Written by: Irene Kratzer

Mackinnon family headed west in 1875. Hector, Sarah and their three children boarded a train from Cleveland, Ohio to San Francisco, took a steamer to San Diego and lastly a horse and buggy to their destination three-fourths of a mile from the San Elijo Lagoon mouth. At that point in time Indians still occupied the upper lagoon. 

Hector, a farmer with 500 valley and 100 mesa acres, was not to be put off by naysayers and soon proved that farming was possible so near the coast. He was able to raise barley and corn, plus have an orchard. Sarah's cows and chickens produced milk, butter and eggs to help with the expenses, and it is noted that her jellies were second to none. 

A room in the Mackinnon barn became a school and in l881 the first teacher, Mrs. Steven (Huffer) Wood, arrived to start her six-month teaching contract. When snow fell "from the mountains to the sea" in the great snowstorm of January 1882, students were moved into the kitchen of the dwelling house since there was no heat in the barn. 

In 1910, 35 years after Mackinnon's arrival, a Boston painter named J. Frank Cullen relocated in San Diego. In 1911-12, setting aside his brushes to become a developer, he visualized a coastal community playground on the land Hector had settled. He subsequently purchased said land, plotted the town site, prepared a map and began selling lots. Inside lots sold for $30 each and corner lots were $45. 

Water for Cullen's development was pumped through a 2-inch main north from Cottonwood Creek storage tank on the hill overlooking Cardiff. Cardiff Market owner Ira Connor reported the gasoline engine-operated pumping system was extremely troublesome and said "We were always running out of water..." 

Cardiff's only industry, a kelp works, was built by Clarence Cole in 1912. Seaweed was processed there for its food and industrial content. The plant's foundation is still visible along the San Elijo Lagoon's muddy north bluff. 

Cardiff Elementary School District was formed in 1913, the school being built on property Cullen donated. The San Diego County Library system opened the first Cardiff Library in 1914 and the 1920s brought a train station, post office and the formation of the San Dieguito Irrigation District. 

Trying to imagine what it must have been like here for these pioneers, I'm certain both Mackinnon and Frank Cullen would be pleased with the fruits of their labors. If Cullen could see his coastal playground today, surely he would be proud of Cardiff-by-the-Sea with its beautiful recreation areas: Glen Park, on property he so generously donated, Cardiff Sports Park and soon to be renovated George Berkich Park. The San Elijo State Beach Campground and Carpentier Parkway borders our businesses. Restaurant Row provides a dining atmosphere with sunsets that are postcard perfect. 

The Cardiff Towne Centre with yet another Cardiff Market, a school system that rates among the highest in the nation, plus you can go from kindergarten through junior college in Cardiff-by-the-Sea. The Cardiff Library, which began in S.M. Holbrook's grocery store-Cullen's playground hotel is over 80 years old.

Beautiful homes adorn the hill-sides; the Cardiff business community does us proud. Cardiff, sometimes called laid back, works continuously to preserve, protect and beautify the vision that Cullen had and the friendly spirit of the people, like Mrs. Mackinnon's jellies, is second to none. A well known destination point, Cardiff-by-the-Sea has a great number of visitors each year, many of them from Cardiff, Wales. Over the years a Twin Towne relationship has developed with our namesake, and we thank Mrs. Cullen for such a beguiling name.