Dates: Tuesday, February 18th or Thursday, February 10th, 9:30am

Location: Bea Evenson Fountain, near the Fleet Science Center 

Website: https://sandiegohistory.org/

Park Background

A lot of San Diegans tend to assume that Balboa Park got its start when San Diego hosted the Panama Exposition, but it’s even older than that! Check out this 3 minute PBS video that explains how so many make that mistake (including the news) and how old it actually is!

As they mention in the video, “City Park” got its start in 1868 with a whopping 1,400 acres of land! City leaders had a far reaching vision, becoming only the second city in the United States to create a large urban park, even though San Diego only boasted a population of 2,301 people and 915 houses at the time! Today, the parcel has shrunk to 1,200 acres. To read a little bit more about the history of the park, check out this Parks and Rec article here: https://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/regional/balboa/history

In 1892, Kate Sessions initiated the first large push for beautification, offering to plant 100 trees a year throughout the park, so long as she could build a commercial nursery on the property. Many of her original trees are alive today, and we should get to see some on our walk! From 1903 to 1910, the Park had water systems installed to support further planting, roads were built, and it began to look similar to what we see today, all thanks to a City tax levied in 1905 to pay for the upgrades. 

1915 Panama- California Exposition

In 1910, with preparations already underway to hold an expo to coincide with the opening of the Panama Canal, the park was named for the Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa, the first European to cross Central America and see the Pacific Ocean. Several of the buildings as well as much of the present-day look and feel of the park can be attributed to the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. Built in the Spanish Colonial-revival style, the park’s highly ornamental style was the first of its kind in the United States. Scheduled to last only one year, the 1915 Expo was extended for a second year, and more than 3.7 million visitors came to the expo during its run.

You can also watch a Ken Kramer special about the the Legacy of this Panama California Exposition here:

The theme of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition was to celebrate man's progress and achievements. The Cabrillo Bridge and most of the cultural center "buildings" along El Prado were built for the exposition as well as the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, under the supervision of Bertram Goodhue, a famous architect from New York.

Twenty years later, San Diego hosted the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition to boost the local economy during the Great Depression. Additional structures and landscaping were added to the park, including the Old Globe Theatre, International Cottages, and Spanish Village, all of which are still in use today.

The Southern Palisades or Convention area grew out of the second fair through the efforts of Richard Requa, Director of Architecture and Landscaping, who designed with the purpose of interpreting Goodhue's scheme in terms of a series of buildings representing a complete history of the Southwest, from prehistoric times to the modern era. Many of the new buildings were reminders of Indian Pueblo architecture or were Mayan in design style.

During both World Wars the park was taken over for use by the military, and after the wars, the buildings reverted to use by cultural and recreation organizations, many of the facilities becoming the museums and institutions we see today. Extensive rehabilitation of Park buildings and facilities has been underway since 1946, and in 1960 a master plan for Balboa Park was submitted and used to continue the growth and future development of the Park. Improved landscaping, modernization of buildings and roadways, and improved pedestrian walkways and access is the result of the care and concern of the people of San Diego. With the 1960 Master Plan, $2 million was spent on Park improvement and renovations.

In 1977, Balboa Park, and historic Exposition buildings from 1915 and 1935, were declared a National Historic Landmark and National Historic Landmark District, and placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today the park is the center for arts and culture in San Diego and is recognized by the State of California as one of its 14 cultural districts.

Park Fast Facts:

• Balboa Park is bigger than New York Central Park! Central Park is 832 acres and Balboa Park still boasts 1,200 acres.

• The Botanical Building and Lily pond is one of the most photographed spaces in Balboa Park! Originally built for the Panama Exposition, this building has been given new life so it can feature in photographs for many decades to come. Its new renovations now include interior misters, state of the art lighting, and new water features.  You can explore and read more about the changes and upcoming Phase 2 plans here: https://balboaparkbotanical.org/

• The Japanese Friendship Garden is a physical expression of San Diego’s relationship with its sister city, Yokohama. This 12 acre plot is an immersive experience in Japanese culture and gardening. If you can’t explore the garden on foot,  you can enjoy this 34 minute walking tour (with no talking) to ‘stroll’ through the grounds:  https://youtu.be/GDUfv51PEn8?si=oxccdsyY-zvEhb0T

• The Park is home to 18 museums and 19 different gardens, including the Comic-Con Museum, the Fleet Science Center, and the Timken Museum of Art. Check out a description of each of them here: https://sandiegomagazine.com/everything-sd/balboa-park-museum-guide-free-days-2024/

See you this week as we walk around this San Diego gem!

https://www.sandiego.org/articles/balboa-park/history.aspx

https://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/regional/balboa/history

https://balboapark.org/about-balboa-park/

https://www.pacific-coast-highway-travel.com/Balboa-Park-in-Facts-and-Figures.html