A beautiful, hidden fountain forgotten by time.

Looking north at steps that lead down from the quiet, stately Balboa Park Administrative Building Courtyard.
Looking north at steps that lead down from the quiet, stately Balboa Park Administrative Courtyard.

A few weeks ago I meandered about Inspiration Point in Balboa Park. Walking slowly, pausing often, going nowhere in particular. Just seeing what I might see.

At the south edge of the Balboa Park Administrative Courtyard, I stood and gazed down the hill toward a corner of downtown San Diego. You might remember my blog about the courtyard. It’s a place that very few people know about. It’s peaceful, green, a bit of heaven. A place of solitude.

As I stood, I glanced down some steps leading toward a seemingly unremarkable patch of trees. A dusty lot next to the trees contained dozens of parked city Park and Recreation trucks. I wondered to myself if the public was permitted to walk down those steps, into what appeared to be a city work area.

This mysterious path seems to lead to a jumble of trees and a dusty parking lot full of city Park and Recreation trucks.
This mysterious path seems to lead to a jumble of trees and a dusty parking lot full of city Park and Recreation trucks.

Then I saw the blue among the trees. Was that water?

No sign indicated I couldn’t investigate. So I did.

And what I found took my breath away.

Beautiful Bird of Paradise in a section of Balboa Park where the public almost never goes.
Beautiful Bird of Paradise in a section of Balboa Park where the public almost never goes.
Entering a magical hollow in the trees, where a shining blue pool and small fountain await.
Entering a magical hollow in the trees, where a shining blue pool and small fountain await.

The trees seemed a forgotten oasis. At their center shined a lonely pool and a small fountain in the form of a child. The cherub seemed to be holding open the mouth of a carp, or perhaps reading a book–I don’t know.

The strange fountain appeared to occupy a magical place, entirely removed from the surrounding world.

What was it?

An email to the Friends of Balboa Park, an organization whose office is in the nearby Balboa Park Administration Building, provided a bit of information.

The person who replied parks her car in the lot not far from the pool and fountain, and she was completely amazed. She’d didn’t know of its existence.

Ranger Kim, who also works in the building, and who knows volumes about the history of Balboa Park, indicated that the fountain was left over from the 1920’s when the U.S. Navy built a large hospital campus in the immediate area.

In the 1980’s, the land was given to the city in exchange for acreage in Florida Canyon, where the new Naval Medical Center San Diego was built. The buildings from the 1920’s were eventually demolished, except for a Navy chapel, the administration building and its stately courtyard, and a nearby medical library and auditorium building. Today the chapel contains the Veterans Museum and Memorial Center; the administration building contains Balboa Park’s headquarters.

And, of course, magic remains where very few people go: a small fountain that healed spirits at the old Navy complex. A beautiful, hidden fountain forgotten by time.

The lonely fountain is in the form of a child. A few empty benches surround the tiled pool.
The lonely fountain is in the form of a child. A few empty benches surround the tiled pool.
This fountain is left over from the Navy hospital campus built in this area in the 1920's.
This fountain is left over from the Navy hospital campus built in this area in the 1920’s.
The figure seems to be holding open the jaws of a fish, or perhaps reading a book.
The figure seems to be holding open the jaws of a fish, or perhaps reading a book.
A beautiful, hidden fountain forgotten by time.
A beautiful, hidden fountain forgotten by time.

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Richard Schulte

Downtown San Diego has been my home for many years. My online activities reflect my love for writing, blogging, walking and photography.

30 thoughts on “A beautiful, hidden fountain forgotten by time.”

    1. It also goes under the name “administration” building. It’s that big building you can see from Park Boulevard, to the right of the Veteran’s Museum! There’s a picture of it on that other blog post I linked to. It was a very cool find! If you go, enjoy!

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  6. Richard, I am so glad you came upon this area. You have shared a wonderful series of photos of this “mysterious” spot. And to think that a person parks her car nearby and didn’t know it was there! BTW, the photo of the magnificent Bird of Paradise is so beautiful. 🙂

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  12. Pingback: Balboa Park’s quiet paradise at Inspiration Point. – Beautiful Balboa Park!
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