| Once upon a time, a little town that we now | | | | a city in 1850. |
| know as San Diego, was inhabited by only the | | | | |
| Kumeyaay people. That small town now stands | | | | The town developed in the next twenty years |
| as one of the biggest and prosperous cities | | | | especially thanks to the whaling port. The |
| in the United States. Its population now | | | | town’s downtown was made of a |
| reaches 1,255,240 people and is proud to be | | | | 1,000-acre plot that was then bought by |
| the second largest city in California and the | | | | Alonzo E. Horton in 1867. Alonzo started the |
| eighth largest in the United States. Its | | | | town’s development by laying out |
| geographical position, on the southern coast | | | | streets, building a wharf and a hotel, and |
| of California, makes it the perfect | | | | then donating land for churches. The |
| destination for vacationers. There are so | | | | town’s population increased quickly |
| many things tourists desire: stunning | | | | especially after 1870, due to the gold |
| beaches, fabulous weather, endless activities | | | | strike. In 1885, when Santa Fe Railroad and a |
| and a top convention destination. The | | | | number of eastern investors arrived in the |
| prospering San Diego economy, was made | | | | city there were 40,000 people living in the |
| possible by it’s focus on tourism, | | | | area. |
| trade, agriculture, ship-building, the | | | | |
| military, biotechnology, computer sciences | | | | San Diego managed to overcome the economic |
| and electronics. Thanks to this economic | | | | setbacks from economic and business life even |
| development the city’s appearance is | | | | though there were times when the city |
| being reflected both on the life style of the | | | | registered a regression visible in the number |
| people and in the design of the buildings. | | | | of population that dwindled to 17,000 people. |
| Both tourists and citizens are welcomed to | | | | The obscurity that lied upon the town was |
| enjoy the downtown area where they will find | | | | caused by the more developed cities such as |
| attractive gathering places, overhead | | | | Los Angeles and San Francisco. After the |
| walkways, parks, historic districts and | | | | World War II, San Diego extended his |
| fantastic shopping in innovative centers and | | | | territory with almost 20 miles in each |
| residential developments. | | | | direction and became a military center, home |
| | | | base for a large number of naval trainees |
| But the town was not always the prosperous | | | | that were relocated to the city as civilians. |
| city we all know. Its beginnings are tied to | | | | So did the city begin its growth and |
| the Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez | | | | development that has never ceased. The |
| Cabrillo who first discovered San Diego and | | | | town’s territory expanded after the |
| claimed it for Spain. He discovered the bay | | | | addition of new distinct communities that |
| and named it San Miguel and was known under | | | | developed in the nearby canyons and valleys; |
| this name until 1602. The Spanish explorer | | | | territories that though incorporated into San |
| Don Sebastian Viscaino, a Spanish Catholic | | | | Diego retain a separate identity. |
| saint, changed the name into St. Didacus | | | | |
| known as "San Diego". He was first | | | | Many of California’s famous fruit and |
| celebrated on November 12, 1602 when the | | | | vegetables come from the San Diego’s |
| Spanish fort and mission complex, the | | | | south side that has a rich agricultural area. |
| Presidio, was founded. We now know this area | | | | These fruits and vegetables are shipped |
| as Old Town, which is a favorite tourist | | | | worldwide from San Diego’s port that |
| destination in San Diego. | | | | can be found in the north side of the city. |
| | | | This north side is the area where tourists |
| At that time the town was an important | | | | will find hotels, spectacular cliff homes, |
| shipping point for cattle hide and quarried | | | | and recreational amenities. |
| stone. In order to prove how important this | | | | |
| shipping point was we can take the city of | | | | The city continued its development and was |
| Boston as an example since it was paved with | | | | able to surpass San Francisco as California's |
| stone brought from San Diego. | | | | second largest city. One of the things that |
| | | | kept the city alive was the Centre City |
| After 1822, when Mexico gained its | | | | Development Corporation which is a |
| independence from Spain, San Diego became the | | | | comprehensive group of developers, financial |
| capital of Mexican California. San Diego was | | | | experts, and civic leaders. San Diego has |
| under Mexico’s control for about 24 | | | | also been declared as the most efficiently |
| years until it was passed to the United | | | | run big city in California and it won’t |
| States in 1846.. The town was incorporated as | | | | stand for anything less. |