San Diego is located in southern California. With around 1.4
million inhabitants, it is the second largest city in the state
after Los Angeles. San Diego originally belonged to the
settlement area of the Kumeyaay. San Diego Bay was discovered by
Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo in 1542 and claimed for Spain. The name
San Diego (Spanish for Saint Didakus) was given to the place in
1602 by Sebastián Vizcaíno, who charted the Californian coast
and whose flagship was called San Diego. However, the permanent
Spanish colonization of San Diego only began in 1769 with the
founding of the Presidio de San Diego and the Franciscan Mission
of San Diego de Alcalá. San Diego was the first mission in Upper
California (equivalent to today's US state of California) and is
therefore called the "Birthplace of California". It was also the
first European settlement in what is now the Western United
States.
From Mexican independence in 1821 until the
Mexican-American War of 1846-48, San Diego was part of Mexico.
At the end of the war, Mexico tried to keep at least San Diego,
but the victorious Americans insisted on keeping the entire San
Diego Bay as well, and the border was made a league (3 miles)
south of the southernmost point of the Bay of Guadalupe Hidalgo
in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo bay fixed. It is there to
this day.
San Diego received city rights in 1850 as one
of the first places in California (along with San Francisco,
Sacramento and San José and even before Los Angeles). The city
originally lay at the foot of Presidio Hill, on the site of
today's Old Town Park. But that was rather inconvenient, since
it was several miles away from the coast. In the second half of
the 19th century, a "new town" was therefore developed directly
on the coast, which corresponds to today's downtown and the
Gaslamp Quarter. In the 1880s, San Diego experienced its first
major population boom: within ten years, the population
quintupled. Around 1900 the city had 17,000 inhabitants. In
1915/16 and 1935/36, San Diego was the scene of two World's
Fairs, the Panama-California Exposition and the California
Pacific International Exposition, for which Balboa Park was
designed. In the 1920s, San Diego grew into a big city, in the
1950s the half-million mark was broken, and since the late 1980s
San Diego has been a city of over a million people.
San
Diego is an important US Navy base. From 1901 the Navy
maintained a coaling station here. The Naval Base San Diego was
founded in 1922 and is now the second largest naval base in the
United States. Two aircraft carriers, 15 amphibious assault
ships, eight cruisers, 14 destroyers, nine coastal combat ships,
three minesweepers and support ships have their homeports here.
26,000 military and civilian employees work at the base.
The coasts around San Diego are among the birthplaces of modern
surfing. The International Surfing Association is based here.
North: Bay Ho, Bay Park, Carmel Valley, Clairemont Mesa, Del Mar
Heights, La Jolla, La Jolla Village, Mission Beach, North City,
North Clairemont, Pacific Beach, Torrey Pines, University City
Northeast: Carmel Mountain, Miramar, Mira Mesa, Rancho Bernardo,
Rancho Penasquitos, Saber Springs, Scripps Ranch, Sorrento
Valley
East: Allied Gardens, Birdland, Del Cerro, Grantville,
Kearny Mesa, Lake Murray, San Carlos, Serra Mesa, Tierrasanta
West: Hillcrest, La Playa, Linda Vista, Loma Portal, Midtown,
Midway District, Mission Bay Park, Mission Hills, Mission
Valley, Morena, North Park, Ocean Beach, Old Town, Point Loma
Heights, Roseville-Fleetridge, Sunset Cliffs, University
Heights, Wooded Area
Downtown: Balboa Park, Barrio Logan,
Core-Columbia, Cortez, Gaslamp Quarter, Golden Hill, Grant Hill,
Harborview, Horton Plaza, Little Italy, Logan Heights, Marina,
Memorial, Park West, Sherman Heights, South Park, Stockton
Mid City: City Heights, College Area, Darnall, El Cerrito,
Gateway, Kensington, Normal Heights, Oak Park, Rolando,
Talmadge, Webster
Southeast: Alta Vista, Bay Terrace, Chollas
View, Emerald Hills, Encanto, Jamacha-Lomita, Lincoln Park,
Mountain View, Mt Hope, Shelltown, Skyline, Southcrest, Valencia
Park
South: Egger Highlands, Nestor, Ocean Crest, Otay Mesa,
Palm City, San Ysidro, Tijuana River Valley
Getting here
By plane
There are several airports in San Diego. By far the
largest and most important is San Diego International Airport (IATA:
SAN) (“Lindbergh Field”). It is around 4.5 km from the city center. It
handles over 22 million passengers annually, making it the 26th busiest
airport in the United States. The main airlines represented here are
Southwest, United, American and Delta Air Lines.
There are direct
connections from Central Europe with Lufthansa from/to Frankfurt and
seasonally with Edelweiss Air from/to Zurich. Otherwise there are
transfer connections via Chicago, Dallas or Denver. Within the US, the
most frequented connections are with San Francisco (Alaska, Southwest,
United), Phoenix (American, Southwest), Denver (Frontier, Southwest,
Spirit, United) and Seattle (Alaska, Delta, Southwest).
Bus line
992 runs every 15 minutes from the airport to the city center
(downtown), the journey takes about 20 minutes.
The Cross Border
Xpress (IATA: TJX) (CBX) terminal at the US-Mexico border provides
direct access from the US side to Tijuana Airport (IATA: TIJ) in Mexico.
There, predominantly inner-Mexican connections are offered, for example
with Mexico City, Jalisco or Sinaloa.
Regular air traffic has
been suspended at Brown Field Municipal Airport wikipedia (IATA: SDM)
and is only used for alternative purposes. Montgomery-Gibbs Executive
Airport (IATA: MYF) is for private flights only.
By train
San
Diego is served by rail via Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner. The Surfliner
operates several times a day between San Luis Obispo on California's
central coast and San Diego, via Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. The
route between San Diego and Los Angeles is served approximately 12 times
in each direction from Monday to Friday, with a journey time of just
under three hours. Only two trains a day travel the entire route from
San Luis Obispo, taking around nine hours; the connection from Santa
Barbara is offered five times a day and takes around six hours.
The Pacific Surfliner makes two stops in San Diego: the Old Town Transit
Center in the northwest of the city and the Santa Fe Depot in the city
center (downtown). Both offer transfers to the local Coaster and the
green line of the San Diego Trolley.
The Coaster regional train
connects San Diego with the northern suburbs of Encinitas, Carlsbad and
Oceanside.
By bus
Greyhound Lines offer long-distance bus
service multiple times daily between San Diego and the San
Ysidro/Tijuana border crossing (25 minutes; from $8), Los Angeles
(2:20-3 hrs; from $11), Yuma (4:40 hrs; from $32) and Phoenix (a good 8
hours; from $43); once per day with San Bernardino (2½ hrs; from $20).
San Diego Bus Station, 1313 National Ave. Phone: (619) 515-1100. 100
meters from the 12th & Imperial Transit Center, which connects to the
San Diego Trolley (all three lines) and several city bus routes.
In the street
Despite its location on the Pacific Ocean and the
border with Mexico, San Diego is easily accessible by car.
Interstate 5 begins at the Mexico border south of San Diego and runs
right through the city, from where it heads north via Los Angeles to
Seattle and Vancouver.
Interstate 15 begins in the north of the
city and runs east past the Los Angeles metropolitan area, through Las
Vegas and Salt Lake City to Canada.
Interstate 8 begins in the
northwest and heads east, where it meets Interstate 10 between Phoenix
and Tucson.
In addition, San Diego is accessed by some State
Routes that have been upgraded to freeways.
By boat
More than
180 cruise ships call at the B Street Pier International Cruise Ship
Terminal each year on their way to Hawaii or along the American west
coast.
San Diego has a well-developed public transport system by American
standards. It is operated by the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System
(MTS or Metro). This includes the San Diego Trolley, a light rail system
with three lines (blue, green, orange) and a total distance of 86
kilometers. The trolley runs partly on its own track bed, partly on the
road, so it is a hybrid of an S-Bahn and a tram.
In addition,
there is the "silver line" with historic streetcars from the 1940s,
which run on Tuesdays, Thursdays, weekends and public holidays on a 4 km
long ring through the city center (Downtown Loop). There are also 93 bus
routes. Three of these are so-called SuperLoop or MTS Rapid lines, which
move a little faster due to their own lanes and preferred traffic light
switching.
All trolley and several bus lines meet at the 12th &
Imperial Transit Center near Petco Park ballpark. The headquarters of
the MTS is also located there. A one-way fare on trolley or rapid lines
is $2.50, and $2.25 on regular bus lines. Seniors over 60 and people
with disabilities each pay half. A one-day pass for all MTS transit in
the metro area is $5, 2 days is $9, 3 days is $12, 4 days is $15, 14
days is $43. Separate fares apply to trips to the suburbs outside the
city limits.
San Diego is a popular tourist destination. The attractions include:
1 San Diego Old Town wikipediacommons. The best way to get there is
by train, which as such is a rarity in the USA. You can take the Green
Line to the Old Town station. A nice collection of old houses from the
time when San Diego was first settled awaits you there. In the houses,
old forms of craftsmanship come to life again. In a historic candy shop,
for example, you can see how candy was made in the past. A postal museum
takes you back to the times of stagecoaches in the "Wild West". Old Town
can therefore only be recommended for a half-day trip (even after a jet
lag).
2 Gaslamp Quarter (or Gaslamp District; green line: Gaslamp
Quarter; orange or blue line: Civic Center) wikipediacommons. District
listed as a historical monument, which was essentially created in the
second half of the 19th century. The buildings are typically Victorian
in style. Known then as "Stingaree," it was the city's seedy-image
entertainment district, with a multitude of saloons, gambling dens and
brothels. After a period of decline and decay, it was revived as a
nightlife district in the 1980s and 90s, albeit less sleazy, and offers
a high concentration of restaurants, shops and nightclubs. It is also
the site of the Street Scene music festival, Mardi Gras (carnival) and
the St. Patrick's Day parades.
Mission San Diego de Alcalá, 10818 San Diego Mission Rd (Green Line: Mission San Diego) . First Spanish Franciscan Mission in Upper California. It was founded in 1769. However, the current church on this site dates from the 19th century.
1 Balboa Park (Bus 7 or 215: Park Bl & Zoo Pl). Largest public park
in the city. The park was designed for the 1915 Panama-California
Exposition. It houses a large number of museums and cultural
institutions housed in historicist buildings in the Spanish colonial
style.
2 San Diego Zoo, 2920 Zoo Dr (Bus 7 or 215: Park Bl & Zoo Pl)
wikipediacommonsfacebookinstagramtwitter. One of the largest and most
famous zoological gardens in the USA with 650 different animal species.
San Diego Zoo was one of the first to replace indoor cages with large
outdoor enclosures that replicate the animals' natural habitats.
3
Mission Bay (accessible by bus routes 8 and 9 from Old Town Station) .
Artificial Lagoon. Surrounding them is the 17 km² Mission Bay Park, the
largest man-made water park in the USA. It consists of about half of
water and half of land (artificial islands and peninsulas). You can go
sailing, wakeboarding or jet skiing on the water surfaces. Camping,
biking, jogging, skateboarding, rollerblading and sunbathing on the
surrounding land.
4 Presidio Park, 2811 Jackson St (600 m northwest
of Old Town Park; Green Line: Old Town Transit Center; Bus 88: Taylor St
& Presidio Dr). Historical park on the site of what was once the
Presidio de San Diego, the first Spanish fort in Upper California. In
the park is the Junípero Serra Museum, whose exhibition is dedicated to
the founding phase of San Diego. Built in 1925 in Spanish Colonial
style, some mistake it for the historic Presidio.
USS Midway Museum, 910 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101. Tel:
+1.619.544.9600. Converted into a museum. Aircraft carrier that served
from 1945 to 1992 (including the Vietnam War).
Streets and
squares
Horton Plaza, 900 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA.
Park-like square in the city center (Downtown). Here is the Broadway
Fountain, inaugurated in 1910, which is modeled on the ancient
Lysicrates monument in Athens.
Various
Point Loma (12 km west;
accessible by bus route 84 from Old Town Transit Center) . Peninsula
jutting out into the ocean that forms a natural barrier around San Diego
Bay. Rocky coastal landscape (Sunset Cliffs Natural Park), Fort
Rosecrans military cemetery, old lighthouse from 1855.
In part for historical reasons, San Diego's city limits are quite
jagged. While there are exclaves of the metropolitan area that are 20 or
even 30 miles from downtown, there are officially self-contained cities
of Coronado, National City, and Chula Vista that are much closer to
downtown San Diego and have effectively merged with the city without
that there was a discernible separation. In the following, therefore,
settlements within a radius of 30 km are listed, regardless of whether
they are districts of San Diego or independent communities.
3
Coronado – Beach resort on the peninsula off San Diego Bay known for the
plush Hotel del Coronado, a Victorian beach hotel founded in 1888 where
the 1958 film Some Like It Hot starring Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and
Tony Curtis was filmed. Accessible via the Coronado–Convention Center
passenger ferry or via the Coronado Bridge (bus route 901 takes 20
minutes from downtown)
4 La Jolla – residential suburb (20 km north
of downtown, 9 km from Mission Bay) with famous beaches (e.g. Black's
Beach), one of the birthplaces of the "surf culture" of the 1960s, seat
of the University of California , San Diego, and the Salk Institute for
Biological Studies, exclusive shops for the wealthy residents.
5
Miramar (14 miles north of Downtown) - Former home of the United States
Navy Fighter Weapons School ("Top Gun"), known from the film Top Gun
(1986) starring Tom Cruise and the series JAG (1995-2005). There is a
park and a 5-mile walk around Lake Miramar.
Seaworld. Tel: +1 619 222 4732 . Marine life themed amusement park
with aquariums and Ozeaneum. The highlights are the orca, dolphin and
sea lion shows.
San Diego Padres, 100 Park Blvd (Trolley (all lines):
12th & Imperial Transit Center) . National League Baseball Team. The
home stadium is Petco Park with a good 42,000 seats.
San Diego Fleet.
After the city's most famous sports team, the San Diego Chargers, moved
to Los Angeles, a new professional football team was formed for the 2019
season. It plays in the Alliance of American Football (AAF), a league
that rivals the established NFL. Home ground is the SDCCU Stadium.
San Diego State University (SDSU) collegiate athletic teams are called
the "Aztecs" and play in the NCAA Division I Mountain West Conference.
San Diego State Aztecs Football. Home games at SDCCU Stadium.
San
Diego State Aztecs Men's Basketball. Home games at the Viejas Arena.
SDCCU Stadium, 9449 Friars Rd (Green Line: SDCCU Stadium). In addition
to football games of the San Diego Fleet and the Aztecs, major pop and
rock concerts also take place here.
Viejas Arena, 5500 Canyon Crest
Dr (Green Line: SDSU Transit Center) . Multipurpose Hall on the San
Diego State University campus. Mainly used for basketball games, but
also concerts, meetings and lectures.
The Old Globe. Tel: +1 619 234
5623.
Bike & Kayak La Jolla, 2158 Avenida de la Playa, La Jolla
CA92037.
In the south of San Diego, directly on the border with Mexico, is the large shopping center 1 Las Americas Premium Outlets wikipedia with numerous discounted brand names. The outlet can be reached via I-5 South (last exit in the USA).
In San Diego there are a large number of branches of various chains,
such as Jack in the Box, Wendy's, Mac Donalds, Hooters, etc. If you are
looking for "typical American cuisine", you will find a restaurant at
Phils BBQ under San Diego's Top 10 Restaurants was rated. Those who
would like to visit a 1950s restaurant can do so at the Corvette Diner.
Getting a sumptuous breakfast of pancakes and scrambled eggs at a
restaurant or larger coffeehouse is no problem in San Diego. Due to the
proximity to the Mexican border, there are many restaurants that stock
Mexican dishes like tacos and burritos. The California burrito, which
has become well-known in San Diego, should be explicitly mentioned here,
which also contains fries in addition to the classic Mexican
ingredients.
Furthermore, Asian cuisines such as Vietnamese and
Japanese and teahouses can also be found in San Diego. In pubs and
restaurants there is usually a larger selection of beers.
At the east end of Downtown (south of Broadway between 4th and 6th Avenues) is the Gaslamp Quarter. Architectural heritage dating back to the 1880s can be found here. The Gaslampviertel consists of painstakingly restored brick buildings. Here in the district you will find what your heart desires: numerous bars, clubs, cafés and restaurants.
Hawthorne Suites, 1335 Hotel Circle South. Tel: +1 619 299-3501, Fax:
+1 619 294-7882.
Holiday Inn, 3805 Murphy Canyon Road. Phone: +1 858
278-9300.
Holiday Inn, 17065 W Bernardo Dr Phone: +1 858 485-6530.
Holiday Inn, 595 Hotel Circle South. Phone: +1 619 291-5720.
Four
Points By Sheraton San Diego Downtown, 1617 First Ave. Phone: +1 619
239-9600.
Holiday Inn, 4875 North Harbor Drive. Phone: +1 619
224-3621.
Holiday Inn, 1355 North Harbor Drive. Phone: +1 619
232-3861.
Holiday Inn, 3737 Sports Arena Blvd. Phone: +1 619
881-6100.
Holiday Inn Express, 4610 De Soto St. Phone: +1 858
483-9800.
Holiday Inn Express, 3950 Jupiter St. Tel: +1 619 226-8000.
Holiday Inn Express, 9888 Mira Mesa Blvd. Phone: +1 858 635-5566.
Holiday Inn Express, 3900 Old Town Ave. Phone: +1 619 299-7400.
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, 5925 Lusk Blvd. Phone: +1 858
731-0100.
Holiday Inn Select, 9335 Kearny Mesa Rd. Tel: +1 858
695-2300.
SpringHill Suites San Diego Rancho Bernardo/Scripps Poway,
12032 Scripps Highlands Drive. Tel: +1 858 635-5723, Fax: +1 858
635-5725.
Staybridge Suites, 11855 Avenue Of Industry. Phone: +1 858
487-0900.
Staybridge Suites, 6639 Mira Mesa Blvd. Phone: +1 858
453-5343.
Cheap
Motel 6 San Diego - Hotel Circle, 2424 Hotel
Circle North. Tel: +1 619 296-1612, Fax: +1 619 543-9305.
Motel 6 San
Diego Airport/Harbor, 2353 Pacific Highway. Tel: +1 619 232-8931, Fax:
+1 619 237-0776.
Motel 6 San Diego Downtown, 1546 2nd Ave. Tel: +1
619 236-9292, Fax: +1 619 236-9988.
Motel 6 San Diego North, 5592
Clairemont Mesa Blvd. Tel: +1 858 268-9758, Fax: +1 858 292-0832.
Middle
Best Western Americana Inn, 815 W San Ysidro Blvd. Tel: +1
619 428-5521, Fax: +1 619 428-0693.
Best Western Bayside Inn, 555 W
Ash Street. Tel: +1 619 233-7500, +1 800 341-1818 (Toll-free), Fax: +1
619 239-8060.
Best Western Cabrillo Garden Inn, 840 A Street. Tel: +1
619 234-8477, +1 866 363-8388 (Toll-free), Fax: +1 619 615-0422.
Best
Western Hacienda Suites- Old Town, 4041 Harney Street. Tel: +1 619
298-4707, +1 800 888-1991 (Toll-free), Fax: +1 619 298-4771.
Best
Western Inn, Miramar/San Diego, 9310 Kearny Mesa Road. Tel: +1 858
578-6600, +1 800 827-2635 (Toll-free), Fax: +1 858 536-1368.
Best
Western Island Palms Hotel & Marina, 2051 Shelter Island Drive. Tel: +1
619 222-0561, +1 877 484-3725 (Toll-free), Fax: +1 619 222-9760.
Best
Western Lamplighter Inn & Suites, 6474 El Cajon Blvd. Tel: +1 619
582-3088, +1 800 545-0778 (Toll-free), Fax: +1 619 582-6873.
Best
Western Mission Bay, 2575 Clairemont Drive. Tel: +1 619 275-5700, +1 800
457-8080 (Toll-free), Fax: +1 619 275-5064.
Best Western Posada Inn,
5005 N Harbor Drive. Tel: +1 619 224-3254, Fax: +1 619 224-2186.
Best
Western Seven Seas, 411 Hotel Circle S. Tel: +1.619.291-1300,
+1.800.328-1618 (Toll-free), Fax: +1.619.291-6933.
upscale
Courtyard San Diego Central, 8651 Spectrum Center Blvd. Tel: +1 858
573-0700, Fax: +1 858 573-9818.
Courtyard San Diego Downtown, 530
Broadway Street. Tel: +1 619 446-3000, +1 800 321-2211 (Toll-free), Fax:
+1 619 446-3010.
Courtyard San Diego Old Town, 2435 Jefferson St.
Tel: +1 619 260-8500, +1 800 255-3544 (Toll-free), Fax: +1 619 297-2078.
Courtyard San Diego Rancho Bernardo, 11611 Bernardo Plaza Court. Tel:
+1.858.613-2000, Fax: +1.858.613-2010.
Courtyard San Diego Sorrento
Mesa/La Jolla, 9650 Scranton Rd. Tel: +1 858 558-9600, Fax: +1 858
558-4539.
Residence Inn San Diego Central, 5400 Kearny Mesa Road.
Tel: +1 858 278-2100, Fax: +1 858 268-3926.
Residence Inn San Diego
Downtown, 1747 Pacific Highway. Tel: +1 619 338-8200, Fax: +1 619
338-8219.
Residence Inn San Diego Mission Valley/SeaWorld Area, 1865
Hotel Circle South. Tel: +1 619 881-3600, Fax: +1 619 582-7510.
Residence Inn San Diego Rancho Bernardo/Carmel Mountain Ranch, 11002
Rancho Carmel Drive. Tel: +1 858 673-1900, +1 858 673-1900 (Toll-free),
Fax: +1 858 673-1913.
Residence Inn San Diego Scripps Poway Parkway,
12011 Scripps Highland Dr. Tel: +1 858 635-5724, Fax: +1 858 635-5726.
Residence Inn San Diego Sorrento Mesa/Sorrento Valley, 5995 Pacific Mesa
Court. Tel: +1.858.552-9100, Fax: +1.858.552-9199.
San Diego Marriott
Del Mar, 11966 El Camino Real. Tel: +1 858 523-1700, Fax: +1 858
523-1355.
San Diego Marriott Gaslamp Quarter, 660 K Street. Tel: +1
619 696-0234, Fax: +1 619 231-8199.
San Diego Marriott Hotel &
Marina, 333 West Harbor Drive. Tel: +1 619 234-1500, Fax: +1 619
234-8678.
San Diego Marriott Mission Valley, 8757 Rio San Diego
Drive. Tel: +1 619 692-3800, +1 800 842-5329 (Toll-free), Fax: +1 619
692-0769.
The city has numerous universities. The two most important are UCSD (University of California San Diego) and SDSU (San Diego State University).
Position
San Diego is located on a man-made dock on the southern
tip of California, about a two-and-a-half hour drive south of Los
Angeles and about a half-hour north of Tijuana, Mexico. The city is
bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west. Mountains and the Anza Borrego
Desert Park form a natural boundary to the east. San Diego is divided in
two by the city of Chula Vista. The highest point in the city is Cowles
Mountain (486 m) in Mission Trails Regional Park; other elevations are
the Black Mountain with 475 m and Mount Soledad with 251 m. The urban
area expands further and further inland. In the south it extends to the
Mexican border. The San Diego River flows through the city.
The annual average temperature is 17.3 °C, the average monthly rainfall is 24 mm. Winters are generally mild with an average temperature of 14°C.
The area that is now San Diego was long inhabited by the Kumeyaay
Indians. On September 28, 1542, the Portuguese Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo,
who was in Spanish service, was the first European to land. He declared
his discovery possession of the Spanish crown and named it San Miguel.
Administratively, California was part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain.
The next Spaniard to visit the region was Sebastián Vizcaíno. On
behalf of Spain he sailed along the west coast to map it. In November
1602, on the feast day in honor of San Diego de Alcalá, he reached San
Miguel and gave the town its current name, San Diego.
It was not
until 1769 that Gaspar de Portolá established a military post and the
Franciscan Junípero Serra established the first mission, Mission San
Diego de Alcalá. Due to constant problems with the water supply and poor
soil, the priest Luis Jayme moved the mission about ten kilometers in
1774, and the first settlers soon followed. In 1775, the Spaniards
successfully defeated an indigenous revolt. As a result of these events,
Luis Jayme and two other people were killed. In 1776 Junípero Serra
returned and organized the rebuilding of the mission. In 1797 San Diego
de Alcalá was the largest mission in California with over 1400
neophytes.
In 1821 Mexico became independent from Spain. The
Viceroyalty of New Spain, Alta California and thus San Diego were merged
into the nation state of Mexico. In 1834 San Diego was declared a city
and the first elections were held. Juan Maria Osuna won the mayoral
election against Pio Pico and became the first mayor. In 1838, San Diego
lost its city status after a drastic population decline.
As a
result of the Mexican-American War, San Diego fell to the United States
in 1850 and became the city and seat of San Diego County. Joshua Bean
became the first US mayor.
In 1869, local gold discoveries
triggered a boom. As a result, San Diego was connected to the national
railroad network in 1885. At the end of the 1880s the gold rush ebbed
away; the population of San Diego fell from 40,000 to 16,000 residents.
In 1915/16 San Diego hosted the Panama-California Exposition.
In 1917, US entry into World War I brought numerous military
installations to San Diego.
In 1927, Charles Lindbergh
transported the Spirit of St. Louis, built in San Diego, from the
airfield later named after him in record time to Roosevelt Field in New
York on the east coast, the starting point of his legendary
transatlantic flight. At the same time, the aircraft industry was
beginning to take hold in San Diego.
In 1941, after the attack on
Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy moved the headquarters of its
Pacific Fleet back to San Diego. Since the Second World War, the
military has shaped the cityscape of San Diego and triggered an economic
boom. To this day it is the most important employer in the region.
On September 25, 1978, a Pacific Southwest Airlines Boeing 727
collided with a Cessna 172 light aircraft. A total of 144 people die in
the crash of Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 182.
On January
29, 1979, 16-year-old Brenda Ann Spencer shot two people and injured
nine others in front of Grover Cleveland Elementary School.
In
1981, the San Diego Trolley became the United States' first modern light
rail system.
On July 18, 1984, one of the worst killing sprees in
US history took place in the San Ysidro neighborhood: 41-year-old James
Oliver Huberty entered a McDonald's branch, shot dead 21 people and
injured 19 others before being shot dead by police.
After the end
of the Cold War, the military presence decreased significantly, and
since then the biotech and telecommunications industries have thrived in
San Diego. The inner main belt asteroid (3043) San Diego is named after
the city.