Escondido History Center

11/07/2022

Hey friends, mark your calendars, the 2023 Grape Day Festival will be on September 9th, 2023 bigger than ever!
What was your favorite part of the 2022 Festival?

09/14/2022

Here’s a few photos from the Grape Day Festival this weekend, what a great crowd and so many fun and interesting things to do! What other kind of city festival can you see cow milking demonstrations, stomp grapes, learn how to make grain from corn, do hands on science with the police forensics unit, see blacksmithing and meet 4-H animals?
The music was awesome and the food so tasty. And the best thing, it was all local folks participating and representing Escondido! What was your favorite part of the festival?
Thank you to everyone that came out, we look forward to planning next years Grape Day!

09/07/2022

Escondido's historic Grape Day Festival returns this summer after hiatus

https://www.10news.com/news/life-in/escondidos-historic-grape-day-festival-returns-this-summer-after-hiatus

This was a great segment that aired 8/25/22 on 10 NEWS about our city's interesting history! Great job Robin, from the Escondido History Center sharing all your knowledge of our town and the history of the Grape Day Fest with San Diego viewers! We're looking forward to it's return this Saturday! Who's coming? :)

Escondido’s oldest and most famous event will return this summer for the first time since 2018. The festival traces its roots to the early 1900s.

08/30/2022

We're so excited to be bringing back the Escondido Grape Day Festival, September 10th, 10-4pm at Grape Day Park!
Mark your calendars for the revival of this historic festival.
There's going to be something for everyone to enjoy and it's free to attend!
Stomp grapes like they used to back in the day, see demonstrations of weaving, cow milking and other done-by-hand artisan demonstrations. See displays of old-time machinery, steam engines, tractors and vehicles as well as educational displays from local community organizations.
Just like they did back at the original Grape Day Festival in 1908, free grapes will be handed out, to all fair-goers (while supplies last).

Throughout the day, there will be performers on the main stage, starting with the Sunny Side Strings (featuring Bob from the Sunny Side Kitchen!) as well as Mariachi Victoria de San Diego and Folklorico dancers, Silk Button Butchers, Gregory Page and finishing the day with the talented and award winning artist Whitney Shay.

Kids can try their hand at games of yesteryear, like hoop spinning and sack races, get their faces painted, see Wild Wonders wild animal friends and see the children's museum mobile exhibit, just to name a few things!
There's going to be a food court, with everything from BBQ and Italian food, to crepes and Mexican food as well as other vendors selling kettle corn, and cotton candy, baked goods and cold brew coffee.
Shop local artisans, with over 25 local Arts and Crafts vendors selling their handmade wares, from jewelry, candles and soaps to clothing, jams, wood products, Bonsai, and handcrafted spices, just to name a few!
Adults over 21 can purchase tickets to enter the Wine and Beer tasting area, to sample some of our local wineries and breweries wine and beer.
The Escondido History Center will have it's antique vehicles from the wheelwright shop out for display, including the old time popcorn and peanut cart, where they will be popping and roasting to order! Next door, see the blacksmith guild forging metal.
There are many more exciting things to see and do at the Escondido Grape Day Festival! Don't miss this exciting celebration of our City's rich agricultural history and what it is today! For more information, visit www.grapedayfest.com or the Facebook Event page here on the history center page.

08/25/2022

Grape Day Festival returns to its roots - Escondido Times-Advocate

We hope you’ll join us for the return of our favorite event!

The Sunny Side Strings Band will be one of several bands providing live music at the Grape Day Festival. In the early years of the 20th century people from all over California used to board trains to Escondido to attend the Grape Day Festival held on September 10. It was that big. It was second

07/10/2022

Get ready, North County! For the return of the Grape Day Festival September 10th, 10-4pm.
We're taking it back to the original festival, celebrating the agriculture, wine region and culture of Escondido and the region. Fun for the whole family and free to attend! Stay tuned for more information!

05/07/2022

Our awesome Brothers of 6 did a great job AGAIN, cleaning up the grounds here. We sincerely thank them for their continued efforts to make the Escondido History Center look the best it can!

04/17/2022

Grape Day Festival returns to Escondido this fall - Escondido Times-Advocate

We’re very pleased to have the assistance of the community, especially the Brothers of 6, to help us bring this cherished event back!

Escondido’s century-old tradition is back this Fall. Escondido’s oldest and most famous event, the Grape Day Festival, will return on Saturday, September 10, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The festival will take place in Grape Day Park, home to the original festivals in the heart of Escondido and next City ...

01/23/2022

The Escondido Historic Preservation Commission has openings to fill. If you are interested in preserving Escondido’s unique historic sites, please consider applying.

Do you want to get involved in your community?

The City of Escondido is looking for volunteers to serve on all our Boards and Commissions.

For more information, visit: https://escondido.org/boards-commissions

12/03/2021

EHC Museum Store

We have the perfect holiday gift available for anyone who has lived in Escondido for a very long time, has just recently moved here, or is somewhere in between! Our Pictorial History of the Hidden Valley is a wonderful compilation of photographs and information about Escondido's recent and distant history, written by History Center Director Robin Fox and local historian Carol Rea. Numerous histories of local families, organizations, and businesses who sponsored the printing are included in the second half. Order online or purchase in person at the Escondido History Center office in Grape Day Park.

11/29/2021

Legends Scholarship Program | EscondidoHistory

Are you a high school senior in Escondido or do you know one? The Escondido History Center Legends Scholarship Program, providing $1,000 scholarships for eight outstanding seniors attending Escondido high schools is once again made possible by Jack Raymond. For more information, click on the link. Don’t delay - the deadline for completed applications is December 8! https://www.escondidohistory.org/legends-scholarship-program

The Escondido History Center Legends Scholarship Program, providing $1,000 scholarships for ten seniors attending Escondido high schools is once again made possible by Jack Raymond.

11/25/2021

Today, as always, we thank our friends, supporters, and volunteers for helping us to carry out our mission. May you all have much to be thankful for, as well.

11/11/2021

2nd annual VetFest set for Nov. 13 | Escondido Times-Advocate

This Saturday’s Walking Tour is canceled. Instead, we encourage everyone to honor our Veterans and enjoy VetFest, including the parade that will start at 9:30 am. For more information, visit https://www.times-advocate.com/articles/2nd-annual-vetfest-set-for-nov-13.

The 2nd annual VetFest, "Celebrating Hometown Heroes," will be held November 13, with the parade kicking off at 9:30 a.m. along Grand Avenue and other patriotic events, food and live enterta

10/08/2021

Free walking tour tomorrow, Saturday, October 9! Enjoy seeing the locations and learning the history of buildings no longer standing near our historic downtown! You'll visit the site where the USC seminary once stood, as well as the Hotel Escondido, Escondido High School, and more during this 90-minute tour led by local historian and Old Escondido resident, Donna D'Angelo. The walk includes a fairly steep hill; wear comfortable walking shoes. Starts at 10:00 on the southeast corner of Broadway and Grand. Don't be late!

10/02/2021

The Brothers of 6 came through for us again! Our buildings are looking much better, thanks to their efforts. Thanks, guys!

09/19/2021

They did it again! The Brothers of 6 did another nice job sprucing up the grounds around the History Center buildings, even getting rid of the nasty cobwebs. Well done, guys! We can't thank you enough!

08/09/2021

Free 90-minute walking tour of Old Escondido this Saturday, August 14, at 10:00 am, beginning at the southeast corner of Broadway and Grand. Bring sunscreen and water! This will be local historian Carol Rea's "farewell tour" before she moves out of state; join her as she shares the history and architecture of the neighborhood she's called home for the last 20 years.

08/08/2021

The Brothers of 6 did another AWESOME job sprucing up the History Center museum complex yesterday. Armed with multiple w**d whackers and rakes, they greatly improved the area around the Victorian House and Office/Research building. Thank you, our red-shirted heroes, for making a huge difference in Grape Day Park!

07/09/2021

Our walking tours are back! Join us tomorrow, July 10 for a free 90-minute tour of the Old Escondido Historic District west of Broadway. It will be a warm one, so bring water, sunscreen, and a hat! Meet at the southeast corner of Grand and Broadway at 10:00 am.

07/04/2021

Happy Independence Day! If you’ll be enjoying the fireworks show at Grape Day Park tonight, you’ll probably notice that something is going on with our Victorian Country Home - it’s getting a new roof! Thanks to a generous donor and a grant obtained by the city, the work has started!

05/31/2021

Speaking of heroes on this Memorial Day, here are some fascinating “now and then” photos, many showing wartime scenes. History is all around us, no matter where we are.

05/31/2021

Hoping you're having a meaningful Memorial Day, keeping in mind the ultimate sacrifices made by members of our armed forces throughout our country's history. We invite you to learn more about one conflict, World War I, that helped create a previous pandemic, the Spanish flu, by visiting our most recent exhibit in the Office and Research Center at Grape Day Park. "Escondido Endures a War and a Pandemic" includes military artifacts and photographs as well as a simulated trench along with photos of local men and a woman who served at the time. You can see the exhibit during business hours, Tuesday - Saturday, 10:00 am until 4:00. Due to limited staffing, it's best to call first to make sure that we're open. 760-743-8207.

05/19/2021

We’re extremely grateful to this group of dedicated adobe home enthusiasts who donate the proceeds from this extraordinary event to the History Center to assist us in fulfilling our commitment to preserve Escondido’s unique history. Mark your calendar and buy your ticket - you won’t be disappointed!

05/13/2021

It's Historic Preservation Month! We were honored to provide a new exhibit for the City Council Chambers lobby display case and it was completed yesterday, prior to the return of City Council Members to their chambers for their meeting last night. Each of the cabinet's three sections shares the history of a previous City Hall building and features photographs and artifacts from that site. The lobby isn't open unless a public meeting is being held, but we look forward to providing better photos - without the glare on the glass! - in the near future.

04/27/2021

Legends Scholarships | EscondidoHistory

Ten local high school seniors were acknowledged for academic, sports, arts, and community service excellence by our Escondido History Center Second Annual Legends Scholarship Program. To learn more about them and the program, visit https://www.escondidohistory.org/legends-program

The Second Annual Escondido History Center Legends Scholarship Program recently announced ten winners, each with a connection to a legendary person in Escondido’s history. Every senior student acknowledged attends a high school in Escondido and has received an honorarium of $1,000 for particip.....

04/27/2021

Escondido Legends award four scholarships | Escondido Times-Advocate

We are very pleased to have honored Escondido Legends and presented honoraria to ten local high school seniors.

The Escondido History Center's Escondido Legends committee last week announced, after delays due to the pandemic, the first four of ten outstanding seniors from high schools in Escondido that wer

04/01/2021

Our Office and Research Center in the city's first Library Complex here at Grape Day Park is open again, 10:00-4:00 pm Tuesday - Saturday. Stop in to see our World War I/Spanish Flu Pandemic or buy one of our recently published pictorial books. Due to limited staffing, we recommend call 760-743-8207 to make sure we'll be there if you're planning a visit.

04/01/2021

We're happy to announce that the Santa Fe Depot here in our History Center Complex at Grape Day Park, will finally be open to the public again this Saturday from 1:00-4:00 pm. Masks required, limited entry; household groups are asked to stay together once inside. See railroad artifacts and memorabilia as well as items from Escondido's distant past. As always, we do not charge admission but donations are gratefully accepted.

02/08/2021

Our handsome 2021 Wall Calendars are now ON SALE for just $5 each! With January behind us (How did that happen so fast!), we're discounting our terrific wall calendars. Enjoy this BARGAIN price because they still have 11-1/2 great months for tracking all the stuff you have coming up. The beautiful photos, some in black and while and some in color, were taken by respected local photojournalist Dan Rios over the course of 30 years; something to enjoy forever. You can purchase your calendar at the History Center in Grape Day Park (call 760-743-8207 to schedule an appointment) or Rosemary-Duff Florist, El Plantio Nursery, Owens Automotive, or the Urban Barn. Photo is featured for August, a past shot of one of the trains that still come to Escondido regularly.

01/05/2021

We’re at the Farmers Market right now, selling our Great wall calendars and books. Come by and say hello! If you can’t make it today, we plan to be here next Tuesday, too. Corner of Grand and Juniper in Heritage Park.

01/02/2021

CCAE Construction, Rios Photo - jigsaw puzzle (108 pieces)

Happy New Year! Here's a free online jigsaw puzzle for you to assemble of the January photograph from our attractive new wall calendar, which features historic photos of Escondido taken by respected photojournalist Dan Rios. This photograph shows interesting perspective as a welder works on the California Center for the Arts, Escondido in August of 1994. Rios was assigned coverage of the Center's construction for the Times-Advocate and he took more than 8,000 photos of the site, from beginning to end. Visit www.escondidohistory.org to buy a calendar or our new book. https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=30b8d77201cc

Free online jigsaw puzzle game

12/22/2020

2021 Wall Calendars are still available! These handsome calendars, featuring historic photos of Escondido, can be purchased online at the link or in person. They're now available at the Urban Barn, 404 E. Grand, as well as at Rosemary-Duff Florist, 101 W. 2nd; Owens Automotive, 302 N. Juniper; and El Plantio Nursery, 1322 San Pasqual Valley Rd., so that you can combine stops while you're out. They're nice gifts to others - and to yourself, too - don't start the New Year without one!

12/19/2020

The lights are on and we’re in the train depot at Grape Day Park for the Northern Lights event. We’re handing out candy canes and selling our new calendars and books. The authors of the history book are here signing copies, too. Come by and see us tonight and tomorrow night, 6 - 9:00.

12/11/2020

Enjoy the free light display at the Center for the Arts and Grape Day Park this evening - and do some Christmas shopping at the same time! We'll be selling our new calendars and books from 6 - 9:00 pm. at the train depot. Stop by and say hello!

12/11/2020

We are extremely pleased to announce that our latest book is now available for sale. This attractive 248-page book, "Escondido, A Pictorial History of the Hidden Valley," features hundreds of full-color and black-and-white historical photos. Written by History Center Director Robin Fox and local historian Carol Rea, this book is certain to be enjoyed for years to come. Call 760-743-8207 to schedule a time to pick up your copy at the History Center office in Grape Day Park or order through our website, www.escondidohistory.org when our ordering process is ready.

12/06/2020

Our train depot is so nicely decorated as part of the Center for the Arts “Northern Lights” event that we added some very merry lights to our office/research center, the city’s first library, too. Many thanks to the Brothers of 6 for putting up the lights that were provided by an anonymous donor today.