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Our History
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Pioneer Roots
Theodore and Mary Bailey were some of the last of the western pioneers.
Married
in 1868 they traveled by covered wagon (kids and all) from Kentucky to San Diego County,
settling in Mesa Grande below Palomar Mountain around 1884.
Trained as a surveyor,
Theodore soon found work with the regional U.S. Geologic Survey group. In this
capacity he traveled extensively through the undeveloped areas of San Diego County.
It was while setting survey markers on Palomar Mountain that he came upon a beautiful
little valley just over the summit. It reminded him of his native Kentucky,
with its dark cool forests and rich grassy flats.
The valley was host to a series of clear artesian springs that still produce some of
the best water to be found anywhere.
He quickly filed a homestead claim for the
valley and moved his young family up the mountain in the fall of 1887.
Using mostly the resources around them, the family
quickly built a log cabin and prepared for the winter to come.
And it turned out to
be quite a winter. They nearly had their shake roof cave in on them as the snow fall
topped 60 inches.
More than once the boys spent the entire night shoveling the
falling snow off the little cabin's roof.
The following spring of 1888 Theodore, Mary and their five young children were hard at
work building the new family ranch house across the valley from their log cabin.
With the help of the local Native Americans they dug clay from natural deposits
near the building site.
 This material was formed into adobe bricks which were used
to construct the single story home. The three vacated clay pits were then lined with
rock.
Quickly filling with water, these covered wells served the household for many
years.
Almost as soon as their home was constructed, Theodore assumed the role of post
master for the mountain. The Bailey house now served as the local post office and
the center of the tiny community
Note the small sign on the right of the porch
which reads "POST OFFICE".
It was during this time that folks traveling up the steep mountain grade on horse back
would stop by the Bailey place, and often be invited to stay over for a few days.
Even in those early years, the Bailey place became a welcome rest stop for travelers in
the back country.
Theodore was known for his hospitality just as Mary Bailey was becoming famous for her
baked goods.
Traveling 60 miles by wagon to the County Fair each year, her Palomar
Rhubarb pie took the 1st place award in 1899.
Baileys Palomar Resort
Theodore, Mary and family eventually built up the place to a first rate back country
resort destination.
By the 1920s Bailey's Palomar Resort had taken shape.
In addition to Campo Contento - the original
automobile camp - the resort now boasted furnished tents on wood decks and small
cabins.
The original adobe
homestead was enlarged to three stories and called the Palomar Mountain Hotel. The
town-ship of Palomar Mountain was now at the Bailey Place.
Visitors would find
Bailey's General Store and Soda Fountain, the Palomar Post Office, a hand crank gas
station and the new Dance Hall building (these are all still alive and well at the resort
over 80 years later).
For activities, the discerning resort guest could choose from lawn-tennis, an eighteen
hole golf course (with nine holes out and nine holes back) horseback riding, hiking,
shuffle board, or a dip in the swimming hole.
Having then worked up an appetite, guests could partake of hardy back country meals at
the resort restaurant.
Fresh meats were kept on ice, home grown produce graced each
plate, which was then topped off with fresh baked breads and pastries.
As the sun set, the resort would begin to glow under soft electric lights (provided by
a gasoline powered generator system).
Guests would then attend the event of the evening - a Country Dance (with live music)
or hay-ride and bonfire (before the days of burning permits).
 Love & Romance at Bailey's
The guests would often arrive via
Bailey's Palomar Stage.
The journey was
by automobile from Oceanside to the base of Palomar, and then by horse drawn wagon up the
rugged west grade to Bailey's Resort.
It was on just such a trip in 1913 that Adalind Shaul, a young school teacher from
Clarinda Iowa, met the charming and dapper Dr. Milton Bailey - Theodore and Mary's
youngest son and now a newly graduated DDS from the University of Southern
California.
 Milton was raised on the homestead, receiving his early education under the trees at
Sunday School flat.
After attending San Diego High School (class of '09) he was
accepted at prestigious USC in the modest but growing town of Los Angles.
Milton attended school during the academic year, working at the resort each summer while
putting himself through the College of Dentistry.
Milton planned to open his new
practice in San Diego in the fall and was working at the resort that summer.
Well, it seems that the day of Miss Shaul's arrival via Oceanside, the regular stage
driver was unable to make the run.
So it was Milton who took the horse drawn
stage down the steep and wild west grade of Palomar to pick up the new Hotel quests.
 By chance,
the demure Miss Shaul rode up the mountain seated by Milton's side while
the other Resort guests rode in the back.
Apparently it was love at first sight
for the new dentist and the visiting school teacher.
They were engaged that fall and married later in the year.
Stay Tuned for Future Installments, Including:
"Cecil
B. Demille
Slept Here"
"Gable
& Lombard
Stop By"
"Building
the Worlds Largest Telescope"
Bailey's Palomar Resort
Six Generations Later
From the 1890s right up to today folks have been enjoying our unique mountain
environment - and have just kept coming back for more.
We have had scores of weddings over the years, both in and out of doors. Our
114
year old, three story Homestead and Hotel building
(now a vacation rental home we call The
Bailey House)
has just been completely restored and we are quite proud of
the new look in our rustic setting.
Please take a moment to tour our facility on-line.
(c) Copyright 2002 by B. N. Bailey - No part of the forgoing may be reproduced or distributed in
any way without the express written permission of the author.
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For Current Prices, Reservations
or General Information
Please Call Us at
760 /
742-1859
Or
Email
us
using the Contact button on the
upper left of this page.
Thanks
for stopping by!
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