Old Town San Diego State Historic Park is a state protected historical park in the Old Town neighborhood of San Diego, California. The park commemorates the early days of San Diego; it includes many historic buildings from the period 1820 to 1870. The park was established in 1968. In 2005 and 2006, California State Parks listed Old Town San Diego as the most visited state park in California.
Irving John Gill, was an American architect, known professionally as Irving J. Gill. He did most of his work in Southern California, especially in San Diego and Los Angeles. He is considered a pioneer of the modern movement in architecture. Twelve of his buildings throughout Southern California are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and many others are designated as historic by local governments.
Louis J. Wilde was an American banker and Republican politician from California. Wilde was born in Iowa City, Iowa, in 1865. After living in Rochester, New York; Philadelphia; and St. Paul, Minnesota, he moved to San Diego in 1903.
Charles F. O'Neall was an American real estate agent and Democratic politician from California.
El Presidio Real de San Diego is a historic fort in San Diego, California. It was established on May 14, 1769, by Gaspar de Portolá, leader of the first European land exploration of Alta California—at that time an unexplored northwestern frontier area of New Spain.
George White Marston was an American politician, department store owner, and philanthropist. Marston was involved with establishing Balboa Park, Presidio Park, and the San Diego Public Library. His contributions to San Diego earned him the affectionate title of "San Diego's First Citizen."
Katherine Olivia Sessions was an American botanist, horticulturalist, and landscape architect closely associated with San Diego, California. She is known as the "Mother of Balboa Park".
Old Town is a neighborhood in San Diego, California. It contains 230 acres (93 ha) and is bounded by Interstate 8 on the north, Interstate 5 on the west, Mission Hills on the east and south. It is the oldest settled area in San Diego and is the site of the first European settlement in present-day California. It contains Old Town San Diego State Historic Park and Presidio Park, both of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Balboa Theatre is a historic movie and vaudeville theatre in downtown San Diego, California, United States. It was built in 1924. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996, Balboa Theatre was refurbished and reopened as a performing arts venue in 2008.
Presidio Park is a city historic park in San Diego, California. It is the site where the San Diego Presidio and the San Diego Mission, the first European settlements in what is now the West Coast of the United States, were founded in 1769.
The Whaley House is a Greek Revival–style residence and museum in Old Town, San Diego, California. It is the oldest brick structure in Southern California, built in 1857. It is a California Historical Landmark No. 65 and is currently maintained by Historic Tours of America, Inc (HTA).
Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO) is a non-profit organization devoted to the preservation of the historic architecture and landmarks around the San Diego, California, area. Founded in 1969, Save Our Heritage Organisation maintains several historic buildings including the Whaley House and the George W. Marston House. They are directly partnered with the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Balboa Park is a 1,200-acre (490 ha) historic urban cultural park in San Diego, California. Placed in reserve in 1835, the park's site is one of the oldest in the United States dedicated to public recreational use. The park hosts various museums, theaters, restaurants, and the San Diego Zoo. It is managed and maintained by the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of San Diego.
Richard Smith Requa was an American architect, largely known for his work in San Diego, California. Requa was the Master Architect for the California Pacific International Exposition held in Balboa Park in 1935–36. He improved and extended many of the already existing buildings from the earlier Panama–California Exposition, as well as creating new facilities including the Old Globe Theatre.
Guillermo Acevedo (1920–1988) was a Peruvian-born artist and master draftsman, most famous in the United States for his striking portrayal of Native Americans of the Southwest, and for his ability to capture and help preserve the disappearing architectural styles of old neighborhoods throughout the U.S. and abroad. Known to be an artist-observer with great sensitivity, Acevedo is recognized as a master at recording the human condition.
Marston Hills is a neighborhood within the Hillcrest community of San Diego, California. It is located above the northwestern corner of Balboa Park, and is generally bounded by Sixth Avenue to the west, Pennsylvania Avenue to the north, and Park Boulevard to the east, although some sources give California State Route 163 as the western boundary. The neighborhood is named after George Marston, an early San Diego businessman and philanthropist, whose house and grounds are located in the area.
The San Diego History Center is a museum in Balboa Park in San Diego, California, dedicated to the history of San Diego.
The 1917 San Diego mayoral election was held on April 3, 1917, to elect the mayor for San Diego. The election became known as the "Smokestacks vs. Geraniums" election because the dominant issue was whether the city's development should focus on planning and beautification or job creation and factories. In the primary election Louis J. Wilde, advocating for "smokestacks", and George Marston, derided as "Geranium George" by his opponents, received the most votes and advanced to the runoff. Wilde was then elected mayor with a majority of the votes.
Marston's was a department store based in San Diego, California, and founded by city leader George Marston. It had a downtown main store on Sixth Street and opened two suburban branches before being sold to The Broadway in 1961.
Coast Walk Trail is a pedestrian trail along the bluffs above sea caves in La Jolla, a community of San Diego, California.
