Visit Valley Center

T &T & Stuffed Bear. (Museum Volunteer photo.)

Just over a pass in the foothills north of Escondido lies the very odd "community" --I guess you could call it--of Valley Center which used to be called Bear Valley Center.

The "Center" consists of a broad valley ringed by foothills with some very expensive looking mansions and some fixer-upper shacks set into groves, orchards and pastures. It looks to me like the southern California I knew sixty or so years ago. There is no "town" here but there are a few roadside businesses--a branch bank, a couple of gas stations and an eatery or two.

We went to visit the local history museum and found it after a back and forth search next to a very new public library building.

The museum is small but crammed with artifacts and historic junk. Very interesting, of course--and the public library is so spacious and commands such a beautiful view of the valley that it is really a marvelous one of a kind. (The library is a part of the San Diego County library system so you can check out their DVDs for FREE! You gotta PAY 50 cents each at the Escondido library.)

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