About 4S Ranch
4S Ranch
Ranch is an area of the North San Diego Inland. The origin of the name is not specifically known. It is thought it was named after Jose Francisco Snook and his three brothers or the 4 square pieces of land around Rancho Bernardo, that were granted to them from the Mexican Governor of California around 1845. The “4S” may stand for the four brothers Snook.
In the last of the 19th Century, the site of 4S was used for grazing of sheep and longhorn cattle. By 1915, Santa Fe Railroad obtained the land and planted thousands of eucalyptus trees erroneously believing the trees would make excellent railroad ties. The land was eventually sold to Albert Smith in 1928 who built a Spanish mission style house overlooking Lake Hodges. This house still stands today.
The land was acquired by William A. Clark, founder of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and upon his death, sold to Albert G. Ralph’s, of Ralph’s family, owners of the Calfornia grocery chain Ralph’s. The land was used for recreational and farming. By the 1980s, the southern portion of their property was developed and is now the 4S Ranch master-planned community.
A business park was developed in 1987 and housing development began in early 2000. The Ralph’s family owns a remaining 1,184 acres of the mostly northern area of 4S Ranch, 90 percent is designated natural open space with a potential 11 single family large estates homes.
4S Ranch is served by the highly acclaimed Poway Unified School District.