Tag: history

San Diego AIDS Memorial at Olive Street Park.

You might remember how, years ago, KUSI television consumer advocate Michael Turko sought to develop a neglected plot of land on Olive Street in Bankers Hill into a city park. According to this webpage, in 1909, the Ford, McKee, and Woods families generously donated the 0.6-acre property to the city for the specific purpose of creating a public park for the community to enjoy.

I posted a blog that included the still undeveloped park back in 2015. See that old post here.

Today Olive Street Park welcomes one and all. It is also the site of the San Diego AIDS Memorial, which opened on World AIDS Day, Sunday, December 1, 2024.

With various plaques and signs, the memorial remembers the over 8,000 San Diegans who have lost their lives to HIV/AIDS, and honors those who’ve supported them and have worked to defeat the devastating disease. Many compassionate people and organizations throughout San Diego County are recognized.

The neighborhood park is a grassy oasis with flowers and beautiful views, where people can play or relax and reflect.

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Vintage trolley runs on Presidents’ Day!

Good old San Diego Trolley car number 1001 is running in downtown today. It operates along the Silver Line loop during holidays–and today is Presidents’ Day!

The red light rail vehicle was the first modern trolley car to operate, back in 1981. Today families and excited kids were riding the iconic car. Me too!

Free resident days at Gaslamp Museum!

Today was the very first free resident day at the Gaslamp Museum!

On the second Thursday of each month, San Diego residents, active military and seniors now receive free admission to the museum. The Gaslamp Museum is located at 410 Island Avenue in the historic Davis-Horton House.

I last visited the house nine years ago and took some interior photos with an inferior camera. To see those dark photographs, click here. You can also read more about the museum and the house’s rich history.

Today I took a few more inside photos. Visitors can see various rooms as they might have appeared in the 19th century.

If you love history–in particular the history of early San Diego–you should visit yourself!

Perhaps take a peek inside on free residents day!

Making a women of Old Town quilt.

Threads of the Past was open yesterday in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. I was walking by their door, so I had to peek inside. Look what I found!

These friendly ladies in old-fashioned attire were working on a quilt!

They showed me how they’re creating a new quilt that honors the women of Old Town.

The square in my next photograph depicts the three daughters of Juan Bandini, one of early San Diego’s most prominent residents.

As this article explains: During the Mexican-American war and during the United States’ “Conquest” of California, Juan Bandini supported the Americans. His three daughters are even credited with making the first American flag that was raised in the Old Town Plaza on July 29, 1846–the day John Charles Fremont arrived in town.

That explains the inclusion of a United States flag.

The ladies of Threads of the Past are also working on their annual quilt to be raffled during the next Fourth of July celebration in Old Town. Kids have contributed art to many small squares. The project raises funds for the Boosters of Old Town San Diego.

If you’re ever walking in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, look for Threads of the Past. If their door is open, step inside!

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A seat for Rosa Parks on the trolley!

Today, February 4th, is the birthday of civil rights icon Rosa Parks. San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) is honoring her heroism by reserving a seat for her on every bus and trolley!

MTS has been doing this for years.

Back in 2022, also on February 4th, I photographed a seat on a bus that was reserved for Rosa Parks. Today, I found a seat on a San Diego Trolley just for her!

Of course, I had to take a photo.

The legacy of a courageous citizen lives on. This sign on a trolley seat is a small but important reminder that one individual with a single act of courage can change the world.

Amelia Earhart at San Diego Air & Space Museum.

Amelia Earhart was an aviation pioneer best known for her disappearance over the South Pacific while trying to become the first woman to circumnavigate the globe. But some might not know that she became a popular American hero by setting numerous flight records.

Visitors to the San Diego Air & Space Museum will find several displays that recall how she accomplished historic world’s firsts, including the first female solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean, the first female solo flight across the United States, and the first solo flight from Hawaii to the United States mainland.

Her portrait can be found in the museum’s Hall of Fame Hallway. Amelia was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame in 1967. This Hall of Fame webpage describes her many successes, including setting multiple speed records.

Visitors can listen to an animatronic Amelia Earhart talking about her life, and view a reproduction of a Lockheed Vega 5B, the type of aircraft she flew while setting many world records. The airplane in the museum was created for the Hollywood film Amelia.

There are also artifacts that show how she was a celebrity in her time, a leader in the fight for women’s rights, promoter of commercial aviation, and a founder of the Ninety-Nines, an International Organization of Women Pilots.

The San Diego Air & Space Museum is a must visit for everybody. It’s crammed full of cool exhibits, representing the dawn of flight right up to present-day space exploration.

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Plaque honors creative genius of Balboa Park.

Have you seen this plaque in Balboa Park and wondered about it? Located on the west wall of the California Quadrangle near the Museum of Us, it honors David Charles Collier, the prime mover behind San Diego’s 1915-1916 Panama–California Exposition.

The plaque reads:

DAVID CHARLES COLLIER

A Man of Vision–A Dynamic Leader–A Developer and Builder

A Great and Lovable Character

The Creative Genius of the Panama-California Exposition of 1915

An Inspiration to the Citizens of Today

The plaque was installed on October 11, 1936, in the second year of the California Pacific International Exposition.

David Charles Collier, often called D. C. Collier, was a real estate developer and philanthropist. He is considered the founder of Ocean Beach, where he built his home and lived for many years. He also helped to develop Point Loma, Pacific Beach, University Heights, Normal Heights, North Park, East San Diego, and Encanto.

He made many of the decisions concerning the Panama-California Exposition, including its location and style of architecture. He served as Director General of the Panama California Exposition from 1909 to 1912, and president of the Exposition from 1912 to 1914… He also chose “human progress” to be the Exposition’s cultural theme. The theme exhibit, particularly focused on the anthropology of the Southwestern United States, later became the San Diego Museum of Man, of which he was a founder.

The Museum of Man is now called the Museum of Us. It’s appropriate the plaque is located nearby.

Here’s a public domain photo of D. C. Collier from the United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division:

If you’d like to learn more about David Charles Collier, here’s an extensive article about the life of this fascinating man, published in The Journal Of San Diego History.

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Love a historic ship for Valentine’s Day!

We in San Diego are so fortunate. Our city is home to one of the world’s most famous tall ships, Star of India, and one of our nation’s top maritime museums. Why not show your love for these San Diego jewels with a Valentine’s Day gift?

The historic ships of the Maritime Museum of San Diego, like all ships exposed to time and outdoor weather, need continuing maintenance and repair. With love in your heart, you can help out!

Here’s a wish list that supports the museum’s fleet, including Star of India, H.M.S. Surprise, Californian, Pilot boat and San Salvador.

To learn more, or perhaps make a loving donation, send an email to membership@sdmaritime.org.

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100 Years, 100 Stones monument at SDSU.

In 1997 the 100 Years, 100 Stones monument debuted at San Diego State University. It was created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of SDSU.

If you’ve ever walked down the campus’ central Campanile Walkway you’ve no doubt seen this unique stone-like sculpture with its two portals. It has an appearance suggestive of ancient temples or ruins.

Those who look closely at the monument will see small rock samples embedded in it, with informative labels. The rocks come from locations all around our region, within a hundred miles of SDSU, including places in Mexico. The art blends culture with geology.

Installation artist Eve Andree Laramee designed 100 Years, 100 Stones. There’s no plaque by this public art with any sort of explanation (that I’ve noticed), so I wonder if students walking past it understand its origin and nature. For years I myself didn’t know. Thank you Google!

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Celebrating the San Diego Museum of Art centennial!

The San Diego Museum of Art is celebrating its centennial in 2026. First opening in 1926 as the Fine Arts Gallery, the world-class museum has grown and experienced many remarkable moments over the past hundred years.

That history is remembered in a free exhibition titled SDMA 100 Years. The exhibit opened yesterday in the museum’s Galleries 14/15, which are accessible to the public through a door at Panama 66 in the museum’s sculpture courtyard.

SDMA 100 Years features a timeline of photographs that document the museum’s evolution, from the building’s construction in Balboa Park right up to the present day. There’s also a short documentary video and a display case full of ephemera.

Visitors can observe how the San Diego Museum of Art had its origins in the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, had its successful grand opening in 1926, served as a naval hospital during World War II, and how west and east wings were added for significant expansions.

You’ll see photos showing museum contributions to art education and the San Diego community over the years. You’ll see renowned artists who’ve contributed their work, and relive major exhibitions. You’ll envision what the museum plans for their future, too!

You are invited to contribute to the exhibition! Anyone can submit their personal memories and photographs of the museum. To participate, look for the link at the bottom of this webpage!

SDMA 100 Years will be displayed through 2026, right up to February 2, 2027.

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