Tag: barrio logan

Barrio Logan exhibit during Archives Month!

We are now in the middle of San Diego City Clerk’s 6th Annual Archives Month!

Through October 18th, 2024, the public can experience a fascinating San Diego City Clerk Archives exhibit concerning the history of Barrio Logan. Extensive displays can be viewed just inside the front entrance of San Diego’s downtown City Administration Building, at 202 C Street.

The exhibit is titled Telling Our Stories–Preserving Our Histories: The Chicano Movement in San Diego. It features photographs, articles and City Clerk documents that pertain to the culturally rich Barrio Logan neighborhood and how it has changed over time. There is an emphasis on the creation of Chicano Park, the work of Chicano activists, the origin and influence of Neighborhood House, and the tuna canning industry that once thrived in Barrio Logan down by the water.

In addition, there’s a video that visitors to the exhibit are invited to watch. It shows how residents were adversely affected by the construction of Interstate 5 and the Coronado Bay Bridge, and how they worked together to help preserve the community’s identity and establish Chicano Park.

The exhibit is curated by the San Diego City Clerk Archives in partnership with the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center.

I enjoyed looking at the displays and learning important facets of San Diego history. I encourage anyone who travels downtown to check it out. The City Administration Building is open on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Here are a few photographs that I took…

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Painting a beautiful new mural in Barrio Logan!

A very beautiful new mural is now being painted in Barrio Logan, on the side of Barrio Market at the corner of Cesar Chavez Parkway and National Avenue.

I met the friendly mural painter today, who goes by the artist name Andrea Border Baby. She’s a high school math teacher in South Bay. It’s her first ever public mural!

I learned Andrea has been one of the artists helping with the Chicano Park Mural Restoration project.

I also learned the left half of the new mural, depicting La Virgen de Guadalupe, memorializes a deceased loved one, and the right half celebrates the community of Barrio Logan.

The finished mural is set to debut in a couple weeks, on Saturday, September 14th!

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

San Diego, a famous Logan, and Memorial Day.

The colorful new Barrio Logan gateway sign arches over Cesar Chavez Parkway.

Did you know two communities in San Diego are named after the person who is largely responsible for the Memorial Day holiday?

Logan Heights and Barrio Logan (which was originally part of Logan Heights), along with Logan Avenue, received their names from John A. Logan.

This article explains: In 1871, Congressman John A. Logan wrote legislation to provide federal land grants and subsidies for a transcontinental railroad ending in San Diego. A street laid in 1881 was named Logan Heights after him, and the name came to be applied to the general area.

John Alexander Logan according to Wikipedia was an American soldier and politician. He served in the Mexican–American War and was a general in the Union Army in the American Civil War . . . As the 3rd Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, he is regarded as the most important figure in the movement to recognize Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) as an official holiday.

Read the Wikipedia article and you’ll see how one law he helped pass would today be considered repugnant.

I knew nothing about the connection of Logan to both San Diego and the Memorial Day holiday until yesterday, when it was spoken of during a Memorial Day weekend event in Balboa Park.

Interesting how human history, with its infinite complexity, can entangle so many different places, people, and conflicting ideas. It makes you wonder about our shared future. Can it possibly be known?

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Students create murals inspired by Chicano Park!

Yesterday, at the Chicano Park Day event in Barrio Logan, I stepped into the Turning Wheel Mobile Classroom, which was parked next to the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center. What, I wondered, was this University of San Diego community outreach program up to?

I was greeted by Drawing/Painting teacher and Chicano Park Fellow Miss Jessi Rogawski, plus two of her exceptional Lincoln High School students!

I learned that about 70 students in Miss Jessi’s classes have learned how to create murals, inspired by poster art in the Chicano Park Day Poster Archive.

Students choose a favorite poster, analyze it, then produce their own original sketches, inspired by the poster design. Through a multi-stage process, including enlargement and color mapping, the sketches would evolve into finished murals!

What a great opportunity for young people to learn both the history of Chicano Park, activate their imagination, collaborate, and develop their creative skills!

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Muralists celebrated at Chicano Park Day!

Paintings by many muralists on display during Chicano Park Day.

The Chicano Park Mural Restoration Project is currently underway, and many of the artists contributing to the massive effort were celebrated yesterday at the 54th Annual Chicano Park Day event in Barrio Logan.

A section of the Chicano Park Day event was dedicated to these talented creators, many of whom had their own canopies along Logan Avenue. They were showing and selling artwork, and even painting new work as people watched!

One long wall was filled with paintings by many of the participating muralists, exhibiting their diverse styles. A coloring book filled with art by fourteen of the artists was also available for creative kids.

I met a few of the muralists…

Roberto R. Pozos shows art that honors his Mexican-American heritage at 2024 Chicano Park Day.

Shirish Villaseñor smiles and creates a new painting at Chicano Park Day. (You might recall seeing her artwork in front of the Hilton on the new Bay to Park Paseo.)

Some of Shirish’s art.

Carmen Linares-Kalo is surrounded by her spiritual art at Chicano Park Day. Her work includes a mural that honors the Kumeyaay people.

Mario Torero, renowned muralist and a co-founder of Chicano Park, with a big smile. He contributed to more than 20 of the original murals and leads other artists during the restoration project.

Mario Torero created this poster art over 30 years ago for 1993 Chicano Park Day. Peace in Our World. Struggle for Justice.

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Photos of 54th Annual Chicano Park Day.

Please enjoy this collection of photographs taken today during the 54th Annual Chicano Park Day event in Barrio Logan.

For 2024, the theme of Chicano Park Day was Bringing Back the True Spirit and Energy of the Chicano Park Takeover. As I walked about, I saw that spirit and energy!

The event by all appearances is more popular than ever. A huge crowd surrounded the central Kioko to experience diverse performances, including Azteca and folklorico dancing and poetry readings. There were also speeches about the history of Chicano Park and the struggles and pride represented in its murals.

All around Chicano Park one could meet artists (including some of the renowned muralists), learn about community organizations, support local businesses, check out lowriders and other cool cars (and motorcycles and bicycles!), listen to live music, ride a fun little train for kids, and eat lots of great Mexican food.

And, of course, above all, there were the world-famous murals!

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Huge gathering of lowriders for Chicano Park Day!

A large number of amazing lowriders and custom cars arrived in Barrio Logan today for Chicano Park Day. The 54th Annual Chicano Park Day celebration seemed bigger than ever, and lowrider car culture is always an integral part of the popular event.

Car clubs from all around San Diego and Southern California participated. Their carefully tended, gleaming machines were shining in the sunshine and attracting the attention of the huge Chicano Park Day crowd.

I wandered about, marveling at it all, and took these photos…

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Creativity at Old Fashioned Lumber in Barrio Logan!

Reclaiming wood from demolished structures or trees whose life had ended, then transforming the once-living wood into furniture, art and other uniquely beautiful products, is inspired. That’s what Old Fashioned Lumber in Barrio Logan does!

I visited Old Fashioned Lumber a couple weekends ago during the San Diego Architectural Foundation Open House event. The public was allowed to peek into the inner workings of the place. These photographs represent much of what I saw.

Old Fashioned Lumber sells their handcrafted furniture and other artistic objects directly to the public. They also work with hotels, restaurants, and businesses of all types, producing conference tables, benches, bars–you name it!

They even created a set of furniture out of reclaimed avocado wood for the studio of San Diego music legend Jason Mraz!

During my visit I was shown a big heap of wood salvaged during the Hotel del Coronado renovation. If you’d like to have them design something with this historic Hotel Del wood, make a request! I also noted they have wood reclaimed from the 1887 Grand Pacific Hotel in the Gaslamp Quarter!

Converting used wood that might have been tossed into a landfill into something completely new is also environmentally friendly. Brilliant!

Learn more about Old Fashioned Lumber and its founders by clicking here.

The following stack of wood is from the Hotel del Coronado…

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Adam T. Gastelum street sign in Barrio Logan.

Have you wondered about an Honorary Adam T. Gastelum street sign in Barrio Logan? I recently noticed it on Evans Street, at the intersection of Logan Avenue.

Curious to learn more about Adam T. Gastelum, I did a little searching.

An obituary summarizes several accomplishments of the proud Hispanic American Army veteran. He is credited with helping to found nearby San Diego VFW Post 7420. It also explains: Adam joined the Army to serve in World War II. His campaign battles included Normandy, Northern Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe.

I also discovered that on October 22, 2018, a San Diego City Council Resolution designated the 900 block of Evans Street between the intersection of Logan Avenue and National Avenue to be known as Adam Trejo Gastellum Street.

Many in San Diego appreciate his service.

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Celebrating restored Virgin of Guadalupe in Chicano Park.

Chicano Park, a National Historic Landmark in San Diego, is experiencing a renaissance. Many of the outdoor murals that were painted in the late 1970s are being carefully restored.

One of the first murals to be restored is very beautiful. La Virgen de Guadalupe was originally painted by artist Mario Torero in 1978. Its two month renovation was recently completed by Mario with the help of several assistants, including close members of his family. Today many gathered to celebrate and rededicate this truly extraordinary mural.

The dedication ceremony included indigenous dance (Danza Azteca) and a blessing by Father Neal “Pepe” Wilkinson of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. Mario Torero and his family members then spoke about the mural–of its inspiration, creation, symbolism and importance. How it represents hope for many in the community–particularly those who are in need.

Mario Torero spoke of his experience when he once touched this painted image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. He could feel that the many prayers made before the mural were alive. Everything about the place and moment felt perfect. It changed him.

Words printed on the mural state: For 45 years this monolith has kept hope and faith alive for so many people. We are sure that many miracles have been manifested.

I can say that when you stand before this glowing Virgin of Guadalupe, you feel the light she brings forth.

The next photograph is from nine years ago. It’s how the mural then appeared. A comparison shows that beautiful imagery (eagle and condor wings) and color have been added during the recent renovation…

And today…

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!