Four legendary singers are coming to National City. Dean Martin, Rosie Hamlin, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra are gradually materializing outside Cafe La Maze Streakhouse!
Check out this amazing spray paint mural that is being created by Paul Jimenez and Signe Ditona of Ground Floor Murals!
Most people know Dean Martin, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra. But do you recognize the name Rosie Hamlin?
Rosalie “Rosie” Hamlin was lead singer of Rosie and the Originals. The musical group’s 1960 hit single Angel Baby is now considered an oldies standard. Versions of the song has been recorded by numerous famous artists, including John Lennon and Linda Ronstadt.
Rosie Hamlin wrote Angel Baby while attending Sweetwater High School in National City!
Very cool!
Curious about all the squiggles and tiny figures in the mural? Ground Floor Murals begins painting their artwork this unique way.
Next time I walk by it, I’ll take photos of the completed mural and post them as an update.
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At the corner of Plaza Boulevard and Highland Avenue in National City, you’ll find monsters, myth and love!
These four electrical boxes have been painted this way for many years. Today I enjoyed a long walk through National City before the rain started. As I approached the intersection, I remembered that I hadn’t yet photographed this particular street art!
So here we go!
One box has a cool design that appears to have been inspired by mythology. Another shows Godzilla battling King Ghidorah. Then there’s the abstract elephant, a feline rocket ship and a rainbow-powered cat! And love on roller skates!
As always, if you know more about this very creative artwork, please leave a comment.
Stay tuned for more street art photos from my walk. The next blog post will be amazing!
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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)!
Thirteen new Historic California US 101 Route Signs have debuted in San Ysidro and Chula Vista, marking where the legendary highway once ran through the South Bay. The signs recall a time when motorists relied on old Highway 101 to travel from San Diego down to Mexico.
The signs, recently installed by the City of San Diego and Chula Vista, are part of a project undertaken by the South Bay Historical Society, led by Jack Gechter. Seven additional signs have been created for National City. Hopefully those will debut soon, too!
Here is Jack’s Facebook page with a post that describes exactly where these new Historic California US 101 Route Signs have been placed.
I walked along Beyer Boulevard in San Ysidro this morning to capture a few photographs. Had I continued north into Chula Vista, where Beyer turns into Broadway, I would have seen more of these awesome new signs!
Here’s a blog post from last summer where I share more details about the project. You’ll find links to maps depicting where U.S. Route 101 once ran south of downtown San Diego.
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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)!
I published a blog post in early 2021 that included photographs from the street of the farm’s exterior. I detailed the history of the Stein family. Their farm dates from the early 1900s. You can read what I wrote by clicking here.
The farm is presently owned by the Community Development Commission of the City of National City and operated by the National City Living History Farm Preserve. Visitors to the old farm can see what rural National City was like many years ago.
Last Saturday I stepped through the front gate of the Stein Family Farm and received an amazing tour by historian and caretaker Christopher Pro.
We walked through the farmhouse and I learned about its antique furnishings. We peered into the old barn at a horse-driven carriage. We walked through the property and met a surprising variety of domesticated animals that seemed pleased to meet visitors, then we took a look at the farm’s orchard where many different fruit trees provide a living classroom for student arborists.
I saw parents with young kids rambling around the grounds, enjoying the animals and an inviting butterfly garden. One family soaked in the Southern California sunshine while sitting at the picnic benches near a big vegetable garden.
A visit to the Stein Family Farm is free, although donations are welcome. The farm is located at 1808 F Avenue in National City. It’s open every Saturday, from 10 am to 2 pm.
Do you love animals and/or gardening? They welcome new volunteers!
I should have written down notes during my amazing tour. I’ve tried to remember a few tidbits of interesting information, so read my photo captions. I welcome comments, as usual!
Look for this sign!Some old farm machinery parked near the orchard.The front of the Stein farmhouse.The front porch.Inside the farmhouse. Portraits of Charles and Bertha Stein on their wedding day.School kids visiting the Stein Family Farm on field trips can see what life was like a century ago.I learned this was Charles Stein’s saddle. Some of the antique furnishings aren’t originally from the farmhouse.Looking back from the dining room, which was a bit too dark for taking sharp photos with my old camera.In the early 1900s, fancy teacups probably arrived from the east by train.A look at the Stein farmhouse kitchen. That green thing is a breadbox.I turn my camera to the right.I learned some of these tins and boxes represent local businesses from the past.The farmhouse’s original stove. On top I see an iron, washboard and sausage maker.Porch on the south side of the farmhouse appears very inviting!We walk a short distance to the old barn.The hand-cranked device on the left is for sheep shearing. On the right is an antique device for separating cream.An old carriage inside the barn.That strange cow near the barn once stood at the Purple Cow Dairy Store.Heading toward the many farm animals!A turkey wonders who I am.We pass a beautiful little butterfly garden. School kids like it, too.Butterfly knowledge on a sign.Yes, it’s an emu!Two pigs digesting their breakfast.Hello!All the animals are very friendly.This chart shows the animals of the Stein Family Farm. Each has been given a name. A Polish Chicken with a crazy hairdo is named Phyllis Diller! The different animal breeds have origins around the world.Gazing west toward the lush orchard. Many different fruit trees were mentioned.A fun stage or photo backdrop. Weddings are sometimes held here.Lots of inviting picnic tables.A well-tended vegetable garden.Looking back toward the old farmhouse. That big tree on the right is a Torrey pine.A great place for meetings. Scouts and local clubs often gather here.An Eagle Scout project resulted in this long, rustic table.Tour’s almost over.
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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)!
Jack Gechter stands next to Historic Route California US 101 sign at South Bay Historical Society booth during Chula Vista Lemon Festival.
A very cool project is now being undertaken by the South Bay Historical Society. I learned about it last Saturday as I explored the Lemon Festival in Chula Vista.
A number of Historic Route California US 101 signs (like the one you see above) have been created, to be installed in National City, Chula Vista and San Ysidro along those streets where the legendary highway used to run.
Old timers might recall how US 101 ran north from near the US/Mexico Border in San Ysidro, along Beyer Blvd toward Chula Vista, along National Avenue (now Broadway in Chula Vista and National City Blvd in National City) to 8th Street, then along 8th Street west to Harbor Drive, before heading up through downtown San Diego and eventually into North County. Old U.S. Route 101 during its history saw various realignments, before being entirely replaced south of Los Angeles by Interstate 5 in 1964.
Here’s a great article detailing where the historic highway ran through San Diego and the South Bay cities. You’ll see current photographs of those places where it ran. Here’s another article with a map depicting an earlier US 101 Route, running up today’s National City Blvd to Main Street.
Many similar Historic Route US 101 signs have already been installed in San Diego County, particularly through the coastal cities of North County.
Once these new signs are installed, they will add a fine, nostalgic touch to those South Bay communities that the old highway once connected to the rest of California. And they will resurrect many fond memories.
Historic 101 Route Sign in San Ysidro, California. Image courtesy Jack Gechter.
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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 Twitter!
This afternoon the 15th Annual Memorial Day Ceremony was held in Lincoln Acres, a small community encompassed by National City.
People from all over, feeling gratitude for United States military members and those who made the ultimate sacrifice, gathered at La Vista Memorial Park. There we listened to the emotionally stirring words of keynote speakers, including several historians. The Memorial Day Ceremony honored 30 Civil War Veterans buried in the hilltop cemetery.
Before the ceremony began, people wandered about the grass, looking down at markers and small American flags. People mingling near the event stage talked, and when the bagpipes started, they slowly took their seats. I heard birds singing.
I sat in a spot with a limited view of the proceedings. I was unable to photograph the Rifle Salute and Taps performed in the distance by the 82nd Airborne Division San Diego Chapter.
The scheduled WWII era aircraft flyover was cancelled due to the thick overcast.
Here are some of the highlights:
Members of the 82nd Airborne Division San Diego Chapter assemble among flags by the La Vista Memorial Park pond.Charles Rosenberg plays bagpipes before the ceremony begins.The California Army National Guard advances the colors.Sophia Hoffman, a recent contestant on hit television show The Voice, sang the National Anthem beautifully.All stood for the Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation.John Finch, retired US Navy Chief, read John A. Logan’s General Order No. 11, which called for a national day of remembrance for Civil War dead. It became the holiday Memorial Day. Kathleen Winchester, President of the Sons and Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, pays tribute to Civil War Veteran Milford Phillips, who died in San Diego and is buried nearby.Mark Carlson, author and military historian, reads the Gettysburg Address. …we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. He encouraged us to thank all Veterans and current service members.National City Mayor Ron Morrison recalls how Ely S. Parker, a Native American, who encountered mid-19th century bigotry, eventually rose to become adjutant and secretary to General Ulysses S. Grant.National City and San Diego County dignitaries prepare to deliver a special recognition.Tom McBride, 101 years old, is honored. He flew Corsairs with VMF-1 off the USS Bennington during World War II.Dan Sutton, history teacher at West Hills High School, also gave a speech. (That’s him in my very first photograph.) He explained that many people from San Diego traveled east to fight in the Civil War. He also presented this display, which includes the 70 pounds of equipment, food and clothing a Union soldier would carry.After the speeches a free lunch was provided to everyone. Good old American hot dogs. Many families were at the ceremony.Flags mark the final resting places of those who fought for their country.
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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 Twitter!
Students in San Diego’s South Bay, participating in the Community ARTS program of A Reason To Survive, continue to beautify National City neighborhoods. I stumbled upon an example of this during my latest National City walk!
Colorful wildlife murals decorate a fence that encloses a San Diego Gas and Electric natural gas riser facility at the corner of Palm Avenue and 4th Street.
The stylish artwork is bold and really good. The young hands that painted the panels are not only learning about art, but are assuming roles of leadership as they work to create positive change in the community.
The project is a collaboration between SDG&E and A Reason to Survive (ARTS). I found one article concerning the partnership here.
Enjoy my photos…
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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 Twitter!
A very important architectural treasure stands in National City.
Granger Hall, built in 1898, was designed by a world-famous architect. The building can be spotted on East 4th Street near the base of the big electronic National City sign that rises next to Interstate 805.
I learned about Granger Hall when I read a Wikipedia article concerning Irving Gill, who is considered a pioneer of the modern movement in architecture. Twelve of his buildings throughout Southern California are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Granger Hall is such an important masterpiece that it has a full Wikipedia page. The hall was built in 1898 as an “acoustically perfect” music auditorium addition to a smaller music room in the Paradise Valley estate of Ralph Granger. Granger made a fortune in the “Last Chance” silver mine in Colorado during the 1890s. The building, moved later, has also been known as Granger Music Hall. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975… The acoustic properties include a design having no parallel walls or surfaces, including having the floor slope slightly forward and the ceiling and walls having “a slight canter”…
Well, I had to go check it out!
During my last walk through National City, I spied old Granger Hall behind a fence, apparently neglected and obviously deteriorating.
With my naked eye it was possible to see how the lines of the uniquely designed building aren’t exactly parallel. I could also see how, in its heyday, the music hall must have been glorious.
The Save Our Heritage Organisation has proposed having the building moved to Pepper Park and renovating it, so music can once again be heard from the acoustically perfect Granger Music Hall. On this SOHO web page you can view an old photograph of the hall’s elegant interior.
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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 Twitter!
Last year locally and internationally renowned artist Mario Torero painted four murals for the San Ysidro Health building in National City, at the intersection of 8th Street and D Avenue.
The colorful faces depicted in these outdoor murals belong to labor and civil rights leaders: Cesar Chavez, Larry Itliong, Dolores Huerta, and Martin Luther King Jr. The faces of these cultural icons are rendered in Torero’s distinctive style.
Torero, co-founder of Chicano Park, is famous for his socially conscious artwork. You’ve likely seen his work elsewhere around San Diego.
I photographed the four postage stamp-like murals during a walk through National City.
Cesar Chavez mural by Mario Torero.Larry Itliong mural by Mario Torero.Dolores Huerta mural by Mario Torero.Martin Luther King Jr. mural by Mario Torero.
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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 Twitter!
Several interesting sculptures can be found at the Pier 32 Marina in National City. Two sculptures I documented six years ago here. A third I hadn’t noticed until a couple days ago. It stands among trees by a parking lot at the south end of Marina Way, near the entrance to the Bayshore Bikeway.
The kinetic sculpture is called Helicoid III. Created by Robert Pietruszewski in 2007, it was once part of an Urban Trees outdoor exhibition along San Diego’s Embarcadero.
Helicoid III silently moves about in the sea breeze, its metal arms turning in different directions like a complex three-dimensional clock marking time. A timely analogy when you consider today is New Year’s Day. We continue to quietly swing into the future.
As I continued my walk and approached Pepper Park, I noticed another sculpture from an old Urban Trees exhibition. It’s the Sea Dragon, by Deana Mando in 2006.
Sea Dragon once stood on the boardwalk between the USS Midway and Seaport Village. Today it makes its home between the National City Aquatic Center and the Pepper Park Boat Launch Ramp. You can see photos I took of Sea Dragon seven years ago here!
Both of these outdoor sculptures are now part of the Port of San Diego Tidelands Collection of public art.
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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 Twitter!
Cool San Diego Sights! 