RSF Historical Society reopens La Flecha House, begins strategic archive digitization and improvement project

The Rancho Santa Fe Historical Society (RSFHS) recently announced that La Flecha House and the patio area will be open to the public as of Sept. 8, 2020. Visitors are welcome during the normal business hours of 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. Guests to the historic landmark are required to stay home if they are feeling ill, wear face coverings at all times, wash their hands frequently, and stay socially distanced. Capacity is limited, so up to six visitors will be permitted entry at one time inside La Flecha House, and up to 10 visitors are permitted on the outdoor patio area.

While RSFHS may have been closed to visitors for most of the summer, staff and volunteers have been hard at work strategizing for improvements and upgrades to its valuable archive collection. To that end, RSFHS is welcoming Lisa Barrier, a digital collections consultant, to spearhead the comprehensive organization and digitization of its collection of artifacts, photographs and articles relating to the history of Rancho Santa Fe.

Barrier recently moved to San Diego from New York City. While she still works remotely for the prestigious Carnegie Hall on a part-time basis, Barrier was eager to take on more projects in her new hometown. Her experience with digital collections, asset cataloging, and researching exhibit profiles will greatly advance the efforts made by volunteers over the years to catalog items in the archives. Furthermore, the project will position RSFHS to move its collection online, giving access to anyone around the world for free. Barrier additionally will create new archiving policies going forward to streamline the efforts of future archive volunteers.

Operating the archive project will be a significant expense for RSFHS, but is vital in order to keep its mission moving forward. RSFHS invites residents, businesses and members to help the efforts with a financial donation. Additionally, volunteers will be needed to assist with the project. RSFHS welcomes donations specifically to fund this archive campaign, or for its general fund to maintain other important projects related to upkeep and maintenance. With the community’s support, RSFHS can continue to maintain and expand its connections to Rancho Santa Fe’s past. Contact RSFHS at info@rsfhs.org for ways to help.