by Kenneth M. Holtzclaw (Author), Diane Welch (Author)
Through four generations, back to 1906 when German patriarch Albert Ecke originally settled in California, the Ecke Ranch name has been synonymous with the crimson poinsettia. With the transplanting of the Ecke business into the heart of the sleepy township of Encinitas in 1923, the area became known as the "Flower Capital of the World." Now a diverse 20-year-old city embracing five distinct communities, the "split personality" of the area reveals itself as an eclectic mix of suburban and rural, historic and contemporary, laid-back and energetic. Nestled between the Batiquitos Lagoon to the north and the San Elijo Lagoon to the south, Encinitas dominates six miles of spectacular San Diego County coastline. From the pioneer Hammond family to famed skateboarder Tony Hawk, Encinitas is a notable city with memorable citizens.