkers and equestrians. A common sight in the area during late afternoons and dusk are

hot air balloons A hot air balloon is a lighter-than-air aircraft consisting of a bag, called an envelope, which contains heated air. Suspended beneath is a gondola or wicker basket (in some long-distance or high-altitude balloons, a capsule), which carries p ...

. Olivenhain has a darker sky than coastal

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...

towns due to its "Dark Sky Policy" which restricts lights from street lights, tennis courts, and other forms of

light pollution Light pollution is the presence of unwanted, inappropriate, or excessive use of artificial Visible spectrum, lighting. In a descriptive sense, the term ''light pollution'' refers to the effects of any poorly implemented lighting, during the day ...

History

The area is located on the

Rancho Las Encinitas Rancho Las Encinitas was a Mexican land grant in present-day San Diego County, California given in 1842 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Andrés Ybarra. The grant was named “Los Encinitos” which means " little oaks", but was later misspelled as ...

Mexican land grant, and was settled by a German colony in the 1890s. The name Olivenhain is from the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

and means "olive grove". The German settlers built the meeting hall which still stands. It is used today for community functions such as the annual Oktoberfest, Haunted House, summer movie series, craft fairs and a variety of civic group meetings. Residents of Olivenhain may schedule the Meeting Hall and grounds for private functions; it is a popular wedding site. Originally an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

, in 1986 Olivenhain joined with the nearby communities of Leucadia,

Cardiff-by-the-Sea Cardiff-by-the-Sea, usually referred to as Cardiff, is a beach community in the incorporated city of Encinitas in San Diego County, California. The Pacific Ocean is to the west of Cardiff-by-the-Sea, the rest of incorporated Encinitas is to the ea ...

, and Encinitas to form the incorporated city of Encinitas.

Education

Olivenhain is located within the

Encinitas Union School District Encinitas Union School District is a public (elementary) school district in San Diego County, California, United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a count ...

and the

San Dieguito Union High School District San Dieguito Union High School District (SDUHSD) is a public school district in northern San Diego County, California. Established in 1936, the district serves over 13,000 students in five middle schools, five comprehensive high schools, and one ...

. Elementary students attend Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary, then Diegueño Middle School. Public High School students attend

La Costa Canyon High School La Costa Canyon High School (LCC) is a public high school located in Carlsbad, California. Established in 1996, it is a member of the San Dieguito Union High School District and serves the communities of Encinitas, south Carlsbad, Leucadia, Oliv ...

or San Dieguito Academy. There also are several private schools nearby.

Photos

Image:Olivenhain CA view of Pacific Ocean.jpg, View of the Pacific Ocean from Olivenhain, CA. Image:Hot Air Balloons over Olivenhain CA 2.jpg, Hot air balloons are a common sight during late afternoons and dusk over Olivenhain, CA. Image:Olivenhain Meeting Hall.jpg, The Olivenhain Meeting Hall.

References

{{Authority control Neighborhoods in Encinitas, California North County (San Diego County)