Rancho Santa Fe Property - Springer & McClue

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Fairbanks Ranch

620 home sites

Just 5 miles east of I-5, lying in the original map of Rancho San Dieguito, there is a community of exclusive estates called FAIRBANKS RANCH. The personal discovery in the early 1900's of Theodore Reed, movie director for the legendary screen idol, Douglas Fairbanks, Reed suggested that Fairbanks purchase this property for investment purposes. In 1924 Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks bought 800 acres and named it "Rancho Zorro" or "Fox Ranch", after one of his many films. Fairbanks built a dam to capture the water from the Lusardi Creek draining into the San Dieguito River, planted over 300 acres of Valencia oranges, and hired Willima Samrd, a full time manager to oversee the property. Wallace Neff designed their dream home, which was to be a country retreat. In 1936, before they broke ground, he and Mary Pickford were divorced. Because Fairbanks' second wife, Lady Sylvia Ashley, felt the property was too isolated, Fairbanks came much less often to visit his onetime country playground. The property was maintained as a grove until the 1950's, when it was sold.

Having changed hands several times, it was 1977 when Ray Watt, a Santa Monica developer, inspired by the exclusive ambiance of Rancho Santa Fe, purchased the property to develop an elite community of estate sites called FAIRBANKS RANCH. Watt subdivided the 1240 acres and started sales in 1981. The amenities of this guard-gated neighborhood include a lakeside club house, tennis courts, 40 acres of open space, 3 miles of fenced horse trails, a 17 acre equestrian center with a 27-stall barn, two lakes, miles of walking trails, a fitness course, and several shaded picnic spots. The original pump house that was built in the 20's has been restored and is used as the community library.