A Place To Call Home
How our dear Cardiff came to be
Hector MacKinnon arrived in 1875 while Native Americans still occupied some of this area. He set about farming, raising chickens and his wife Sarah made jams and jellies. The first Cardiff School was in his barn. Thirty-six years later J. Frank Cullen, a painter from Boston, came west and when he saw this area he [...]
Plenty planned to celebrate centennial
2011 marks 100 years since J. Frank Cullen arrived in the area, saw our beautiful coastline and immediately thought it could become an artists’ colony. In preparation he built a hotel at the corner of San Elijo Avenue and Chesterfield that became the Mercantile Building and has been home to many things including the first [...]
History of beautifying Cardiff
The Cardiff-by-the-Sea Business Association established the Beautification Committee in 1963 and leased the railroad right-of-way, Orville Carpentier and wife Jessica took care of the parkway along San Elijo Avenue mowing and watering. The Beautification Committee launched Project Pride, chamber members raised funds, planted palm trees, acquired planters and black-topped the business parking lot and in [...]
New, veteran staff members help Cardiff library run
While awaiting the officials with gold shovels and hard hats to arrive to break ground for the expansion, it is business as usual in the Cardiff-by-the-Sea Library. New to our knowledgeable staff is Becky Sanders, who will be our assistant branch manager. She comes to us after seven-and-a-half years at the El Cajon branch, has [...]
Summer in Cardiff is well under way
For, lo, the winter is passed and Cardiff-by-the-Sea is gearing up for a long, hot summer of fun so join in and enjoy. The Cardiff-by-the-Sea Library kicked off their summer reading program, Splashes, on June 26 with Literature Comes to Life with Stacy Wein, so be sure to sign up for fun and prizes and [...]
Cardiff vet specializes in TLC
On the southeast corner of San Elijo and Aberdeen in Cardiff-by-the-Sea rests a charming brick building with a shingled roof that once was the home of an Atlantic Richfield Service Station. Today it is occupied by the Cardiff Animal Hospital where Dr. Monica Laflin treats furry friends with tender loving care. Dr. Monica knew while [...]
Cardiff library gets a facelift
2010 brought heavenly rain to wash the faces of the plants, trees and shrubs and make the earth smell good, for which we are happy. In January, the library reopened after being closed for some updates which you will note when you visit. The checkout counter gave way to book/video return slots, the checkout counter [...]
Green parade sets right tone for 2010
There are many happenings in one’s lifetime that bring extra special joy; but the day the call came from Nick at Parks and Recreation saying I had been nominated for Grand Marshal of the Holiday Parade my heart nearly burst. It was an unbelievable honor plus a chance to represent my beloved Cardiff-by-the-Sea and the [...]
History of how we kept Cardiff
With the 1985 incorporation, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Old Encinitas, Leucadia and Olivenhain were brought together as the city of Encinitas. The campaign promise was that each community would maintain its individuality and since Cardiff-by-the-Sea was unique in the fact that it had its own zip code, library and Chamber of Commerce and a beguiling name, residents and [...]
Win a piece of the walk
In 1981 it became apparent to the Cardiff Town Council that a sidewalk was needed along Birmingham for pedestrian safety. The county said it was the property owners’ responsibility to improve their footage so the council tackled the problem. Under the direction of President Ken Harrison, board member Jackie Barker suggested squares of sidewalk be [...]
