San Elijo State Beach is a California State Beach in San Diego County, California , United States.
136-509: San Elijo State Beach is near San Diego , by San Elijo Lagoon , adjacent to the Cardiff State Beach . San Elijo State Beach offers swimming, surfing, boogie-boarding, skim-boarding, showers, picnicking, and camping. Campsite reservations are made through Reserve America , and sites book up to 6 months in advance. The narrow, bluff-backed stretch of sand has a nearby reef that is popular with snorkelers and divers. Also, at low tide, there
272-589: A Voyage Between China and the North-Western Coast of America, Made in 1804" and Richard Henry Dana 's more substantial and convincing account, of his 1834–36 voyage, the classic Two Years Before the Mast . In 1846, the United States went to war against Mexico and sent a naval and land expedition to conquer Alta California . At first, they had an easy time of it, capturing the major ports including San Diego, but
408-579: A center of the emerging biotech industry and is home to telecommunications giant Qualcomm . San Diego had also grown in the tourism industry with the popularity of attractions such as the San Diego Zoo , SeaWorld San Diego , and Legoland California in Carlsbad . According to SDSU professor emeritus Monte Marshall, San Diego Bay is "the surface expression of a north-south-trending, nested graben ". The Rose Canyon and Point Loma fault zones are part of
544-616: A delegate. As Tijuana ranks higher in the Mexican urban hierarchy than San Diego does in the American urban hierarchy, Tijuana contains many foreign consulates including those of China, Korea, Finland, the United States, Germany, Spain, Honduras, France, Austria, Gambia, the United Kingdom, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Israel, Canada, and the Czech Republic. Tijuana does not receive competition from
680-496: A given planning area there may be several distinct neighborhoods. Altogether the city contains more than 100 identified neighborhoods . Downtown San Diego is located on San Diego Bay . Balboa Park encompasses several mesas and canyons to the northeast, surrounded by older, dense urban communities including Hillcrest and North Park . To the east and southeast lie City Heights , the College Area , and Southeast San Diego . To
816-487: A large part of the regional economy more-so observed in Tijuana. The focus of manufacturing in the region is on soft and hard technological products. In metropolitan Tijuana, manufacturing has historically allotted for a large sector of the economy and San Diego County's economy has increasingly focused on manufacturing which 2002 allotted for $ 25 billion of the county's economic income. The 2000s decade saw Tijuana overtake
952-414: A larger urban center as San Diego does from Los Angeles. However, with Mexicali growing rapidly, a possible canal project planned and Silicon Border development under way, Tijuana will soon face similar competition. Population figures for California cities are from 2010 U.S. Census data. Population figures for Baja California cities are from 2010 INEG census data. The international border between
1088-455: A number of small parks and preserves. San Diego County has one of the highest counts of animal and plant species that appear on the endangered list of counties in the United States. Because of its diversity of habitat and its position on the Pacific Flyway , San Diego County has recorded 492 different bird species, more than any other region in the country. San Diego always scores high in
1224-631: A presence in modern-day North County San Diego. Western exploration of the Californias dates back to the 16th century when in 1535 Hernán Cortés first visited the Baja California Peninsula in his search for Calafia . Subsequent exploration in 1542 by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo brought the western explorers to what is now the California-Baja California region. Cabrillo first named San Diego , San Miguel . Initial expeditions by
1360-485: A pristine and natural state. This regional climate supports a chaparral and woodlands ecoregion that is further divided in three sub-regions where two are observed in San Diego–Tijuana. These are the coastal sage and chaparral and montane chaparral and woodlands ecoregions . In the montane region, fire serves a unique purpose as a medium of change, and while fire typically can threaten urban development, it
1496-649: A result of the Mexican–American War of 1846–48, the territory of Alta California, including San Diego, was ceded to the United States by Mexico, under the terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. The Mexican negotiators of that treaty tried to retain San Diego as part of Mexico, but the Americans insisted that San Diego was "for every commercial purpose of nearly equal importance to us with that of San Francisco", and
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#17328546455021632-577: A river or creek flowed through it, and that they would lead our men to it if they would follow." That river was the San Diego River. Several reservoirs and Mission Trails Regional Park also lie between and separate developed areas of the city. Notable peaks within the city limits include Cowles Mountain , the highest point in the city at 1,591 feet (485 m); Black Mountain at 1,558 feet (475 m); and Mount Soledad at 824 feet (251 m). The Cuyamaca Mountains and Laguna Mountains rise to
1768-456: A symbiotic relationship exists between think-tanks in the north and manufacturing heads in the south that creates a healthy environment for startup companies. San Diego alone was rated by Forbes in 2014 as one of the best places to start a tech company. Several areas of San Diego are home to offices and research facilities for numerous biotechnology companies and pharmaceutical companies. Among American metropolitan areas , metropolitan San Diego
1904-490: A toolbox. There are several new high-rises under construction , including two that exceed 400 feet (122 m) in height. The city had a population of 1,307,402 according to the 2010 census, distributed over a land area of 372.1 square miles (963.7 km ). The urban area of San Diego had a total population of 2,956,746, making it the third-largest in the state, after those of Los Angeles and San Francisco . The 2010 population represented an increase of just under 7% from
2040-523: A varied topography with over seventy miles of coastline and snow-capped mountains that rise to the northeast, in San Diego County. The terrain includes flood plains, canyons, steep hills, and mesas . The region has its eastern terminus in the Colorado Desert and Imperial Valley regions, where another conurbation – Mexicali–Calexico – is formed. The urbanized area where San Diego and Tijuana meet
2176-515: Is 339.5 square miles (879 km ); the municipality includes part of the Coronado Islands , located off the coast of the municipality in the Pacific Ocean. This combined area, with the additional areas of Tecate, 1,188.8 square miles (3,079 km ), and Rosarito Beach, 198.2 square miles (513 km ), place the area of San Diego–Tijuana at 6,252.5 square miles (16,194 km ). San Diego
2312-524: Is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California , immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border . With a population of over 1.3 million residents, it is the eighth-most populous city in the United States and the second-most populous in the state of California , after Los Angeles . San Diego is the seat of San Diego County , which has a population of nearly 3.3 million people. It
2448-587: Is a tide pool that many walk to in order to see the sea life. The campsite is great for family and friends. It is located on a bluff right above the beach. It is perfect for photographers to get that perfect shot of a sunset. Jellyfish are frequent in the area; many see them either during the day or at low tide. This San Diego County, California –related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . San Diego San Diego ( / ˌ s æ n d i ˈ eɪ ɡ oʊ / SAN dee- AY -goh , Spanish: [san ˈdjeɣo] )
2584-476: Is also a major point of entry for trafficking , where 50 brothels of trafficked Mexican girls exist in San Diego County. The majority of cross-border trips into the United States are those made by commuters into the Greater San Diego area and Southern California as a whole. There is a thriving reverse traffic for entertainment in Tijuana and affordable goods and services . The San Ysidro port of entry
2720-399: Is also subject to El Niño weather events. In extreme cases, the overwhelming fall of rain creates mudslides and greatly increases the flow of urban rivers . This sudden influx of water has the potential to flood populated places and drown out wetland habitat; measures have been taken to reduce this potential negative affect while simultaneously restoring the rivers and their watersheds to
2856-466: Is by far the most populated county though population density is much higher in the immediate border area adjacent to the south in Baja California than it is in San Diego County. Urban growth is currently developing regions to the east of Tijuana Municipality and south of Rosarito Beach, where developers are building many new residential communities while in San Diego it is observed to the northeast along
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#17328546455022992-505: Is characterized by generally warm, dry summers on the near coastal regions with a slight temperature increase westward, and relatively cool, mild, wet winters; this is the climate that dominates northern San Diego–Tijuana. In southern San Diego–Tijuana, the semi-arid climate is observed, though characteristics of the Dry-Summer Subtropical Mediterranean climate are present, with most of the annual precipitation falling in
3128-478: Is essential for the historically annual cleanse of the woodlands and reproduction of pyrophytes . Southern coastal sage scrub is further observed on the coast. This is an ecoregion with extremely high levels biodiversity where its endemic species are endangered by human encroachment. In this terrestrial ecoregion , the coastal lowlands are within a semi, semi-arid Mediterranean climate, inhabited by low-growing aromatic, and drought - deciduous shrubs . In
3264-454: Is known as San Ysidro on the American side of the border and Colonia Federal/Colonia Libertad on the Mexican side. East from the coast ten miles (16 km), the Tijuanense boroughs of Mesa de Otay and Centenario are heavy urbanized whereas the corresponding American area of Otay Mesa is composed of primarily dispersed industrial and distribution facilities. At the Pacific Ocean region of
3400-561: Is known for its mild year-round Mediterranean climate , extensive beaches and parks , long association with the United States Navy , and its recent emergence as a healthcare and biotechnology development center. Historically home to the Kumeyaay people, San Diego has been referred to as the Birthplace of California , as it was the first site visited and settled by Europeans on what
3536-471: Is made up densely packed low-density mixed land uses, with patches of street grids east of the city and more organic growth influenced by topography. Cities like Tecate and Rosarito are built on street grid systems. The metropolitan region is situated along the Pacific coast , on the border between the United States and Mexico. The region lies just south of Orange County and west of Imperial County , and shares borders with Greater Los Angeles . The area has
3672-539: Is mostly because of the city's topography (the Bay, and the numerous hills, mountains, and canyons). Frequently, particularly during the "May gray/ June gloom " period, a thick " marine layer " cloud cover keeps the air cool and damp within a few miles of the coast, but yields to bright cloudless sunshine approximately 5–10 miles (8–16 km) inland. Sometimes the June gloom lasts into July, causing cloudy skies over most of San Diego for
3808-545: Is now the West Coast of the United States . Upon landing in San Diego Bay in 1542, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo claimed the area for Spain , forming the basis for the settlement of Alta California 200 years later. The Presidio and Mission San Diego de Alcalá , founded in 1769, formed the first European settlement in what is now California. In 1821, San Diego became part of the newly declared Mexican Empire , which reformed as
3944-492: Is only growing; Tijuana's sub-metropolitan region is reliant on a diversified manufacturing sector. Leading private employers to the metropolitan region are Qualcomm , SAIC , Sempra Energy , Sony , Kyocera , Pfizer Global Research & Development , Callaway Golf , Sharp HealthCare , Scripps Health , Sanyo , Hitachi , Panasonic Corporation , Samsung , Hyundai , Mattel , Honeywell , Pioneer Corporation , Maxell , Douglas Furniture, and International Rectifier . On
4080-473: Is the busiest single-runway airport in the United States. San Diego's name can be traced back to the 16th century when Spanish explorer Sebastián Vizcaíno bestowed it upon the area in 1602. He named the bay and the surrounding area "San Diego de Alcalá" in honor of Saint Didacus of Alcalá . Prior to the Spanish establishment of San Diego, the Kumeyaay town was called Kosa'aay , meaning "drying out place" in
4216-430: Is the main border crossing for non-commercial traffic. Crossing times are notoriously slow at San Ysidro, particularly for those entering the U.S. in cars. Given delays frequently experienced upon entry to Mexico, many cross-border travelers choose to cross on foot. Infrastructure on both sides of the border delivers travelers and commuters to border crossings via respective public transportation systems of which includes
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4352-518: Is the third largest concentrated area of high technology and biotechnology businesses. The presence of the University of California, San Diego and other research institutions helped fuel biotechnology growth. In June 2004, San Diego was ranked the top biotech cluster in the U.S. by the Milken Institute . San Diego is home to companies that develop wireless cellular technology. Qualcomm Incorporated
4488-540: Is the third most populous region in the California–Baja California region, smaller only than the metropolitan areas of Greater Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area . The metropolitan region is host to 13 consulates for several countries. Over fifty million people cross the border each year between San Diego and Tijuana, giving the region the busiest land-border crossing in the world. Since
4624-499: The First Mexican Republic two years later. California was conquered by the U.S. in 1848 following the Mexican–American War and was admitted as the 31st state in 1850. The largest sectors of the economy of San Diego include military and defense-related activities, tourism, international trade, research, and manufacturing. The city is home to several universities, including UC San Diego , San Diego State University , and
4760-958: The Gaslamp Quarter . In the early part of the 20th century, San Diego hosted the World's Fair twice: the Panama–California Exposition in 1915 and the California Pacific International Exposition in 1935. Both expositions were held in Balboa Park , and many of the Spanish/Baroque-style buildings that were built for those expositions remain to this day as central features of the park. The buildings were intended to be temporary structures, but most remained in continuous use until they progressively fell into disrepair. Most were eventually rebuilt, using castings of
4896-570: The Interstate 15 corridor to Temecula and Murrieta . Greater Ensenada is more frequently than not considered part of the region given its proximity and inter-connectivity with the metropolitan area. While it is ninety and seventy-four miles (145 and 119 km) from the cities of San Diego and Tijuana respectively, recent developments between the port city and Rosarito Beach including upscale, Americanized subdivisions and resorts such as Punta Azul, Baja Mar , and La Salina have greatly increased
5032-558: The Kumeyaay language . After the establishment of San Diego, the Kumeyaay called town and city Tepacul Watai , meaning "Stacked Big". Luiseño speakers in the North County region called it Pushuyi . What has been referred to as the San Dieguito complex was established in the area at least 9,000 years ago. The Kumeyaay may have culturally evolved from this complex or migrated into
5168-512: The Manila galleon . During this mission, explorer Sebastián Vizcaíno was also told to map the California coast in great detail, leading to the further exploration of the modern-day site of San Diego–Tijuana. Since 2010, statewide droughts in California and in northern Mexico have further strained the San Diego–Tijuana binational region's water security . The Kumeyaay , referred to as Diegueño by
5304-443: The Mexico–United States border , and are physically separated from the rest of the city by the cities of National City and Chula Vista . A narrow strip of land at the bottom of San Diego Bay connects these southern neighborhoods with the rest of the city. For the most part, San Diego neighborhood boundaries tend to be understood by its residents based on geographical boundaries like canyons and street patterns. The city recognized
5440-442: The North County region of the conurbation has a population of 615,092 and a per capita income of $ 44,131 which is about 50 percent more than that of California and the entire United States. This area contains nearly all of the area located in the cities of Carlsbad, Encinitas , Solana Beach , and Del Mar . A part of this region are the communities of Rancho Santa Fe , Carmel Valley and La Jolla which have consistently been among
5576-674: The San Andreas Fault system. About 40 miles (64 km) east of the bay are the Laguna Mountains in the Peninsular Ranges , which are part of the American Cordillera . The city lies on approximately 200 deep canyons and hills separating its mesas , creating small pockets of natural open space scattered throughout the city and giving it a hilly geography. Traditionally, San Diegans have built their homes and businesses on
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5712-534: The San Andreas Fault was created during the Cenozoic by the movements of the Pacific plate and the North American plate . The region experiences earthquakes and felt the shocks of the 2009 Gulf of California earthquake and 2010 Baja California earthquake . The main mountain ranges of the Peninsular Ranges ridging eastern San Diego–Tijuana is Palomar Mountain , the Laguna Mountains , Sierra de Juárez , and
5848-491: The San Diego Trolley Blue Line that runs from downtown San Diego to the border crossing. Leading industries in San Diego–Tijuana are trade, services, electronics, tourism, life sciences, high-tech and defense sectors. In 2002 San Diego and Tijuana had a gross regional product of $ 136.3 Billion; and in 2007 this figure increased to $ 176 Billion. The greater San Diego area has a knowledge-based economy that
5984-668: The San Pasqual Valley , which holds an agricultural preserve. Carmel Valley and Del Mar Heights occupy the northwest corner of the city. To their south are Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve and the business center of the Golden Triangle . Further south are the beach and coastal communities of La Jolla , Pacific Beach , Mission Beach , and Ocean Beach . Point Loma occupies the peninsula across San Diego Bay from downtown. The communities of South San Diego (an Exclave ), such as San Ysidro and Otay Mesa , are located next to
6120-484: The Twin Cities as medical device manufacture capital of North America. The amount of diverse and numerous manufacture companies in the area have made the metropolitan region one of the world's largest concentrated manufacturing areas. San Diego–Tijuana is ground zero for a transborder tech sector. Engineers and entrepreneurs in the entirety of the border region are fueling the growth of this economic industry in which
6256-646: The University of San Diego . San Diego is the economic center of the San Diego–Tijuana region, the second-most populous transborder metropolitan area in the Western Hemisphere, home to an estimated five million people as of 2022. The primary border crossing between San Diego and Tijuana , the San Ysidro Port of Entry , is the busiest international land border crossing in the world outside of Asia ( fourth-busiest overall). San Diego International Airport
6392-532: The barred tiger salamander and California tree frog . With a mostly arid climate, reptile species outnumber amphibians by a margin of seven to one. Bird species popular to the region are the California quail , California condor , California least tern , peregrine falcon and golden eagle . Introduced parrot species such as the red-crowned amazon parrot have also been found living and breeding in San Diego County and parts of Tijuana Metro. The waters off of
6528-580: The gray whale , a seasonal migratory animal, as well as the bottlenose dolphin , great white shark , killer whale , and California sea lion and on rare occasion, Guadalupe fur seal . In recent times the region has seen the rebound of artiodactyls such as the Peninsular bighorn sheep, a distinct population segment of the desert bighorn sheep . Reptiles include olive ridley sea turtle , western fence lizard , various rattlesnake species and species of blind snake and gopher snake . Amphibians included
6664-426: The mountain lion , bobcat , bighorn sheep , mule deer as well as a variety of rodents and lagomorphs including the California ground squirrel , San Diego kangaroo rat , and brush rabbit . Black bears , jaguars and sea otters historically populated the area, but their range has been restricted by human encroachment and the jaguar and the sea otter are now rarely, if ever, observed. Aquatic mammals included
6800-433: The urbanity of the corridor between Rosarito Beach and Ensenada. Transportation infrastructure increasingly binds the region, as the under-construction Ensenada International Airport is expected to serve as the third major airport of the metropolitan region, offering flights to Europe, South America, and East Asia. San Diego–Tijuana straddles a Mediterranean climate and demi-arid climate area. The Mediterranean climate
6936-524: The 1,223,400 people reported in 2000. The population density was 3,771.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,456.3/km ). The racial makeup of San Diego was 58.9% White , 6.7% African American, 0.6% Native American, 15.9% Asian (5.9% Filipino , 2.7% Chinese , 2.5% Vietnamese , 1.3% Indian , 1.0% Korean , 0.7% Japanese , 0.4% Laotian , 0.3% Cambodian , 0.1% Thai ). 0.5% Pacific Islander (0.2% Guamanian , 0.1% Samoan , 0.1% Native Hawaiian ), 12.3% from other races , and 5.1% from two or more races. 28.8% of
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#17328546455027072-456: The 2020 Globalization and World Cities classification , San Diego was rated as Beta - level global city up from Gamma level, while Tijuana was rated as a high sufficiency city. The economy of the urban area is influenced by the Port of San Diego which gives the region a strong maritime sector; the conurbation is the location of the only major submarine and shipbuilding yards on the West Coast and of
7208-539: The Californios in southern Alta California struck back. Following the successful revolt in Los Angeles , the American garrison at San Diego was driven out without firing a shot in early October 1846. Mexican partisans held San Diego for three weeks until October 24, 1846, when the Americans recaptured it. For the next several months the Americans were blockaded inside the pueblo. Skirmishes occurred daily and snipers shot into
7344-470: The City of San Diego in accordance with policing and community service areas. The city lies south of North County , and west of East County , while also being north of parts of South Bay . Though the city boundaries grace Tijuana's, Centre City lies approximately 18 miles (29 km) north of Tijuana. San Diego has deep canyons separating its mesas, creating small pockets of natural parkland scattered throughout
7480-675: The Colorado River and the depot fell into disuse. From 1857 to 1860, San Diego became the western terminus of the San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line , the earliest overland stagecoach and mail operation from the Eastern United States to California, coming from Texas through New Mexico Territory in less than 30 days. In the late 1860s, Alonzo Horton promoted a move to the bayside area, which he called "New Town" and which became downtown San Diego . Horton promoted
7616-552: The Kumeyaay village of Kosa'aay and created the first of the California missions , Mission San Diego de Alcalá . The Valley of Tijuana was explored the same year by Juan Crespí . In 1829 Santiago Argüello , a Californio and a major Mexican land grant ranchos owner, obtained ownership of a parcel of land known as Rancho Tía Juana and in 1889 was Tijuana officially founded on this parcel when descendants of Argüello and Agustin Olvera , an early Los Angeles pioneer, agreed to develop
7752-530: The May gray and June gloom seasons, a dense cloak of coastal clouds, known as marine layer , covers the coastal areas, keeping the area cool and moist to up to 5–10 miles (8.0–16.1 km) inland. This coastal cloud cover is frequently observed reaching as far inland as Poway and in some cases, San Diego Country Estates . Yet once outside this cloud, the weather in sharp contrast can be warm and sunny. In some cases, June gloom lasts into July, creating cloudy skies over
7888-485: The Mexican–American border was eventually established to be one league south of the southernmost point of San Diego Bay , so as to include the entire bay within the United States. The state of California was admitted to the United States in 1850. That same year San Diego was designated the seat of the newly established County of San Diego and was incorporated as a city. Joshua H. Bean , the last alcalde of San Diego,
8024-515: The Navy Coaling Station in Point Loma, and expanded greatly during the 1920s. By 1930, the city was host to Naval Base San Diego , Naval Training Center San Diego , San Diego Naval Hospital , Camp Matthews , and Camp Kearny (now Marine Corps Air Station Miramar ). The city was also an early center for aviation: as early as World War I, San Diego was proclaiming itself "The Air Capital of
8160-561: The San Diego City and County had the fifth-largest homeless population among major cities in the United States, with 8,102 people experiencing homelessness. In the city of San Diego, 4,887 individuals were experiencing homelessness according to the 2020 count. A December 11, 2023 article in The San Diego Union-Tribune by Blake Nelson reports a notable decline in the homeless population in downtown San Diego, specifically in
8296-460: The San Diego region would face Kumeyaay raids in the late 1830s and the town itself would face raids in the 1840s. Americans gained an increased awareness of California, and its commercial possibilities, from the writings of two countrymen involved in the often officially forbidden, to foreigners, but economically significant hide and tallow trade, where San Diego was a major port and the only one with an adequate harbor: William Shaler 's "Journal of
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#17328546455028432-538: The Spanish settlement, making it the first settlement by Europeans in what is now the state of California. In July of the same year, Mission San Diego de Alcalá was founded by Franciscan friars under Serra. The mission became a site for a Kumeyaay revolt in 1775, which forced the mission to relocate six miles (10 km) up the San Diego River. By 1797, the mission boasted the largest native population in Alta California, with over 1,400 neophytes living in and around
8568-476: The Spanish, are the original inhabitants of San Diego County and northern Baja California . The Kumeyaay lived in this region for over 10,000 years as hunter-gatherers and horticulturists . The boundaries of the Kumeyaay lands once extended from the Pacific Ocean, south to Ensenada, Baja California , east into the Imperial Valley and north to Warner Springs . The Luiseño , or Payómkawichum, also had
8704-506: The United States and Mexico runs from San Diego–Tijuana eastward towards the Gulf of Mexico . The Pacific Ocean terminus of the border was defined as a line passing from the confluence of the Colorado and Gila rivers (now the southeastern corner of the U.S. State of California) to the Pacific Ocean such that it would pass one Spanish league south of the southern end of San Diego Bay. This ensured that
8840-494: The United States continued to expand its borders under the doctrine of Manifest Destiny . As the war came to California, the Battle of San Pasqual was fought in the northern areas of modern-day San Diego. In 1848 the war ended with the Fall of Mexico City and boundaries were redrawn which created a border between San Diego and Tijuana, 3 miles (4.8 km) south of San Diego Bay . 1919 saw
8976-547: The United States received the natural harbor at San Diego. There are three existing border crossings in San Diego–Tijuana, with two more planned. San Ysidro / El Chaparral is the busiest border crossing in the world; In 2019 alone, more than 77.2 million people entered the U.S. through this port. There are maximum 30 vehicle border crossing lanes at the San Ysidro Port of Entry into the United States and 6 or 8 lanes into Mexico from San Ysidro. The San Diego/Tijuana border
9112-510: The West". The city was home to important airplane developers and manufacturers like Ryan Airlines (later Ryan Aeronautical ), founded in 1925, and Consolidated Aircraft (later Convair ), founded in 1923. Charles A. Lindbergh 's plane, the Spirit of St. Louis , was built in San Diego in 1927 by Ryan Airlines. During World War II , San Diego became a major hub of military and defense activity, due to
9248-509: The abduction of Emma Goldman 's husband Ben Reitman and multiple riots . San Diego's proximity to Tijuana during the Mexican Revolution made this one of the most significant free speech fights during the Wobbly era. In 1916, the neighborhood of Stingaree , the original home of San Diego's first Chinatown and "Soapbox Row", was demolished by anti- vice campaigners to make way for
9384-828: The abundance of such stone throughout the region. Once part of the North American Plate, the Salinian block broke off due to the formation of the San Andreas Fault and rift resulting in the Gulf of California and its extension of the Salton Trough . The faults nearest the urban area are the Elsinore and Laguna Salada faults , both secondary to the San Andreas fault. The region is set with many natural coastal harbors , estuaries , inlets , lagoons , and bays . These included
9520-415: The area around 1000 C.E. Archaeologist Malcolm Rogers hypothesized that the early cultures of San Diego were separate from the Kumeyaay, yet this claim is disputed, with others noting that it does not account for cultural evolution . Rogers later reevaluated his claims, yet they were influential in shaping historical tellings of early San Diego history. The Kumeyaay established villages scattered across
9656-409: The area for the Catholic Saint Didacus , a Spaniard more commonly known as San Diego de Alcalá . On November 12, 1602, the first Christian religious service of record in Alta California was conducted by Friar Antonio de la Ascensión, a member of Vizcaíno's expedition, to celebrate the feast day of San Diego. The permanent European colonization of both California and San Diego began in 1769 with
9792-427: The area heavily, and people and businesses began to relocate to New Town because its location on San Diego Bay was convenient to shipping. New Town soon eclipsed the original settlement, known to this day as Old Town , and became the economic and governmental heart of the city. Still, San Diego remained a relative backwater town until the arrival of a railroad connection in 1878. In 1884–1886, John J. Montgomery made
9928-563: The arrival of four contingents of Spaniards from New Spain and the Baja California peninsula. Two seaborne parties reached San Diego Bay: the San Carlos , under Vicente Vila and including as notable members the engineer and cartographer Miguel Costansó and the soldier and future governor Pedro Fages , and the San Antonio , under Juan Pérez . An initial overland expedition to San Diego from
10064-400: The border while a relatively younger population the Tijuana side. The Tijuana region also maintains a population largely composed of people born outside of Baja California. San Diego is located at 32°42′N 117°09′W / 32.700°N 117.150°W / 32.700; -117.150 , just north of Tijuana. The city is divided into eight districts by the municipal government of
10200-530: The border, the border is urbanized on the Mexican side while the adjacent American side is in Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve , and thus not urbanized. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , San Diego County has a total area of 4,526 square miles (11,720 km ), of that 4,200 square miles (11,000 km ) of it is land and 326 square miles (840 km ) of it (7.20%) is water. The area of Tijuana Municipality
10336-465: The canneries, mostly staffed by immigrant fishermen from Japan , and later from the Portuguese Azores and Italy whose influence is still felt in neighborhoods like Little Italy and Point Loma . Due to rising costs and foreign competition, the last of the canneries closed in the early 1980s. Downtown San Diego was in decline in the 1960s and 1970s, but experienced some urban renewal since
10472-491: The center of San Diego. The first skyscraper over 300 feet (91 m) in San Diego was the El Cortez Hotel , built in 1927; it was the tallest building in the city until 1963. As time went on, multiple buildings claimed the title of San Diego's tallest skyscraper, including the 530 B Street and Symphony Towers . Currently the tallest building in San Diego is One America Plaza , standing 500 feet (150 m) tall, which
10608-416: The century and a half that records have been kept. In 1949 and 1967, snow remained on the ground for a few hours in higher locations like Point Loma and La Jolla . The other three occasions, in 1882, 1946, and 1987, involved flurries but no accumulation. On February 21, 2019, snow fell and accumulated in residential areas of the city, but none fell in the downtown area. Like much of Southern California ,
10744-403: The city's economy by focusing on research and science, as well as tourism. From the start of the 20th century through the 1970s, the American tuna fishing fleet and tuna canning industry were based in San Diego, "the tuna capital of the world". San Diego's first tuna cannery was founded in 1911, and by the mid-1930s the canneries employed more than 1,000 people. A large fishing fleet supported
10880-477: The city, hoping to spread plague in the city and effectively kill tens of thousands of civilians. The plan was scheduled to launch on September 22, 1945, but was not carried out because Japan surrendered five weeks earlier. After World War II, the military continued to play a major role in the local economy, but post- Cold War cutbacks took a heavy toll on the local defense and aerospace industries. The resulting downturn led San Diego leaders to seek to diversify
11016-545: The city. The metropolitan region was historically united as part of the province of Alta California under the Viceroyalty of New Spain . In 1821, Mexico won its independence from the Spanish crown and kept the area under the jurisdiction of Alta California. From the late 1860s Mission lands were granted as ranchos to Californio gentry. These distributions of lands accelerated after the Missions were secularized in 1833 , ending
11152-551: The city. This makes San Diego a hilly city. The Coronado and Point Loma peninsulas separate San Diego Bay from the ocean. Tijuana is located at 32°31′N 117°01′W / 32.517°N 117.017°W / 32.517; -117.017 , just south of San Diego. The city is divided into nine administrative boroughs , which are in turn divided into neighborhoods . These boroughs offer administrative services such as urban planning , civil registry , inspection, verification, public works and community development, served by
11288-428: The coast are prone to wildfire , and the rates of fire increased in the 20th century, due primarily to fires starting near the borders of urban and wild areas. San Diego's broad city limits encompass a number of large nature preserves, including Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve , Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve , and Mission Trails Regional Park . Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve and a coastal strip continuing to
11424-410: The coast of San Diego–Tijuana are densely populate by the denizens of the kelp forests . Kelp forests are found to a great extent and are populated by Garibaldi , leopard sharks , gobies , rockfish , and sculpins . Great white sharks have been observed in the waters off the coast, while there are numerous documentations of their occurrence in the waters off Guadalupe Island . From the confines of
11560-777: The coastal regions for entire days. An example of the regional temperature fluctuations is shown in the varying averages of downtown San Diego, averaging January lows of 50 °F and August highs of 78 °F; El Cajon , just 10 miles (16 km) northeast of downtown San Diego, averaging January lows of 42 °F and August highs of 88 °F; Tijuana, averaging January lows of 45 °F and August highs of 78 °F. The differences are even more observed in North County, where coastal Oceanside maintains an average January low of 45 °F and August highs of 73 °F, while inland Escondido maintains average January lows of 42 °F and August highs of 89 °F. San Diego–Tijuana
11696-417: The dominance of the Missions in the economy. San Diego Bay became a port of call for whalers and hide traders from the United States. The region started depopulating, as settlements in the region began to be raided between 1836 and 1842 by the Kumeyaay resistance, with both Rancho Tía Juana (1839) and San Diego (~1840 & 1842) raided during that period. In 1846, the Mexican–American War began and
11832-609: The early 1980s, including the opening of Horton Plaza , the revival of the Gaslamp Quarter, and the construction of the San Diego Convention Center ; Petco Park opened in 2004. Outside of downtown, San Diego annexed large swaths of land and for suburban expansion to the north and control of the San Ysidro Port of Entry . As the Cold War ended, the military shrank and so did defense spending. San Diego has since become
11968-517: The east of the city, and beyond the mountains are desert areas. The Cleveland National Forest is a half-hour drive from downtown San Diego. Numerous farms are found in the valleys northeast and southeast of the city. Under the Köppen–Geiger climate classification system , the San Diego area has been variously categorized as having either a hot semi-arid climate ( BSh in the original classification and BSkn in modified Köppen classification with
12104-448: The ensuing Battle of San Pasqual , fought in the San Pasqual Valley which is now part of the city of San Diego, the Americans suffered their worst losses in the campaign. Subsequently, a column led by Lieutenant Gray arrived from San Diego, rescuing Kearny's battered and blockaded command. Stockton and Kearny went on to recover Los Angeles and force the capitulation of Alta California with the " Treaty of Cahuenga " on January 13, 1847. As
12240-536: The entire day. Even in the absence of June gloom, inland areas experience much more significant temperature variations than coastal areas, where the ocean serves as a moderating influence. Thus, for example, downtown San Diego averages January lows of 50 °F (10 °C) and August highs of 78 °F (26 °C). The city of El Cajon , just 12 miles (19 km) inland from downtown San Diego, averages January lows of 42 °F (6 °C) and August highs of 88 °F (31 °C). The average surface temperature of
12376-545: The fire, smoke resulted in a significant increase in emergency room visits due to asthma, respiratory problems, eye irritation, and smoke inhalation; the poor air quality caused San Diego County schools to close for a week. The October 2007 California wildfires destroyed some areas, particularly within Rancho Bernardo , as well as the nearby communities of Rancho Santa Fe and Ramona . The City of San Diego recognizes 52 individual areas as Community Planning Areas. Within
12512-563: The first controlled flights by an American in a heavier-than-air unpowered glider just south of San Diego at Otay Mesa, helping to pioneer a new science of aerodynamics. In 1912, San Diego was the site of a free speech fight between the Industrial Workers of the World and the city government who passed an ordinance forbidding the freedom of speech along an area of "Soapbox Row" that led to civil disobedience, vigilantism , police violence ,
12648-520: The flag of Castile , but possibly born in Portugal . Sailing his flagship San Salvador from Navidad , New Spain, Cabrillo claimed the bay for the Spanish Empire in 1542, and named the site "San Miguel". In November 1602, Sebastián Vizcaíno was sent to map the California coast. Arriving on his flagship San Diego , Vizcaíno surveyed the harbor and what are now Mission Bay and Point Loma and named
12784-655: The forests, ocean-going species such as the Ocean sunfish are observed. Environmental research in climate and biodiversity is conducted at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and by the Biodiversity Research Center of the Californias of the San Diego Natural History Museum . The land on which San Diego–Tijuana sits is due west of a major transform fault . The transform fault, known as
12920-424: The higher areas can receive 11–15 inches (280–380 mm) per year. Variability from year to year can be dramatic: in the wettest years of 1883/1884 and 1940/1941, more than 24 inches (610 mm) fell, whilst in the driest years there was as little as 3.2 inches (80 mm). The wettest month on record is December 1921 with 9.21 inches (234 mm). Snow in the city is rare, having been observed only six times in
13056-480: The historic period and presumably earlier as well, the river has shifted its flow back and forth between San Diego Bay and Mission Bay, and its fresh water was the focus of the earliest Spanish explorers. Miguel Costansó , a cartographer, wrote in 1769, "When asked by signs where the watering-place was, the Indians pointed to a grove which could be seen at a considerable distance to the northeast, giving to understand that
13192-538: The implementation of Prohibition and the rapid growth of Tijuana tourism. Americans flocked to the city, which had become a major destination for the Hollywood elite, which led to the construction of the Agua Caliente Tourist Complex which in turn spurred the rise of hotels and overall growth in the city. San Diego–Tijuana urbanity stretches along the coastline from the northernmost city of Oceanside to
13328-495: The implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994, San Diego–Tijuana has become a dominant commercial center in the United States and Mexico. The economic success of globalization has allowed San Diego–Tijuana to grow to the third richest region in the former Californias region, with a GDP of $ 136.3 billion in 2002. Renowned for natural beauty, tourism is a leading industry in
13464-460: The importance of its neighborhoods when it organized its 2008 General Plan around the concept of a "City of Villages". San Diego was originally centered on the Old Town district, but by the late 1860s the focus had shifted to the bayfront, in the belief that this new location would increase trade. As the "New Town" – present-day Downtown – waterfront location quickly developed, it eclipsed Old Town as
13600-431: The largest naval fleet in the world. The cruise ship industry, which is the second largest in the California-Baja California region, generates an estimated $ 2 million annually from the purchase of food, fuel, supplies, and maintenance services. In California alone, the port is the fastest-growing port in terms of cruise ship dockings and the second largest behind the Port of Los Angeles . Manufacturing accounts for
13736-466: The major water bodies known as: The populace of the San Diego–Tijuana is cosmopolitan in that many cultures and ethnic groups are present. A large transitory population exists due to Tijuana's border proximity to the United States. This location draws many Latin Americans , including Argentines , Cubans , Guatemalans , and Andean nationalities, as well as Chinese, Korean , and Japanese people; Italian , French, Spanish and Lebanese also reside in
13872-425: The majority of San Diego's current area was originally occupied on the west by coastal sage scrub and on the east by chaparral , plant communities made up mostly of drought-resistant shrubs. The steep and varied topography and proximity to the ocean create a number of different habitats within the city limits, including tidal marsh and canyons . The chaparral and coastal sage scrub habitats in low elevations along
14008-425: The median is 9.6 inches (240 mm). The months of December through March supply most of the rain, with February the only month averaging 2 inches (51 mm) or more. The months of May through September tend to be almost completely dry. Although there are few wet days per month during the rainy period, rainfall can be heavy when it does fall. Rainfall is usually greater in the higher elevations of San Diego; some of
14144-413: The mesas, while leaving the urban canyons relatively wild. Thus, the canyons give parts of the city a segmented feel, creating gaps between otherwise proximate neighborhoods and contributing to a low-density, car-centered environment. The San Diego River runs through the middle of San Diego from east to west, creating a river valley that serves to divide the city into northern and southern segments. During
14280-558: The mission proper. Mission San Diego was the southern anchor in Alta California of the historic mission trail El Camino Real . Both the Presidio and the Mission are National Historic Landmarks . In 1821, Mexico won its independence from Spain , and San Diego became part of the Mexican territory of Alta California . In 1822, Mexico began its attempt to extend its authority over the coastal territory of Alta California. The fort on Presidio Hill
14416-559: The n denoting summer fog) or a hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Csa ). San Diego's climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and mild winters, with most of the annual precipitation falling between December and March. The city has a mild climate year-round, with an average of 201 days above 70 °F (21 °C) and low rainfall (9–13 inches [230–330 mm] annually). The climate in San Diego, like most of Southern California, often varies significantly over short geographical distances, resulting in microclimates . In San Diego, this
14552-511: The north constitute one of only two locations where the rare species of Torrey Pine, Pinus torreyana , is found. Due to the steep topography that prevents or discourages building, along with some efforts for preservation, there are also a large number of canyons within the city limits that serve as nature preserves, including Switzer Canyon , Tecolote Canyon Natural Park, and Marian Bear Memorial Park in San Clemente Canyon , as well as
14688-416: The north lies Mission Valley and Interstate 8 . The communities north of the valley and freeway, and south of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar , include Clairemont , Kearny Mesa , Tierrasanta , and Navajo . Stretching north from Miramar are the northern suburbs of Mira Mesa , Scripps Ranch , Rancho Peñasquitos , and Rancho Bernardo . The far northeast portion of the city encompasses Lake Hodges and
14824-622: The number of bird species observed in the annual Christmas Bird Count , sponsored by the Audubon Society , and it is known as one of the "birdiest" areas in the United States. San Diego and its backcountry suffer from periodic wildfires. In October 2003, San Diego was the site of the Cedar Fire , at that time the largest wildfire in California over the past century. The fire burned 280,000 acres (1,100 km ), killed 15 people, and destroyed more than 2,200 homes. In addition to damage caused by
14960-401: The original façades to retain the architectural style. The menagerie of exotic animals featured at the 1915 exposition provided the basis for the San Diego Zoo . During the 1950s there was a citywide festival called Fiesta del Pacifico highlighting the area's Spanish and Mexican past. In the 2010s there was a proposal for a large-scale celebration of the 100th anniversary of Balboa Park, but
15096-659: The peaks of the Cuyamacas including Cuyamaca Peak . The highest points are located in the Lagunas at 6,378 feet (1,944 m) and in the Cuyumacas at 6,512 feet (1,985 m) while the highest is the peak of Hot Springs Mountain at 6,535 feet (1,992 m). These mountain ranges constitute part of the Salinian Block , a largely granitic terrane dating back to the Mesozoic era and thus explaining
15232-510: The plans were abandoned when the organization tasked with putting on the celebration went out of business. The southern portion of the Point Loma peninsula was set aside for military purposes as early as 1852. Over the next several decades the Army set up a series of coastal artillery batteries and named the area Fort Rosecrans . Significant U.S. Navy presence began in 1901 with the establishment of
15368-447: The population was Hispanic or Latino (of any race); 24.9% of the total population was of Mexican heritage, 1.4% Spanish and 0.6% Puerto Rican . The median age of Hispanic residents was 27.5 years, compared to 35.1 years overall and 41.6 years among non-Hispanic whites; Hispanic San Diegans were the largest group under the age of 18, while non-Hispanic whites constituted 63.1% of population 55 and older. As of January 2019 ,
15504-592: The presence of so many military installations and defense manufacturers. The city's population grew rapidly during and after World War II, more than doubling between 1930 (147,995) and 1950 (333,865). During the final months of the war, the Japanese had a plan to target multiple U.S. cities for biological attack , starting with San Diego. The plan was called " Operation Cherry Blossoms at Night " and called for kamikaze planes filled with fleas infected with plague ( Yersinia pestis ) to crash into civilian population centers in
15640-505: The ranks of some of the richest neighborhoods in the United States. Outside of the urban centers, older regions of San Diego County south of the San Diego River , as well as La Jolla and Pacific Beach, are built on a street grid. Suburban growth north of the San Diego river were built as master planned suburban communities on top of mesas with the "city of villages" concept in mind, built around car-dependency. Tijuana's suburban landscape
15776-527: The region and its coastal environs have been paramount factors in the growth of action sports -lifestyle companies. Other key industries include military, biotech , and manufacturing. San Diego–Tijuana traces its European roots to 1542, when the land was explored by Portuguese explorers on behalf of the Spanish Empire . In 1601, it was mandated by the Spanish viceroy in Mexico City that safe ports be found, one of which would be San Diego Bay , for ships of
15912-503: The region was 5,456,577, making it the largest bi-national conurbation shared between the United States and Mexico, and the second-largest shared between the US and another country. The conurbation consists of San Diego County , (2020 population 3,298,634) in the United States and the municipalities of Tijuana (2020 pop. 1,922,523), Rosarito Beach (126,980), and Tecate (108,440) in Mexico. It
16048-424: The region, including the village of Kosa'aay which was the Kumeyaay village that the future settlement of San Diego would stem from in today's Old Town . The village of Kosa'aay was made up of thirty to forty families living in pyramid-shaped housing structures and was supported by a freshwater spring from the hillsides. The first European to visit the region was explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo , sailing under
16184-459: The region. With a population of approximately five million people, the San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area accounts for 40% of the United States – Mexico border population. The metropolitan area experiences the largest rates of growth in an urban area that stretches from Los Angeles to Tijuana. An analysis of age groups in the region found a relatively older population lives on the San Diegan side of
16320-525: The site of Sony US corporate headquarters. Tourism is a major industry of the region, owing much to the area's mild Mediterranean climate . Tijuana alone is the most visited city in the Western Hemisphere , second only to New York City . 50,000,000 people visit the city each year and about 300,000 visitors cross by foot or car from the San Ysidro point of entry to Tijuana every day. Balboa Park ,
16456-564: The south was led by the soldier Fernando Rivera and included the Franciscan missionary, explorer, and chronicler Juan Crespí , followed by a second party led by the designated governor Gaspar de Portolà and including the mission president (and now saint) Junípero Serra . In May 1769, Portolà established the Presidio of San Diego on a hill near the San Diego River above the Kumeyaay village of Cosoy, which would later become incorporated into
16592-559: The southernmost city of Rosarito Beach. The urban area of San Diego–Tijuana is the 72nd largest in the world and 11th largest in North America, with a population of 5,330,000. The highest population densities are located in the San Diego neighborhoods of University City , La Jolla , Mission Valley , Pacific Beach the downtown San Diego district of the East Village among others, and areas of Tijuana. An area of 116 census tracts in
16728-412: The threat of legal consequences appears to have played a role in the reduction. In 2000 there were 451,126 households, out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. Households made up of individuals account for 28.0%, and 7.4% had someone living alone who
16864-562: The town every night. The Californios drove cattle away from the pueblo hoping to starve the Americans and their Californio supporters out. On December 1, the American garrison learned that the dragoons of General Stephen W. Kearney were at Warner's Ranch . Commodore Robert F. Stockton sent a mounted force of fifty under Captain Archibald Gillespie to march north to meet him. Their joint command of 150 men, returning to San Diego, encountered about 93 Californios under Andrés Pico . In
17000-481: The urban core. According to data from the Downtown San Diego Partnership, the number of individuals living outside or in vehicles has reached a two-year low, standing at approximately 1,200 as of last month. The decrease is attributed to the implementation of the city's camping ban and the concerted efforts to establish new shelters. While enforcement has led to relatively few individuals being punished,
17136-460: The vote. Beyond the town, Mexican land grants expanded the number of California ranchos that modestly added to the local economy. (See, List of pre-statehood mayors of San Diego .) However, San Diego had been losing population throughout the 1830s, due to increasing tension between the settlers and the indigenous Kumeyaay and in 1838 the town lost its pueblo status because its size dropped to an estimated 100 to 150 residents. The ranchos in
17272-483: The water at Scripps Pier in the California Current has increased by almost 3 °F (1.7 °C) since 1950, according to scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography . Additionally, the mean minimum is now above 40 °F (4 °C), putting San Diego in hardiness zone 11, with the last freeze having occurred many decades ago. Annual rainfall along the coast averages 10.65 inches (271 mm) and
17408-749: The water, the Intertidal , estuary and kelp forest biomes dominate the aquatic world; home to an equally diverse set of flora and fauna. The cool nutrient-rich waters of the north Pacific are able to provide kelp forests with millions of plankton – the base of the aquatic food chain – due to an upwelling of water from the deep sea in the stormy, winter months. Trees of San Diego–Tijuana included chamise , scrub oak , manzanita , live oak , lodgepole pine , black oak and closed-cone pine forests . Lowland shrubs included California sagebrush , black sage , white sage , California buckwheat , as well as cacti and succulents . Terrestrial mammals included
17544-760: The west to the Californias were followed by pacification and conversion efforts by the Spanish Empire and the Catholic Church. The first Catholic religious order to visit the region was the Jesuits in 1683, followed by the Franciscans in 1768, and the Dominicans in the 1770s. The California mission system is a reminder of the Pacific Coast's colonial era. In 1769 Father Junípero Serra founded San Diego after occupying
17680-443: The winter. The Peninsular Ranges assist in containing moisture to the coastal areas and create a rain shadow to the east as they are west-facing mountains. The climate of the area often varies significantly due to the abundance of microclimates characterizing the region. San Diego–Tijuana's topography, bays, coastal hills, mountains, canyons and gorges maintain their own climates while being relatively near to each other. During
17816-518: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61, and the average family size was 3.30. San Diego%E2%80%93Tijuana 32°32′31.87″N 117°01′46.63″W / 32.5421861°N 117.0296194°W / 32.5421861; -117.0296194 San Diego–Tijuana is an international transborder agglomeration , straddling the border of the adjacent North American coastal cities of San Diego , California, United States, and Tijuana , Baja California, Mexico. The 2020 population of
17952-483: Was completed in 1991. The downtown skyline contains no supertall buildings due to a regulation put in place by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the 1970s, which set a 500 feet (152 m) limit on the height of buildings within a one-mile (1.6 km) radius of San Diego International Airport . An iconic description of the skyline includes its skyscrapers being compared to the tools of
18088-448: Was elected the first mayor. Two years later the city was bankrupt; the California legislature revoked the city's charter and placed it under control of a board of trustees, where it remained until 1889. A city charter was reestablished in 1889, and today's city charter was adopted in 1931. The original town of San Diego was located at the foot of Presidio Hill, in the area which is now Old Town San Diego State Historic Park . The location
18224-689: Was founded and is headquartered in San Diego; Qualcomm is the largest private-sector technology employer (excluding hospitals) in San Diego County. Due to San Diego's military influence, major national defense contractors, such as General Atomics and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), are or have been headquartered in San Diego. Business districts include the Columbia district of downtown San Diego , downtown Tijuana , Rancho Bernardo , Carmel Valley , Mission Valley , Sorrento Mesa , and University City neighborhoods of San Diego. Notability among business districts extends to Rancho Bernardo,
18360-410: Was gradually abandoned, while the town of San Diego grew up on the level land below Presidio Hill. The Mission was secularized by the Mexican government in 1834 , and most of the Mission lands were granted to former soldiers. The 432 residents of the town petitioned the governor to form a pueblo , and Juan María Osuna was elected the first alcalde ("municipal magistrate"), defeating Pío Pico in
18496-440: Was not ideal, being several miles away from navigable water at its port at La Playa . In 1850, William Heath Davis promoted a new development by the bay shore called "New San Diego", several miles south of the original settlement; however, for several decades the new development consisted only of a pier, a few houses and an Army depot for the support of Fort Yuma . After 1854, the fort became supplied by sea and by steamboats on
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