Why is this resort unique?
Rancho Santa Fe was acquired by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1906. The company planted millions of eucalyptus trees on the land, hoping to create a source of wood for its railroad ties. Unfavorable weather and the unsuitability of the wood for railroad ties forced a change of plans, but the company recouped its losses by developing a community of ranches with architectural similarity to the Spanish and Rancho eras.