About:

Beautiful Bonsall, CA is located in the rolling hills of northern San Diego County. Home to the famous San Luis Rey Downs Training Center for thoroughbred racehorses and other equestrian facilities. Agriculture, horticulture and vineyards thrive in this Mediterranean-like climate. The people of Bonsall enjoy living the country life while having quick access to everything the cities around it provide. Come visit Bonsall to see its beauty and enjoy the peacefulness! Be sure to stop by our Bonsall Chamber of Commerce office for a wealth of information on the area!

History of Bonsall

Records show that Bonsall was originally known as "Mt. Fairview" and later as "Osgood," after the chief engineer who was in charge of the Southern California Railroad Survey Crew in the 1870s. A petition for a post office in 1889 recommended the names of "Reed," "Favorite," or Bonsall." Post office headquarters in Washington, DC chose the latter, the name of a retired Methodist minister, James Bonsall, who developed a fruit tree nursery in the area in 1889.Apparently, Mr. Bonsall was taking a load of lumber south through Gopher Canyon when his wagon broke down. He found the area so appealing, he purchased some acreage from a settler, built a home and developed his nursery all with a cash capital of $3.00. His enterprise was very successful and his house still stands today. In the late 1800s, the hamlet of Bonsall offered the services of a post office, blacksmith shop complete with tethering rock to tether the horses while shopping, a general store, hotel and local school. The fertile valley became the center of a small dairy industry. The post office was the community center; the postman carried more than just mail. He toted cream from the Creamery in Bonsall to the train at Oceanside for shipment to San Diego.