San Marcos today is a city with upwards of 84,000 people. How things have changed from January of 1906, when the San Diego Union, in its New Year’s Day issue, presented a section about the then very rural “little valley of St. Mark.”

Among other details, the article noted that “In the valley there are 104 dwelling houses, all but a few occupied, and most of them by their owners.”

What did the residents do for a living? The chief crops of the valley, according to the Union, were “grain and hay,” but there were also “some fine orchards of olives, walnuts, prunes, apricots, peaches, oranges, lemons, etc.” The adjoining Twin Oaks Valley, noted the article,“is famous for its vineyards and its claret, port, muscatel and angelica wines. Everybody raises chickens as a side issue, some make it a profitable business and several fanciers have fancy chicken ranches.”

The previous year of 1905 “has been one of general prosperity for the ranchers. Prices for grain and hay and hogs have been above the average. Of the large crop of wild oat hay made, over 1,000 tons are held for future sale, when the market demands that particular kind of hay. The bees made lots of money, and their owners made lots of money. The present indications point to even better results all around for next year.”

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Earlier this week I was pleased to give a history talk, for San Diego Oasis, on “Homefront San Diego in World War II,” to an audience at the University Community Branch Library in San Diego. It’s always great to share local history with people, and this audience was very receptive, with lots of questions and comments.

My next talk will be Friday, January 3, 2020, at the Scripps Ranch Library, under the auspices of the library’s SRCA 50+ program. My topic will be: “What’s In A Name? A Lot of History!” about the stories behind many San Diego County place names. Visit https://www.scrippsranch.org/images/images/SR50Plus/SRCA-50-Lectures-and-Tours-2017-0103.pdf for more details.

You can also find a list of my talk topics under this site’s “About” tab, if you or a group you belong to would be interested in hosting me.

I also invite my readers to share the gift of history this holiday season, and all year-round, by ordering one of my books for yourselves, friends or family. Shortly after the publication of my latest book, Once Upon A Town: Bernardo, Merton and Stowe, I received a personal message of congratulations from State Assemblyman Brian Maienschein, calling the book “an excellent account of the makeup of our community from the late 1800s to the early 1900s,” and adding that “the level of detail depicts just how much San Diego has advanced.” I thank Mr. Maienschein for the kind words.

Once Upon A Town represents my further research into San Diego County’s “lost towns,” towns and villages that once thrived, but then disappeared. Also available for purchase is Valleys of Dreams, which offers 39 stories covering 12 different north county communities. Read about people like Dr. John Larzalere, who practiced medicine in Escondido for almost 50 years, and Vital Reche, the man who gave Fallbrook its name. Learn also about places like Vista’s Rancho Minerva or events like the coming of the railroad to San Marcos, which was actually the coming of San Marcos to the railroad. (You’ll have to read the book to see exactly what I mean.)

Just click on the “My Books” tab for ordering information.

Thanks again to all my readers for your interest in history, and please accept my best wishes for a historically happy holiday season!

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You can get regular updates of San Diego History Seeker automatically in your email by clicking on the “Follow” button in the lower right corner of the blog page. You’ll then get an email asking you to confirm. Once you confirm you’ll be an active follower.