Tag: travel

Two grand historical paintings of Escondido.

As you step through the front door of the old Santa Fe Depot in Escondido, take a look left and right. You’ll see two large paintings which show how Escondido appeared about a century ago.

The old Santa Fe Depot is part of the Escondido History Center in Grape Day Park. Inside the depot building you can view many great displays concerning every aspect of Escondido’s history–from its early beginnings, its agriculture, gold mining, and more as the city developed over the decades.

The two paintings I photographed yesterday stand out among the displays. They were created by artist Henry Thees and were commissioned in 1928 for the First National Bank of Escondido, which was built in 1886. The artist never saw Escondido–they were painted from postcards!

Henry W. D. Thees (1882 – 1942) was born in Hamburg, Germany. He settled in Los Angeles in 1927 where he was active as an artist. I can’t find much more that is definite about him.

The two paintings, eventually given to the Escondido Historical Society in 1973, have moved around over time. They arrived at the old Santa Fe Depot in 1988.

The painting in my first two photos is on the south wall. It is a 1927 view looking east toward the first and second Escondido High Schools. The huge building with a tower that looks a bit like a church with steeple was actually the first high school!

The second painting on the north wall is a 1905 view looking west from Curve Street, which today is Ivy. I was told the artist might have included some embellishment in his paintings.

It would be interesting to compare these paintings to the original postcards that inspired them!

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The room where San Diego’s first waltz was danced.

Have you read Two Years Before the Mast? You might remember how author Richard Henry Dana describes the tiny Mexican town of San Diego which he visited in 1835. He would ride into town for pleasure when not unloading, loading or drying cattle hides at La Playa in Point Loma. His famous work of literature vividly describes a fandango in Old Town at the home of Don Juan Bandini.

Bandini’s casa would eventually become Old Town’s Cosmopolitan Hotel, and the very room where the first waltz was likely danced in California can be visited in the hotel today. That’s the room in the above photograph!

Today I ventured into the Cosmopolitan Hotel and discovered two interesting signs in the historic room. The first explains how an extravagant wood floor was installed by Bandini for dancing. It was probably the first wooden floor in California.

Dana wrote in Two Years Before the Mast:

“A great deal has been said about our friend Don Juan Bandini, and when he did appear, which was toward the close of the evening, he certainly gave us the most graceful dancing that I had ever seen.

His slight and graceful figure was well calculated for dancing, and he moved about with the grace and daintiness of a young fawn. He was loudly and repeatedly applauded, the old men and women jumping out of their seats in admiration, and the young people waving their hats and handkerchiefs.”

More photos of the restored room today…

A second sign explains how in the later 1800’s, after the abandoned Bandini house had been acquired by Albert and Emily Seeley and converted into the Cosmopolitan Hotel, big social parties took place in this room once again. They were the talk of the town!

Would you like to visit the historic room yourself? Look for a friendly tintype photographer outside this door. Then step through!

While you’re at it, you can have an old-fashioned tintype photograph taken as a keepsake. Perhaps pretend you’ve traveled back in time to the mid-1800’s, when this photographic technology was developed!

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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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Enjoying the Bayside Walk around Sail Bay.

A few weeks ago, on a late summer San Diego day, I enjoyed a sunny walk around part of Mission Bay.

From a point near Riviera Beach at Moorland Drive, I proceeded counterclockwise along the Bayside Walk to San Rafael Place. This northwest part of Mission Bay is called Sail Bay, and you can see why.

Sailboats, bicycles, volleyball, families playing or lounging on the sand, joggers, people enjoying a beautiful, relaxing day… Even yoga on paddleboards!

This is San Diego at its best!

Enjoy photographs that I took as I walked along…

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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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House of Somalia showcases their culture!

Last Sunday, members of the House of Somalia in Balboa Park greeted visitors inside the Hall of Nations. They were pleased to showcase traditional crafts and artifacts that represent Somalia.

The House of Somalia is the first African house to join the International Cottages in Balboa Park. Like about a half dozen other nations, they don’t yet have a cottage, but perhaps they might at a future time.

The table in the Hall of Nations contained a variety of beautiful drums, cups, sandals, beads and other cultural objects. Both members were super nice when I asked if I could take photographs!

To see the Hall of Nations hosting schedule, click here. Next Sunday it will be the House of Lebanon.

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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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House of Germany’s festive lawn program!

Enjoy a few festive photographs that I took in Balboa Park today.

The House of Germany was having their lawn program at the International Cottages when I walked through the park, so I paused, grabbed a bratwurst on a roll with sauerkraut, ketchup and mustard, and sat down to listen. (At about two thirty the beer was already sold out!)

I’m not sure who these musicians were, but I saw on the House of Germany’s flyer pertaining to the program that four different groups would provide entertainment.

Before resuming my afternoon walk, I ventured into the House of Germany cottage and viewed interesting educational displays.

The summer lawn program season is approaching its end. Check out the HPR International Cottages website here to see fun events that remain!

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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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Deep Flight submersible arrives at Maritime Museum!

Check out what arrived at the Maritime Museum of San Diego yesterday! This super cool “Deep Flight” submersible!

This electric, one-man submersible was developed about 15 years ago by Hawkes Ocean Technologies. It’s now on display in the museum’s steam ferry Berkeley, in a spot where many model ships can be viewed.

I’m reasonably sure this is DeepFlight I, a submersible that served as a technology testbed for DeepFlight II. You can see a photo and learn more about Hawkes Ocean Technologies on this website.

The exhibit is so brand new, the submersible is still on rollers and there’s no information sign in the museum yet. (I was told that to roll the submersible into the Berkeley, part of the museum’s front desk had to be removed!)

While I don’t know too much right now, I’ll endeavor to learn more tomorrow when the Maritime Museum of San Diego has a special member event. I’ll provide more info here in an update.

But look at how cool this thing is! Imagine lying prone, squeezed inside the narrow craft, down in the mysterious depths of the sea, flying along silently like an underwater aircraft, water and sea life all around!

UPDATE!

A few days later, I noticed two of the historic submersible’s wings had been reinstalled.

A sign also points visitors to a cool YouTube video concerning the DeepFlight I. Watch it here.

UPDATE!

A sign appeared later. I was surprised to learn DeepFlight I briefly appears in the introductory film sequence of Star Trek: Enterprise!

See it 34 seconds into the YouTube video 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.

Feel free to share!

Historical photos of Old Town at visitor center.

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 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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Belmont Park exhibit celebrates 100 years!

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.

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Exhibit shows evolution of Hotel del Coronado.

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.

Feel free to share!

Archaic Passage at the Old Town Transit Center.

Travelers at the Old Town Transit Center might find themselves walking through an underground passageway. The tunnel safely crosses beneath the San Diego Trolley and train tracks. In this shadowy place curious eyes will encounter public art titled Archaic Passage.

Not in a hurry to catch your bus or other transportation? There are plaques on either end of the passageway that you can read. They provide information about this unique art…

“ARCHAIC PASSAGE”

COMMISSIONED BY SAN DIEGO METROPOLITAN TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT BOARD JUNE 1996

DESIGNED BY SAN DIEGO ARTIST PAUL HOBSON, “ARCHAIC PASSAGE” CELEBRATES THE ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY OF OLD TOWN, FROM NATIVE AMERICAN TO CONTEMPORARY TIMES. ART MATERIALS USED–CARRIZO CANE, WOOD, STUCCO, ADOBE, BRICK, CLAY ROOF AND DECORATIVE TILES–REPRESENT BUILDING MATERIALS USED TO BUILD OLD TOWN. EACH GEOLOGICAL STRATA-LIKE WAVE REFLECTS A SIGNIFICANT ARCHITECTURAL STYLE.

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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.

Feel free to share!