A beautiful native plant garden can be enjoyed at the Sikes Adobe Farmhouse in Escondido. The garden is on the grounds of the historic farmstead, directly next to the San Dieguito River Park’s long Coast to Crest Trail.
I visited the native plant garden during a walk today and took these photographs. I noticed a sign indicating it was an Eagle Scout Service Project, undertaken in 2021 by Matthew VanderVorst of Escondido Troop 668.
It’s late Spring, so many flowers are in bloom. Signs identify the plants, which include Monkey Flower, Deerweed, Bladder Pod, Black Sage, White Sage, California Buckwheat, Shaw’s Agave, Coastal Prickly Pear, and others.
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As I walked through downtown’s Civic Center Plaza this morning, I noticed banners on fencing near the San Diego Civic Theatre. They recall how superstars such as Diana Ross, Tony Bennett and Robin Williams have performed in the popular venue over the past six decades.
I hadn’t realized the Civic Theatre is celebrating its 60th Anniversary this year!
Curious, I checked out the history of the San Diego Civic Theatre. Here it is.
Others who’ve entertained audiences at this historic venue include Frank Sinatra, Jerry Seinfeld, Conan O’Brien, Luther Vandross, Jerry Lewis, Patti LaBelle, Carole King, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. Do you have any memories?
Today, if you enjoy performances by San Diego Opera or Broadway San Diego, you are part of that continuing history!
Five years ago I went on an architectural tour of the Civic Theatre building and took photographs of the grand, elegant interior. You can revisit that blog post here.
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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 very special event was held today in San Diego’s Pantoja Park. A monument to downtown’s original founder, William Heath Davis, Jr. (aka Kanaka Davis) was unveiled during a beautiful ceremony!
The monument is in the form of a bronze bust. During the ceremony many leis were hung around its neck by organizations instrumental in creating the historical monument. Representatives were from Ahahui Kiwila of San Diego, Kaha I ka Panoa (Hawaiian Civic Clubs), Hui o Hawaii of San Diego, Pacific Islander Festival Association and The Samoan Association San Diego. Other organizations at the event who helped to make this monument a reality included the Gaslamp Historical Foundation and the Asian Pacific American Coalition.
William Heath Davis was born in Hawaii and eventually made his way to early San Diego. With a vision of the future, great courage and much energy, he strategically created the initial version of “New Town” on San Diego Bay, where downtown is today. Read his history here.
Traditional Hawaiian dance was performed during the ceremony, and numerous speakers expressed pride in having a monument to Davis placed in Pantoja Park–the city’s first park, not far from where he himself lived. Two of the speakers were descendants of Davis.
The event brought many members of the local Asian and Pacific Islander community together. As caretakers of their culture and creators of the monument, they now have this visible tribute to San Diego’s past for younger generations to see. As one speaker said, We Are Here. The Spirit of Kanaka Davis Lives On.
Toward the end of the ceremony an impersonator of William Heath Davis spoke. He recalled the life of one of San Diego’s most important historical figures.
I took photos of more history being made…
UPDATE!
During a later walk in the park, I took a good photo of the historical plaque…
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If poke your nose inside the Santa Fe Room of the Balboa Park Club building, you’ll find a large map on one wall. The old map is a remnant of the park’s fascinating history.
During World War II, the Palisades part of Balboa Park was turned into Camp Kidd Naval Training Station, a U.S. Navy facility that included hospital wards, training facilities and barracks.
The Balboa Park Club building, which had been the Palace of Education for the 1935-36 California Pacific International Exposition, was converted into a temporary annex to the naval hospital with a dispensary and mess hall. Here’s an interesting web page about Camp Kidd.
The building’s Santa Fe Room, with its map of The Pacific and Far East, became the Camp Kidd Officers’ Club. Visitors to the park today can view that same map–provided the room is open and not being used for a special event.
I had to increase the contrast quite a bit for my two photographs, to bring out more detail.
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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.
On May 10, 2025, a monument will be unveiled in the northeast corner of Pantoja Park. The bust of William Heath Davis Jr. will debut, commemorating the founder of downtown San Diego!
The public event will take place between 10:30 am and 2 pm. There will be speeches, informational booths, a blessing by Kumeyaay Bird Singers, and Pacific Islander traditions. William Heath Davis “Kanaka Bill” was born in Hawaii.
Many associate Alonzo Horton with the founding of downtown San Diego. Horton’s ultimately successful New Town, however, came after an attempt by William Heath Davisto build a new community closer to San Diego Bay than the original Old Town San Diego… His New Town was located west of today’s Gaslamp Quarter. The venture did not do well due to a lack of fresh water and hostility from the established settlements at Old Town and La Playa…
Pantoja Park, at 500 West G Street, was established in 1850. It was created at the center of William Heath Davis’ 160-acre subdivision and is San Diego’s oldest city park. Originally it was known as New Town Park. Appropriately, it will be home to the soon-to-be-unveiled bust.
The William Heath Davis Monument and the Monument Unveiling Ceremony are the work of the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation and The Kanaka Davis Trust Group.
(I saw a preview of the monument a couple years ago. See that blog post here.)
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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 public seldom gets to step into Balboa Park’s historic Pratt Loggia. The columned, balcony-like loggia is easily seen when gazing up from El Prado at the Casa del Prado. You can see it in my next photograph:
During a recent tour of Balboa Park conducted by the Committee of 100, an organization working to preserve Balboa Park’s historic architecture, gardens and public spaces, I was fortunate to step foot into the Pratt Loggia and discover something wonderful.
Before our special tour entered the loggia, we were shown a plaque. It lists the people instrumental in funding the loggia’s creation back in 1971, during the Casa del Prado’s reconstruction.
According to this San Diego History Center webpage: During the course of reconstruction it was discovered that the bond issue did not allow for an expenditure of $70,000 to rebuild the second-level fluted, striated columns with capitals of cupids and the ornate balustrade on the outside loggia of the south building. The Committee of 100 raised the needed money with $50,000 coming from Mrs. Jeannette Pratt, in whose honor the reconstructed gallery was named the “Jeannette Pratt Loggia.”
Our group observed how the plaque contains a Who’s Who of leading San Diego citizens back in 1970s, including the Copleys, Cushmans, Fletchers, Rohr, Ryans, Scripps, and many others. Bea Evenson led the creation of the loggia.
And now here is the beautiful loggia!
We were surprised to see numerous bells in the Pratt Loggia: a few along the balustrade and many others contained in large display cases at either end.
These bells were sent to San Diego from cities around the nation during our city’s bicentennial back in 1969! To mark the 200 year anniversary celebration, San Diego wrote to these cities asking for a donated bell.
What was received? There are fire bells, school bells, bells of all sizes and kinds!
This big one rang loudly and deeply!
THIS BELL IS IN MEMORIAM OF SAN DIEGO’S 200 YEARS. FROM TOPEKA, KANSASSAN DIEGO 1769 BICENTENNIALPRESENTED TO THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 200TH ANNIVERSARY BY THE CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON, D. C.
Another wonderful surprise in San Diego’s ever-amazing Balboa Park!
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Did you know that glider history was made above the bluffs of Point Loma in San Diego?
Two landmark plaques that commemorate this history (which includes the breaking of a sailplane flight duration world record) are located just inside the entrance gate of Cabrillo National Monument. A small dirt footpath leads up to the boulder upon which they are mounted. Beyond, a slope descends steeply to the Pacific Ocean.
I recently walked from the Cabrillo National Monument’s visitor center down to the plaques to have a close look…
The plaque on the left states:
IN COMMEMORATION OF THE EARLY AVIATION PIONEERS THAT FLEW AMERICAN DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED SAILPLANES IN SAN DIEGO. THESE AVIATORS ARE REMEMBERED BY THOSE WHO FLEW AFTER THEM AND THE CITIZENS OF SAN DIEGO
John C. Barstow – William Hawley Bowlus – Alan R. Essery – Forrest H. Hieatt – Anne Lindbergh – Earle R. Mitchell – Adolph R. “Bud” Perl – William Beuby – Lowell E. Bullen – Albert E. Hastings – I. N. Lawson – Charles A. Lindbergh – Allison J. Moore – William Van Dusen
SAN DIEGO SAILPLANE ENTHUSIASTS – THE ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST
(Yes, the names include Anne and Charles A. Lindbergh!)
The plaque on the right states:
POINT LOMA
THIS LANDMARK IS DEDICATED TO THE PIONEERING SPIRITS OF THE PILOTS WILLIAM HAWLEY BOWLUS AND JOHN C. BARSTOW WHO MADE MILESTONE FLIGHTS IN GLIDER HISTORY AT THIS SITE
WILLIAM HAWLEY BOWLUS – FIRST AMERICAN SOARING FLIGHT TO EXCEED ONE HOUR DURATION – 1 HOUR 21 MINUTES OCTOBER 19, 1929
JOHN C. BARSTOW – DURATION FLIGHT OF 15 HOURS 13 MINUTES EXCEEDING THE WORLD RECORD – APRIL 29-30, 1930
DEDICATED APRIL 27, 1996
THE NATIONAL SOARING MUSEUM – HARRIS HILL, ELMIRA NY – AN AFFILIATE OF THE SOARING SOCIETY OF AMERICA
SPONSORED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST
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Antonio Garra Day is returning to Old Town San Diego tomorrow, Saturday, March 22, 2025.
Presented by the Pala Band of Mission Indians, the event will be held from 12 pm to 4 pm in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, at the First San Diego Courthouse Museum.
I attended the event back in 2020 (see the next photo) and learned Antonio Garra was a leader of the Cupeño people in Southern California who sought to organize tribes of our region to resist unfair taxation. Even though Native Americans were not citizens of the United States, a tax was levied upon their animals, property and agriculture. This taxation without representation was considered by many fair-minded people to be illegal and unjust. Read more about it here.
You can see my photos from Antonio Garra Day five years ago by clicking here.
This year, as before, Antonio Garra Day will feature traditional Bird Songs, inspirational speeches and cultural exhibits. Everyone is welcome to drop by and learn an important aspect of our region’s history.
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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.
If you drive up La Jolla Boulevard, just north of Bird Rock, you might see the impressive building in these photographs.
When I visited the La Jolla Historical Society a while back, I learned something very surprising. This ornate building–the main chapel for the La Jolla United Methodist Church–was once a railroad station and power substation for San Diego Electric Railway, the San Diego streetcar line established by John D. Spreckels!
I’ve found several great articles concerning this history. Here and here and here.
The 1924 Spanish Colonial architectural style San Carlos Train Station served streetcar Route 16, which ran from San Diego to La Jolla. Route 16 was the San Diego Electric Railway’s last major rail line expansion. In addition to downtown San Diego and La Jolla, the route included stops in Mission Beach and Pacific Beach. The streetcars ran through 1940.
The San Carlos terminal building would then be used for several years as an art school. In 1954, the La Jolla United Methodist Church bought the building.
Check out the first and third links above for a few old photographs. You’ll see how the train station and substation stood alone in undeveloped land a century ago.
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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.
People who enter Balboa Park through its grand west entrance pass a “hidden” balcony that few observe or know about!
The second floor balcony at the Museum of Us is accessible to museum visitors through the Living with Animals exhibit. The patio-like balcony, with its welcoming chairs and tables, offers views from the southwest corner of the California Quadrangle.
Visitors enjoy views over the Rube Powell Archery Range toward downtown San Diego, and of the Cabrillo Bridge to the west. There’s a fantastic view of the historic Balboa Park Administration Building across El Prado.
The next two photographs show the exterior of the Saint Francis Chapel at the southwest corner of the California Quadrangle.
Looking over the Rube Powell Archery Range toward State Route 163 and hazy downtown San Diego…
Now we’re looking west along El Prado toward the Cabrillo Bridge. Few people entering Balboa Park will notice the little known balcony as they approach the park’s grand west entrance…
The Administration Building, seen fully in the next photo, was the first building constructed (1911-1912) in Balboa Park for the Panama-California Exposition.
Final architectural plans for the Administration Building were developed by Carlton Winslow under the direction of lead exposition architect Bertram Goodhue.
(If it appears the building was designed by Irving Gill, here’s an article that casts doubt on this and discusses the issue.)
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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.
Cool San Diego Sights! 