SAN DIEGO --- The oldest synagogue in San Diego sits on a hillside just southeast of San Diego's much-visited Old Town State Historic Park.

The soaring, simple redwood synagogue shares its hillside perch with six historic Victorian homes. And all seven structures are part of a nearly 8-acre historic park known as Heritage Park. Never heard of it? Most people haven't.

Despite the county park's closeness to Old Town, even local residents don't know it exists. Pat Greenfield, an employee at the park's Old Town Gift Emporium, said people frequently tell her, "I've never been here in my life, and I was born in San Diego."

That's too bad, because there is plenty to see during a short afternoon stroll up the hillside. Many of the buildings are open to the public.

"(People) are always delighted when they discover us," said park ranger Trisha Cates.

She loves to tell visitors how the buildings came to be at the site. The structures were relocated one-by-one from downtown San Diego after World War II. Four of them, including the synagogue, were so large they had to be cut in half in order to fit them on the truck, she said.

Crews reunified the building halves after they were delivered to the park.

"Now, they're just beautiful -- you can't tell," Cates said.

Inside the synagogue, a poster tells the building's history. Built by the Temple Beth Israel congregation in 1889, the synagogue was part of the early Reform movement. Conservative and orthodox synagogues don't allow organ music or choirs, but this structure included an loft area for an organ, the poster stated.

Some of the houses now contain businesses. Mrs. Burton's Tea Parlor occupies the old Barton House, a Classic Revival-style home built in 1893 by a retired Army physician. For $18, people can indulge in high tea with scones, lemon curd and tartlets. You'll need to plan for it, though. Reservations are required.

Just up the hillside at the McConaughy House, you can purchase your own tea set or even a very tiny set -- one smaller than the palm of your hand -- for a child's doll.

"We (also) have paper dolls, which people come in and talk about because you can't find paper dolls any more," said Greenfield, who bought Christmas gifts for all 12 of her granddaughters at the shop.

Want to spend the night? The Heritage Park Bed and Breakfast Inn, which occupies an 1889 Queen Anne mansion with a turret, offers clawfoot tubs, a "bottomless cookie jar," afternoon tea on the veranda and a candlelight breakfast. Expect to pay $140 to $280 a night.

And should you fall in love with the place, the park rangers have the authority to perform civil wedding services.

"That's the most fun part of our job," Cates said.

Contact staff writer Barbara Henry at (760) 901-4072 or bhenry@nctimes.com. To comment, go to nctimes.com.

San Diego County's Heritage Park

What: Nearly 8-acre park at the intersection of Juan and Hamey streets. Site is slightly south of Presidio Park and the San Diego State Historic Park in Old Town.

Cost: Free, for parking and entrance to the park.

Hours: The park is not gated, so building exteriors can be viewed at any time.

Web site: http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/parks/heritage_park.html

Phone: (858) 694-3049