The Original Rancho Bernardo

Shown here is a view of the original Rancho Bernardo looking North from what is today the intersection of Pomerado Road and Bandy Canyon Road. The old rancho was located just Southeast of where Kit Carson Park is today. Just prior to 1916, Santa Fe RR purchased the Rancho, consisting of several thousand acres, in preparation for the construction of the Lake Hodges Dam. The rancho was known affectionately as "Bernardo" by local residents. In fact the whole valley that Lake Hodges now fills was known as Bernardo Valley and the section of the river that ran through it was known as the Berrnardo River. Later on when the dam was built, Bernardo was flooded and it hasn't been seen since. The photo was taken in 1884, twenty eight years before the dam was finally built. The old dirt road shown in this photo follows the route of the old road from San Diego to Escondido and San Pasqual, mostly San Pasqual in those days. The river can be seen passing in the foreground.       Chances are that "Bernardo" looked much like this when Ray and May Trussell made their trips back and forth between Otay and San Pasqual to visit Ray's brother Date. Before the lake was created, there was a small store there, making Bernardo a convenient stop on the long trek between San Diego and Escondido. As a result, the Trussells would occasionally overnight there.