Wed 16 May 2007
In the southern portion of the San Diegito river valley just south of Rancho Santa Fe and east of Del Mar, there is a community of exclusive estates called Fairbanks Ranch. History has it that a movie director working for the legendary screen idol Douglas Fairbanks Sr., fell in love with the area around 1920 and suggested that Fairbanks Sr. purchase the property for investment purposes. In 1924 Douglas Fairbanks Sr. and his wife Mary Pickford bought close to 800 acres and started working on a country estate retreat. Around 1930, a dam was constructed to capture the waters from the Lusardi Creek and still exists today as part of the extensive park-like grounds of the gated Fairbanks Ranch community.
The Fairbanks called their origional property “Rancho Zorro” (fox ranch) in 
honor of one of Douglas Fairbanks Sr most famous film roles… Zorro. They also hired Wallace Neff to design a dream home that was to become the Fairbank’s country retreat. Unfortunately, in 1936, before they broke ground on their dream home, Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford were divorced. Douglas Fairbanks kept the ranch and later married his third wife, Lady Sylvia Ashly. After Fairbanks died, Lady Sylvia married the legendary film actor Clark Gable. Lady Ashley felt the ranch was too secluded, but maintained the property as an orange grove until 1952 when it was sold. It was maintained as a working ranch up until the early 1070’s.
In 1977 Ray Watt, a Santa Monica developer inspired by the exclusive ambiance of Rancho Santa Fe, purchased the original Rancho Zorro property and an additional 440 acres to develop an elite community of estates. This area is now called “Fairbanks Ranch”.
Watt decided that this unique site deserved the finest in planning and development, so the 1240 acres were subdivided into 618 sites and sales started in 1981 on the Fairbanks Ranch Community. Protective covenants were also adopted to safeguard the quality, privacy, beauty, and harmony of the land and its romantic heritage.
Back in December I wrote about how San Marcos home values have continued to appreciated over the last year 
All too often I have brought my children to San Diego beachs for a relaxing day of sun and fun and been interrupted by the irritating stench of cigarette smoke. Well, the