Community History

Harmony Grove History

Harmony Grove got its name because of how peaceful this area was.  Early settlers, Foster, Harding and Molette, established the spiritualist society out here in 1896.  Take note of the street signs which are named after the early pioneers. There are many historic buildings and archeological sites remaining in the Harmony Grove area.

In the late 1890’s granite was discovered in the area and at least two quarries operated in Harmony Grove until the late 1990’s.

In the early 1950’s, Egg Ranch farming became established in Harmony Grove producing eggs for the San Diego area. Production ended in the early 2000’s when the egg ranch owners sold the property to the Harmony Grove Village (HGV) developer.

The development’s roots began in the late 1990’s with an interest to build master planned community.  Harmony Grove area residents resisted an effort by the City of Escondido in 2003 to annex the area fearing planned industrial development plans by the city. Residents were successful in preventing this effort by the city. In 2007 the County of San Deigo approved a specific plan amendment to the County General Plan for a 468 acre master planned community in Harmony Grove for 736 homes and 40% of the site allocated to open space.

Harmony Grove Village lies on the eastern toe of Mt. Whitney in the San Marcos moutains, within the western most limits of Escondido Valley. The area to the west of the Harmony Grove Village site is predominantly open space and characterized by an expanse of hills. The Elfin
Forest Preserve is located several miles to the southwest. East and north of the project site are several residential developments and industrial parks.
Traveling west from Escondido and south from San Marcos the landscape transitions from urban to rural in the immediate vicinity of Harmony Grove
Village. Direct access to the area is via Harmony Grove Road and Country Club Drive.

Prior to its conversion to a residential community, the Harmony Grove Village project area supported two egg ranches, a dairy, avocado groves, citrus groves, an abandoned rock quarry, and scattered single-family residences.

As of late 2004, the dairy, egg ranches, and avocado/citrus groves were active and producing. On-site structures included egg packing facilities, chicken houses, milk bams, residences, and various out-structures and sheds intended to support the dairy and egg ranching operations.

Several single family residences existed on parcels adjacent to the egg ranches and dairy.

<span “>Piles and areas of spread manure existed onsite and included a fertilizer processing operation. This material was processed and
trucked offsite. Two ponds collected runoff from the dairy wash operations and were located near the central portion of the site. A larger pond that was
likely built as a reservoir was located on the west-central portion of the site. 

The Harmony Grove Village project was started by Standard Pacific Homes, then the project was sold to Cal Atlantic Homes and in 2019 Lennar who completed the project in 2021.

<span “>Grading for the development started in 2013, infrastructure began in 2014 including streets, curbs, and water channels. Home construction began in 2015 with the first homes for sale on Trail Blazer in 2016.  The community was fully built out in 2021. 

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