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 southwest corner of the U.S. state of California, north to its border with Mexico. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,298,634; it is the second-most populous ...
. It is the easternmost community of Encinitas, bordering the western portion of
Rancho Santa Fe.
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 pedestrians and
equestrians
Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding ( Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the ...
. 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 (balloon), gondola or wicker, wicker basket (in some long-distance or high-altitude balloons, ...
. Olivenhain has a darker sky than coastal
San Diego
San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
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 any unwanted, inappropriate, or excessive artificial Visible spectrum, lighting. In a descriptive sense, the term ''light pollution'' refers to the effects of any poorly implemented lighting sources, during the ...
.
History
The area is located on the
Rancho Las Encinitas Mexican land grant, and was settled by a German colony in the 1890s. The name Olivenhain is from
German 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 parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...
, in 1986 Olivenhain joined with the nearby communities of
Leucadia,
Cardiff-by-the-Sea, and Encinitas to form the incorporated city of Encinitas.
Education
Olivenhain is located within the
Encinitas Union School District and the
San Dieguito Union High School District
San Dieguito Union High School District (SDUHSD) is a public school district based in northern San Diego County, California. Established in 1936, the district serves over 13,000 students in five middle schools, five comprehensive high schools, ...
. Elementary students attend Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary, then Diegueño Middle School. Public High School students attend
La Costa Canyon High School 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)