Encinitas: Our History and People
Encinitas: Our History and People By the Encinitas Historical Society Authors Carolyn Roy Cope, Jim Filanc and Garth Murphy Cover painting by artist Kevin Anderson Published by HPN Books and Ledge Media ©2021 Visit www.ledgemedia.net/encinitas to order printed copies And visit www.HPNBooks.com for info on how to publish your own book as a fundraiser for your community
Encinitas: Our History and People
By the Encinitas Historical Society
Authors Carolyn Roy Cope, Jim Filanc and Garth Murphy
Cover painting by artist Kevin Anderson
Published by HPN Books and Ledge Media ©2021
Visit www.ledgemedia.net/encinitas to order printed copies
And visit www.HPNBooks.com for info on how to publish your own book as a fundraiser for your community
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THE DANFORTH<br />
BUILDING<br />
The Danforth Building has been an anchor in<br />
<strong>Encinitas</strong> since 1918. For over 100 years a twostory<br />
multiple use building has stood on the<br />
corner of First St <strong>and</strong> E St. Most of the time, 80<br />
years, belonging to the Danforth family.<br />
The construction history of the building<br />
shows it was completed in 2 stages. The first<br />
stage was built in 1918. In 1937 when (First St)<br />
Highway 101 was widened in anticipation of the<br />
Del Mar Racetrack traffic, 20-feet was removed<br />
from the front of the building. The state paid the<br />
owners, the Wenz family, who then added the<br />
second phase of the building in 1937, the south<br />
side, as it remains today.<br />
It was purchased by Jane Danforth’s mother,<br />
Eckka Robinson Rowe in 1940. Eckka <strong>and</strong> her<br />
husb<strong>and</strong> George resided upstairs in apartment<br />
#2. Eckka managed the entire building for the<br />
next 20 years to pay off the mortgages used to<br />
purchase the property. The Danforth family still<br />
own <strong>and</strong> treasures this building today.<br />
Before Interstate 5, the building was once<br />
part of the heart of downtown. It was a time<br />
in the past when people would meet one<br />
another at the post office, collect their mail,<br />
<strong>and</strong> buy a 3-cent stamp. The southbound<br />
Greyhound bus stop was in front of the building<br />
<strong>and</strong> tickets were purchased in the building’s gift<br />
shop. Downtown <strong>Encinitas</strong> was predominately<br />
between the La Paloma Theater <strong>and</strong> F Street. It<br />
included all businesses needed for everyday life.<br />
The Market was open to the street, with a<br />
fruit <strong>and</strong> vegetable st<strong>and</strong> across the front, where<br />
you could buy a glass jar of milk <strong>and</strong> a loaf of<br />
bread for about 10-cents.<br />
Over the years other building tenants have<br />
included Lou’s Records, Reder Insurance, a yoga<br />
studio, <strong>and</strong> a laundromat. Current occupants are<br />
Station Salon, Better Buzz Coffee, <strong>and</strong> Flashbacks.<br />
The Danforth Building remains a dominant<br />
l<strong>and</strong>mark structure on Old Highway 101. There<br />
are three commercial units downstairs <strong>and</strong><br />
apartments above providing downtown<br />
residential living for over 100 years. It is now<br />
adorned by two murals placed there by the<br />
Downtown <strong>Encinitas</strong> Merchant Association as<br />
part of the alley improvement project. It is also<br />
a reminder of where the <strong>Encinitas</strong> center of<br />
town once was before the Interstate was built<br />
<strong>and</strong> locals would come together as they went<br />
about their daily activities.<br />
1 8 2 F E N C I N I T A S - O u r H i s t o r y a n d P e o p l e