California pioneer M. C. Close and his mermaid Trixie. La Jolla. February 29th, 1910.
Do you love viewing or collecting old postcards?
Postcards are experiences frozen in time. Images and a few words are meant to be shared and remembered.
Postcards that were printed long ago can also be windows into history.
I saw an old postcard of the San Diego Zoo the other day. I then wondered how many cards depicting San Diego and its attractions are in the public domain.
Upon visiting Wikimedia Commons, I discovered quite a few!
Here’s a diverse selection of old postcards that you might enjoy looking at. In several instances the image information wasn’t very detailed, so I did a little extra research. Postcard dates were taken from Wikimedia Commons, or in one case inferred: the Spreckels Organ Pavilion showing a wicker electriquette cart. Read the captions.
Anyone who has memories or additional information, please feel free to leave a comment!
San Diego Zoo. Entrance to the zoo. 1961.El Toreador Motel, San Ysidro. Date uncertain. El Toreador opened in October 1948.U. S. Grant Hotel, San Diego. Date uncertain.Fifth Avenue Auto Wash at Fifth and Kalmia. Circa 1920-1929.Fred Vinyard Overhead Garage Doors, 3600 block of Pacific Highway, opposite Consolidated Aircraft. Between circa 1930 and circa 1945.Japanese Tea House, Panama-California Exposition, San Diego, 1915.Little Chapel of the Roses, Chula Vista. Between circa 1930 and circa 1945.Pickwick Hotel in downtown San Diego. Between circa 1930 and 1945. Today the 1927 building is home to The Sofia Hotel.Panoramic view of San Diego, circa 1900-1909. The foreground appears to be Bankers Hill.Hotel Del Coronado. Circa 1900-1909.Steaming through San Diego County, California. Between circa 1930 and circa 1945. Santa Fe train passes through orange groves.Mission San Diego. Founded by Padre Junipero Serra. Circa 1900-1909.Caves of La Jolla. Circa 1900-1909.The Barcelona Hotel and Apartments in Bankers Hill. Between circa 1930 and circa 1945.Tropic Motel, 2611 San Diego Avenue (off U.S. 101), in Old Town San Diego. Between circa 1930 and circa 1945.Ferry Boat Ramona. San Diego. Circa 1910.Twin Inns, Carlsbad. Between circa 1930 and circa 1945.State Normal School, San Diego, 1905. State sponsored teacher training college in University Heights. Demolished in 1955.Carnegie Library, San Diego, 1905. Opened in 1902 at Eighth and E Streets. It was demolished in 1952.Amusement Center, Mission Beach, San Diego. Between circa 1930 and circa 1945. Today this is Belmont Park with its Giant Dipper Roller Coaster.Point Loma Homestead. 1906. Lomaland of the Theosophical Society, established in 1900.Postcard of The San Diegan at San Diego’s Santa Fe Depot train station in August 1973.Tugging A Sailing Boat to Sea. San Diego. Circa 1910.The Open Air Organ, Balboa Park, San Diego. The Spreckels Organ Pavilion. Circa 1915.Bath House. San Diego. Circa 1910. Los Baños pool and public baths opened downtown in 1897 near the foot of D Street (Broadway).Portion of Business District, San Diego. Image predates 1920.
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Downtown San Diego has been my home for many years. My online activities reflect my love for writing, blogging, walking and photography.
View all posts by Richard Schulte
One thought on “Old postcards from San Diego’s past.”
Cool San Diego Sights! 
One thought on “Old postcards from San Diego’s past.”