A new exhibition recently opened at the San Diego History Center in Balboa Park. San Diego’s Lost Neighborhoods takes a look at African-American communities that have been substantially altered, injured, or uprooted by practices such as redlining or urban development over the years.
Communities from Downtown to City Heights to La Jolla . . . and even to Julian in our local mountains have painful stories to tell. These stories can be understood through many old photographs, the words of residents affected by racial discrimination, and by viewing historical maps of affected neighborhoods.
Visitors to the exhibit could and should spend a good while taking it all in.
Yes, change over time constitutes history–but change too often has been self-serving, mean-spirited or unnecessarily destructive.
May we all be kind. Hopefully we learn from the past.
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Special tours were enjoyed by the public today of San Diego’s newly renovated Civic Theatre.
The tours were part of the Civic Theatre’s 60th Anniversary Open House Event, which also featured live music, food and more good stuff outside the building in Civic Center Plaza.
I enjoyed a tour and took photos as our group went along.
The renovation concentrated on the theater’s front of house areas. I was told no substantial changes were made in the auditorium.
The work was accomplished during two 4-week periods, and has filled the gleaming Civic Theatre with new tile, new carpeting, new concession areas, new furniture, even new trashcans! The old very red interior is now brighter with sunny, beachy colors that better reflect San Diego.
Even the vertical “bars” on the building’s exterior have been painted in a way that makes its appearance more distinctive.
You can see photos of the Civic Theatre taken five years ago during an architectural tour here.
The old interior, with its lavish reds, made the place seem like a satiny European palace, or that last room in Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death. Yes, this is an improvement!
We’ve entered the remodeled lobby. The island that used to be the ticket booth is now an inviting place where theatre-goers can order food and drink. (Tickets are now purchased at the outdoor box office in Civic Center Plaza.)
Now we’re heading upstairs toward the Mezzanine level. Those white onyx columns were wrapped with beautiful gold-colored metalwork during the renovation.
This handsome concession nook has brand new tiles, inside and out.
That’s the amazing Grand Salon with its enormous chandelier ahead. The display on the left (also in my very first photo) shows how things appeared before the renovation. Yes, it was very red!
Beautiful new tables and chairs match the new carpeting. The place even smells new!
Looking down into the Grand Salon. Grand is the appropriate word!
Now we’ve headed up to the Balcony level.
You can learn more about this absolutely amazing chandelier here.
Fashionable new “sconce” lights are evident, too, as we head down stairs to the Dress Circle level.
And here we are at the Dress Circle level, entering the Grand Salon. Beadwork above that smaller chandelier is new, created by a local artist. All the ottomans are new, too.
Beautiful new ornamental touches above the elevator.
More amazing than ever…
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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.
Remember the large, beautiful skylight above the central atrium of the San Diego Natural History Museum? It’s no more!
What you see in the above photograph is what remains of the old skylight structure. Dismantled sections of the framework now sit on the ground in a nearby parking lot.
The Natural History Museum is reconstructing its roof. No more skylight. As this NAT webpage explains, the new solid roof allows for the installation of 200 solar panels and promises better climate control to protect the museum’s valuable collections. The new roof will be easier to maintain and more environmentally friendly, too.
Visitors to Balboa Park can see the huge crane that is being utilized for the work…
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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.
I visited the historical park, at the edge of San Diego’s Old Town, earlier this year. My wanderings then were limited by a construction fence.
Back then I noticed how paths had been created, new plantings were underway, a new gazebo had been built, and an outdoor classroom was almost finished. See those past photographs, taken from behind the fence, here.
Today I discovered the construction fence is down! The grassy expanse at the south end of Heritage County Park is open once again and everything is fresh, new and beautiful!
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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.
The nonprofit Save Starlight organization has been working for years to save the historic 1935 Starlight Bowl amphitheater in Balboa Park. Perhaps you’ve been following the news concerning their heroic efforts.
An email blast that I received today reads:
Dear Friends of Starlight,
The moment we’ve been working toward for years has arrived. The City of San Diego has officially opened a 30-day window for Save Starlight to submit our Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) — the critical first step toward securing a long-term lease of the historic Starlight Bowl in Balboa Park.
This is our opportunity to finally bring Starlight back to life. But we cannot do it without you.
A key component of our submission is demonstrating strong fiscal support from our community. That means two things:
Donations now – Every contribution, large or small, shows the City that San Diego is ready to invest in the future of Starlight.
Letters of intent – Written commitments from individuals and organizations who pledge to donate once the lease is secured will help prove the depth of support behind this project.
We have just 30 days to make our case. The more momentum we show now, the greater our chance of success.
Together, we can ensure that the Starlight Bowl is not just preserved, but revitalized as a thriving cultural landmark for generations to come.
If you love the historic Starlight Bowl as much as I do, and want to help restore it to life, now’s your opportunity!
Did you know that many music legends have performed in the Starlight Bowl? They include Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Diana Ross, The Doobie Brothers, The Rolling Stones, Jewel, Cheap Trick, Beastie Boys and more!
Also, did you know that Wayne Nelson from the Little River Band has recently joined the Board of Directors of Save Starlight?
Click here to help save a true San Diego treasure!
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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.
An amazing transformation is coming soon to Balboa Park!
Hopefully by Thanksgiving, definitely in time for December Nights I’m told, the front entrance of the Municipal Gymnasium will be radically altered. The historic building will more closely resemble how it appeared when it debuted in 1935 as the Palace of Electricity and Varied Industries during the California Pacific International Exhibition!
A construction fence in front of the Municipal Gymnasium was put up recently. Today I spotted workers atop the building’s marquee preparing the structure for its monumental transformation!
What will this amazing change look like when completed?
Click here and here to enjoy a preview, and learn more!
UPDATE!
A week later, I noticed the following changes. First, a descriptive sign appeared on the construction fence…
Municipal Gym Façade Restoration sign includes historical photo.
Second, markings have been made above the building’s marquee, in the space where the large bronze mural will be mounted…
ANOTHER UPDATE!
And a few days later…
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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.
1955. Sixteen shade trees were planted at the Casa de Lopez, a San Diego landmark.
Did you know there’s a visitor information center in Old Town San Diego on the second floor of the La Paloma marketplace? In addition to useful tourist info, the center features a wall of interesting historical photographs.
Find the La Paloma marketplace near the intersection of Twiggs Street and San Diego Avenue. The building stands where Old Town Trolley Tours vehicles line up. Proceed through the front door, go up some stairs, and you’ve arrived at the Old Town San Diego Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center.
During my last visit, I gazed at the old photos, trying to imagine how early San Diego once appeared. As you can see, the small town was established in a scrubby place in the middle of nowhere.
The Whaley house, the oldest brick house in California. Built in 1854.About 1935. Casa de Lopez, located at Twiggs and Jefferson Streets. In the early days, the San Diego River flowed at its back where the Santa Fe Railroad track are now.Old Town…1898. From Fort Stockton, now the site of Presidio Park, looking south toward Point Loma.About 1880. Old Town Estudillo House, Ramona’s Marriage Place original condition.
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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.
Belmont Park has been a favorite destination for generations of fun lovers in San Diego.
In 1925 the beachside amusement park opened as the Mission Beach Amusement Center. Today, an exhibit under Belmont Park’s beloved Big Dipper wooden roller coaster celebrates one hundred years of history!
John D. Spreckels developed the Mission Beach Amusement Park, which he intended to be a “playground for the people of San Diego…” Spreckels expanded his streetcar line to connect Downtown, Ocean Beach and La Jolla to Mission Beach.
The first structure to open was the Mission Beach Roller Rink… The grand opening unveiled the Mission Beach Bath House (now Plunge Pool) and the Dance Hall…
The subsequent construction of the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster was completed in 45 days by a construction crew of 150 men…The Giant Dipper officially opened on July 4, 1925 and enjoyed immediate record-breaking success…
The amusement park was renamed Belmont Park and revitalized in the 1950s under the direction of John (Jack) C. Ray. The park’s footprint expanded further south to include a new main entrance and attractions like The Octopus, a Kiddie Boat Ride, the Wild Mouse coaster, and a double Ferris Wheel.
The largest installation…was “Enchanted Land,” an immersive 23,000-square-foot western ghost town filled with fun-house mazes, shifting staircases, and interactive optical illusions.
On February 2, 1955, a fire broke out at the Giant Dipper… Though the city pushed for demolition, Jack fought to restore the ride… Jack Ray was the coaster’s first savior and where much of Belmont’s modern story began.
Due to financial difficulties, Belmont Park closed in 1976. In 1981, the coaster was set on fire twice in 19 days. A demolition permit had been approved by the city in 1979 and the park’s demise seemed unavoidable.
Before the charred wood of the Giant Dipper had cooled, a local activist movement was already heating up. In October 1981, Carol Lindemulder founded the “Save The Coaster Committee…” Over the next nine years, the committee led an ambitious effort… On August 11, 1990, after a 14-year closure…the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster finally reopened…
The Plunge Pool, which in 1925 was the largest saltwater pool in the world, would reopen in 2019 after an extensive reconstruction effort.
Today just so happens to be Labor Day!
Why not head down to Mission Beach and wonderful Belmont Park? Be a part of history!
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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.
Would you like to see an outstanding exhibition concerning the Hotel del Coronado?
The Jewel in Coronado’s Crown: Over a Century of Historic Preservation at the Hotel del Coronado can now be enjoyed at the Coronado Historical Association museum.
Numerous displays in the free museum show how the iconic Del was built in the late 1800s and has periodically evolved and expanded. Through old photographs and descriptions, visitors can observe how, over the past 137 years, preservation of the hotel’s unique heritage and architecture have remained a priority.
If you enjoy learning about the history of San Diego and Coronado, this exhibition is a must see.
A little of what you’ll find, including a detailed timeline…
The Victorian beach resort was designed by architect James W. Reid and debuted as one of the largest wooden buildings in the world. With 399 rooms, it was the world’s largest hotel resort. The Del made history as the first hotel to have electric lighting.
The charming architecture’s complexity and asymmetry help make the Hotel del Coronado one of California’s most recognizable and cherished landmarks.
Luxury and elegance. Since 1888, presidents, world leaders and celebrities have enjoyed staying at the Del, along with tourists vacationing by the beach in our sunny, temperate Southern California climate.
Postcards, menus and more ephemera are displayed.
Many historical photographs in the exhibit document how the hotel has changed and expanded as time rolls on.
The beautiful Coronation Window was finally moved to a prominent position viewable from both inside and outside the hotel.
This exquisite fresco was revealed by workers removing a low ceiling in the Ocean Ballroom.
A recent lobby renovation has made the Victorian hotel’s interior entrance lighter and even more attractive.
In San Diego? Enjoy a walk through and around the Hotel del Coronado, and experience its magnificence yourself!
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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.
A new exhibition is coming to the San Diego History Center in Balboa Park. It’s called San Diego’s Lost Neighborhoods.
The exhibit is now being installed in the museum, and will have its Opening Reception on September 25, 2025. The new exhibit is being produced in collaboration with the San Diego African American Museum of Fine Art.
San Diego’s Lost Neighborhoods will concern communities in the city that have been substantially changed due to freeway construction, development and other causes. Over the years, these changes have forced some long-time residents and businesses to move.
Yesterday I peeked into the San Diego History Center gallery that will contain the displays.
Time sweeps us all along, and people who have the means like to reshape their world. Change happens for better, or for worse. That’s history.
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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.
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