DK Travel : San Diego : History & Culture

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Presidio Hill

Spain established its presence in California atop this hill, and Father Serra founded the first mission (see Mission San Diego de Alcalá) here. During the Mexican-American War in 1846, possession of an earthwork fortress on the hill changed hands three times between the Americans and Californios.
Richard Henry Dana (1815–82)

Author of the 19th-century classic Two Years Before the Mast , a historical record of early San Diego (see Old Town State Historic Park).
San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park

On December 6, 1846, an army of volunteer Mexican-Californian ranchers, known as Californios, defeated the invading American army of dragoons in one of the bloodiest battles of the Mexican-American War. Though the Californios won the battle, they subsequently lost the war, and California became part of the US.

Memorial plaque at San Pasqual Valley
The San Diego Chicken (b. 1953)

The chicken-suited antics of Ted Giannoulas have brought international attention to San Diego sports and events.
The Spanish Settlement (1769)

Fearing the loss of California, Spain sent an expedition, led by Gaspar de Portolá and Franciscan friar Junípero Serra (see Mission San Diego de Alcalá), to establish military posts and missions to Christianize the Indians. Disastrous for the Indians, the settlement survived and a city slowly took hold.
Theodore Geisel (1904–91)

Best known as Dr. Seuss, he lived and worked in La Jolla.
Transcontinental Railroad Arrives (1885)

Interest was renewed in San Diego when the Transcontinental Railroad finally reached town. Real estate speculators poured in, infrastructure was built, and the future looked bright. However, Los Angeles appeared even more promising, and San Diego’s population, which had risen from 5,000 to 40,000 in two years, shrank to 16,000.
William Heath Davis (1822–1909)

This financier (see William Heath Davis House) established a new settlement known as “Davis’ Folly”.
World War II

The founding of the aircraft industry, spurred by the presence of Ryan Aviation and Convair, gave San Diego an enduring industrial base. After Pearl Harbor, the headquarters of the Pacific Fleet moved here. The harbor was enlarged, and hospitals, camps, and housing transformed the city’s landscape.
Wyatt Earp (1848–1929)

The gunman (see Louis Bank of Commerce) owned saloons and gambling halls in the Gaslamp Quarter.