Early Escondido

Louis A. Havens was a Southern California pioneer businessman, storyteller, and artist who brought the community of Escondido together via his camera. He was the first successful photographer in the thriving north San Diego County agricultural city, incorporated in 1888. Prior to his arrival, the occasional photographer might seasonally visit Escondido or attempt to set up shop, realizing little success. Havens,s timing in his arrival, combined with his skillful eye, ensured his success from 1911 to 1944. His collection documents Escondido,s early residents, architecture, events, and landscapes, and it now persists as a historic record of past events, culture, and development of the fourth largest city in San Diego County.

Author, Escondido native, and member of the Pioneer Room Friends and Escondido History Center, Stephen A. Covey acquired 60 of Havens's original glass-plate negatives from his father, who, as a child, had found them cast in a pile of rubble from a demolished Escondido barn. Realizing the significance of such a community treasure, Covey began printing these plates in 2000, commencing research to tell a story of early Escondido. The result, combined with numerous photographs from local historical collections, Havens family relatives, and private donors, culminates in this volume, featuring over 200 historic images depicting early Escondido.