Fallbrook is a place where people dig in, roll up their sleeves and make a difference. Some work the land. Vegetable and flower gardens abound. Others get involved in some of the community's many revitalization and land-conservation programs. Fallbrook's backcountry quiet and rolling oak-studded hills provide a haven from hectic city life.
Beginnings
The seeds of this farming community were planted in the late 1860s when the Reche family settled in the area. Vital and Amelia Magee Reche later homesteaded a large parcel in what became known as the Fallbrook District. They named the new community after their former homestead in Pennsylvania.
In the 1870s and 1880s, the Fallbrook line on the Southern Pacific Santa Fe railway was built out, bringing in new settlers and enabling homesteaders to market crops more efficiently. Over the years, the railway was repeatedly washed out, and eventually abandoned, which probably helped keep Fallbrook the small, rural community it is today.
The Fallbrook area, located in what is now the northwest corner of San Diego County, has been based in agriculture since the 1800s. Many settlers were beekeepers. Olives became a major crop in the 1920s but were phased out in favor of the booming avocado and floral industries, which are still going strong.
Fallbrook is in an unincorporated part of San Diego County and is administered by the county's Board of Supervisors. In 2004, the population was estimated at just over 47,000.
Drawing card
Farms and ranches share green hills with charming houses on acre lots. Lush groves of oaks, pepper trees and sycamores give shelter to rabbits, coyotes and birds. Quiet neighborhoods are dotted with old-fashioned farmers' stands selling fresh produce. The area has many equestrian properties and miles of trails.
Fallbrook, a.k.a. the Avocado Capital of the World, takes its guacamole seriously. The fruit is Fallbrook's trademark product, but the nursery industry's flower fields and greenhouses generate more revenue.
The annual Avocado Festival draws tens of thousands to Fallbrook's quaint downtown to eat guacamole, watch the pit-spitting contest and enjoy varied activities. Downtown is a step back into another era with its cafes, gift shops and antiques stores, some in restored historic buildings.
Among the many parks and nature preserves is Live Oak Park, spread over 26 acres and surrounded by ancient oaks and streams. The Los Jilgueros Preserve is another standout, with 46 acres of pristine natural growth, streams, ponds and walking trails.
