The second largest history museum in San Diego County, the Escondido History Center was founded as the Escondido Historical Society on February 3, 1956 and incorporated on June 28. In 1975, Heritage Walk was established, incorporating the barn, a windmill, wagon, and small blacksmith shop. In 1978, a Victorian house from Ivy St. was moved here, but it was lost to arson in 1979 and in 1980, the Hoffman House was donated to replace it.  In 2006, the name was changed to the Escondido History Center.

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Collections include thousands of photographs, ephemera, artifacts, directories, and books related to Escondido and the surrounding area.  Exhibits in our five buildings and Pullman train car provide a view of history dating back hundreds of years in the Hidden Valley.