Every summer, folks who grew up in the village return to their roots and express shock and awe at how it has changed.

The building along Highway 101 and 10th Street where they learned to read and write from Ruth Niemann is now the Civic Center. A TV studio sits on the softball diamond where many disputes occurred at home plate.

St. James Church is the library where historic information can be found but residents now go to Solbeach to worship and Pat O’Brien is no longer around to serve as alter boy. The Rexall Drug Store on 15th Street and Highway 101 is now the Americana restaurant with outdoor dining. Across the street sits the recently remodeled, very upscale, L’Auberge Resort that replaced a modest Del Mar Hotel that was the favorite hangout for the Hollywood crowd during the racing season. On the east side of the highway the tennis courts and hotel growing fields are now fancy shops and restaurants. There are no gas stations anywhere around when once there were a dozen.

The beach is still the great attraction. Missing, however, is the pier from which to fish for perch and corvina. Several times during the season it’s still possible to get wet at night chasing down grunion.

In Carmel Valley, Paul Hillman’s Dairy, Frank Knechtel’s lima bean fields, the Sisters of Mercy Ranch and the Rudy Bros. hog ranch are all history. A couple of high schools and several elementary schools sit in their place. Ed Welte’s chicken ranch has become the southern boundary of Del Mar Villas.

Rudy and his brother, Henry, were both clean-cut ranchers who made frequent runs into the village to collect food discards at restaurants and the Del Mar Market. Their truck, however, was easily recognizable from the odor surrounding it.

Knechtel was a dry farmer who grew high-quality lima beans. For years he provided them to Olivenhain folks for their annual barbecue and took personal responsibility to see they were prepared just right.

Several villagers kept their beef steers on the Knechtel range until they were ready to be slaughtered.

In the San Dieguito valley there were the Conley and Sprague dairies. They served Solana Beach and Rancho Santa Fe. Hillman’s Dairy prevailed in the village. His dairy cattle roamed free in Carmel Valley. Nearing sunset, the head cow always headed for the barn and the rest of the herd would follow. They were milked and fed in a small creamery building that was always spotless.

The Powerhouse has replaced a garage maintained by the Del Mar Hotel. There was also a plunge where champion rough-water swimmer Florence Chadwick often spent her Sundays.

Bing Crosby still sings his race track song “Where the Turf Meets the Surf” every afternoon during the season and although the place has been spiffed up considerably, the atmosphere remains carefree and friendly. Hollywood celebs still cheer the steeds in every race in consort with the rest of the fans.