History of San Diego

Theres little dispute that the land where San Diego resides is some of the finest real estate on the planet. The early Native Americans knew it, as did the Spanish conquistadors as soon as they discovered the place. The history of San Diego is tied with its natural beauty and its strategic location along the border with Mexico. It remains a popular place to live thanks to the ideal climate, cultural attractions and quality of life.

The Spanish arrival

The Spanish explorer Juan Cabrillo sailed into San Diego Bay in 1542 while searching for a northwest passage from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Naturally, he claimed the land for Spain, but little changed in the daily lives of the locals over the next 200 years. The quest to establish territorial rights reached a frenzy in the late 1700s, and by 1769, a band of soldiers and Franciscan brothers had established a military camp on Presidio Hill. Soon after, Californias first mission was built on the same site.

Mexico stakes its claim

During the time when Mexico was fighting the war of independence with Spain, there was already a thriving settlement of 600 living in the Old Town. When Mexico gained independence in 1821, San Diego was named the official capital of Baja. But soon after, in 1846, the United States declared war on Mexico in a bid to control the western part of the country. The Treaty of Guadalupe was signed two years later, ending the conflict and establishing the current borders between Mexico and the US.

An American city

During the late 1800s, a series of wealthy men moved to San Diego in the hopes of establishing a great city. Yet it wasnt until the 1915 Panama-California Expo that the city truly began its life as a cultural stronghold. To commemorate the Panama Canal, several of its most prominent landmarks were established such as the Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo. These developments seemed to open the floodgates on the citys success, as people and business flocked to the area in droves.

However, in the end, it has always been the areas stunning natural beauty that has attracted residents. Fortunately, San Diego has been intelligently developed, suggesting the continuing success and popularity of this city on the bay.