S a n D i e g o H i s t o r y Center Newsletter VOLUME 56 NUMBER 4 FALL 2015 From the Photograph Collection (#6661-8) The Border: A Line That Divides Our busy backyard crossing BORDER MONUMENT WITH TOURING CAR, C. 1918. As debates over U.S. immigration policy continue, evolved into a militarized, high-security crossing the History Center has opened a photographic handling millions of travelers and tons of freight exhibition titled The Border: A Line That Divides, each year, with about 420,000 vehicle crossings exploring the evolution of the San Ysidro border weekly. The History Center has accessed its own crossing. Two border towns—Tijuana and San photograph collection for historic images as well Diego—bestride the busiest land-border crossing on as collaborating with photographers Alejandro TIMES the planet. But the build-up at the border has been Tamayo and our photo technician, Natalie Fiocre, gradual, as have the attitudes and perceptions to display and interpret evocative and retrospective fueling the discussions. images. Focusing exclusively on the crossing at The San Ysidro Port of Entry has grown in size, San Ysidro, the exhibition invites the visitor to look scope, and traffic since its creation in 1848 when back and also encourages looking forward at larger the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo established questions associated with immigration locally the current 1,954-mile border. At the San Ysidro and internationally. crossing, the Tijuana River was the dividing line, BY MATTHEW SCHIFF, MARKETING DIRECTOR and the crossing went through the river. The border the FROM THE president Masterworks is a will be a treasured memento representing the History Center’s leadership contribution to the Masterpiece! 2015 Balboa Park Centennial Celebration. The Our Masterworks Masterworks catalog is in many ways our true exhibition will soon legacy gift to the community, as it is one of the Our mission close. In surely one of very few 2015 projects that will remain extant 100 years from now. Surely, planners of the 2115 The San Diego History the History Center’s Bi-Centennial Celebration will rediscover and Center tells the diverse finest hours, we display our Masterworks catalog as emblematic story of our region - exhibited magnificent, of the landmark occasion 100 years earlier. We past, present and even transcendent, are proud to make this lasting contribution to future - educating artwork, some of it the legacy of 2015. and enriching our originally displayed An additional “Masterpiece” is the event of community, preserving to thousands of 1915 the same name produced by Patrons of the our history and Exposition visitors 100 Prado as a fundraiser for Balboa Park museums. fostering civic pride. years ago. While the paintings will return to their owners—museums The Union-Tribune’s 100 pages of Balboa Park San Diego History Center Board of Trustees and private collectors—and some to our own Memories, catalyzed by the Patrons, also stands President collection vaults, the legacy of this historic as one of the few 2015 legacy projects that will Thompson Fetter exhibition continues in the catalog we produced. live on. Thanks to the generosity of the Patrons Vice President A collective effort of many, the stunning catalog and those who supported them, we received an Joe Craver is its own masterpiece. And while the memory of initial gift of $10,000 for Bucks for Buses to fund Robert J. Watkins the Masterworks exhibition will inevitably fade, the visits by underserved schoolchildren to the Treasurer Frank J. Alessi catalog it inspired will live on. History Center, with an additional unrestricted operating gift on its way. Secretary Those who deserve special thanks for their Ann Hill superb work include Bram Dijkstra, Tara Centybear, BY CHARLOTTE CAGAN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER President Emeritus Tammie Bennett, and Leah Roschke. The catalog Robert F. Adelizzi Hal Sadler, FAIA Trustees Richard Bregante Ray Carpenter Coming Soon! Debby Cushman-Parrish Dan Eaton The Lore behind the Roar! Gayle Hom Lucy Jackson Beginning in January, the History Center will launch John Morrell in stages its celebratory homage to the centennial Ann Navarra Susan B. Peinado of our world-famous Balboa Park neighbor. Titled Sandra Perlatti The Lore behind the Roar! 100 Years of the San Kay Porter Margie Warner Diego Zoo, this extraordinary exhibition is a full Allan Wasserman collaboration with the Zoo, telling the story of its Roger Zucchet humble beginnings with animals leftover from the Advisory Board 1915 Exposition to its evolution into a renowned Malin Burnham Thomas A. Caughlan tourist attraction, global conservation organization Iris Engstrand, Ph.D. and cultural touchstone. Kim Fletcher Tom Karlo Galleries will feature giant animal sculptures Helen Kinnaird and animated stories of Zoo founder Dr. Harry Yvonne W. Larsen Wegeforth and the first woman zoo director, Belle David Malcolm Seth W. Mallios, Ph.D. Benchley. Interactive exhibits will recreate the Jack Monger Zoo’s famed veterinary and surgical care, its global Rana Sampson Hon. Lynn Schenk conservation efforts, early bus tours, and the Drew Schlosberg founding of the Children’s Zoo. The Roar Family Den Mary L. Walshok, Ph.D. will feature participatory activities: the Animal Dinner Stephen B. Williams Hon. Pete Wilson Table, the Life of a Zookeeper, and Extinct Animals. Karin E. Winner This engaging exploration will also feature the Chief Executive Officer Zoo in popular culture, with excerpts from movies Charlotte Cagan From the Photograph Collection (#6661-8) and TV, including Joan Embery’s famous appearances Times Editor on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson and Sara Morrison excerpts from KFMB’s vintage Zoorama TV series. Copy Editor VISITORS FLOCK THE ENTRANCE TO Chris Zook THE SAN DIEGO ZOO, C. 1960. The grand opening reception will be Saturday, Photo Editor THE LORE BEHIND THE ROAR! WILL March 19. Chris Travers FEATURE MANY VINTAGE MOMENTS. Graphic Design BY CHARLOTTE CAGAN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Jennifer Cadam EXHIBITIONS Sometimes Invisible the past makes People, On Exhibit the best present! INGENIOUS! Invisible The World of Dr. Seuss (through Jan. 3, 2016) Sponsored by: Structures The Navarra Family & Browse our great selection of Portraits of San Diego history books San Diego’s The Seuss Fund at the and local artisan wares. Homeless Masterworks: Art of the Exposition Era (through Jan. 3, 2016) Shop San Diego Invites the our selection of World: The 1915 Expo NEIL SHIGLEY STANDING NEXT (through July 2016) distinctive nostalgic TO BLOCK PRINT, WAYNE. Sponsored by: and vintage gifts. Photo by Carlos Richardson June and Neil Ash & For the past decade San Diego artist Neil Shigley at San Diego State University and Pasadena’s Art has created artwork about our local homeless Center College of Design. Much of his fine art has population. Invisible People, Invisible Structures focused on the human condition and the human CELEBRATING showcases Shigley’s recent series, a collection of figure, and his work has been exhibited nationally YEARS portraits of San Diego’s homeless. Monumental and internationally. Shigley currently teaches art at Discover in scale, graphic block prints and graceful hyper- San Diego State University. This exhibition is part of great companion gift items detailed graphite drawings confront us with the the History Center’s initiative, launched three years faces of San Diego’s forgotten population. His ago, to present changing art exhibitions throughout to our exhibits, including bold three-to-ten-foot tall faces convey the tragic the year, featuring contemporary regional artists, situation that plagues over half a million people artists who contributed to San Diego throughout Dr. Seuss books, clothing, in our nation. By portraying each individual singly its rich history, and exhibitions centering on the accessories, and toys. and with graphic insight, Shigley humanizes his History Center’s permanent collection. Through Invisible People subjects and challenges us to acknowledge each our art-focused exhibitions we will rediscover the Invisible Structures: person’s individual past that brought them to this fascinating history of San Diego through the lens of Artwork by problematic circumstance. Each face depicted in the visual arts. Neil Shigley ink and pencil peers at us as a reminder that a Invisible People, Invisible Structures: Artwork (opens January 15, life of homelessness was not the life any of these by Neil Shigley runs January 15 – April 10, 2016. through Apr. 10, 2016) Feel Good individuals aspired to. Shigley’s subjects have their On a single night in January 2014, 578,424 The Border: A Line knowing that all proceeds own history, family, friends, and a personal story of people were experiencing homelessness – sleeping That Divides what precipitated their decline into homelessness. outside, in an emergency shelter or transitional directly support the (through March 2016) Presenting never-before-seen works from his housing program. (National Alliance to End History Center, our new series inspired by the temporary living structures Homelessness, The State of Homelessness in Place of Promise built and occupied by many of San Diego’s America 2015). Of the over half million homeless (permanent) exhibitions, and homeless, Shigley offers new perspectives on how in the United States roughly 200,000 are people in programs. these men and women live. These new drawings families, 350,000 are individuals, and 50,000 are BALBOA PARK: are ephemeral architectural renderings, alluding to veterans. A striking 15 percent of these individuals The Jewel of the fleeting nature of the structures themselves. are considered “chronically homeless.” San Diego Neil Shigley is an artist, printmaker, painter, BY TARA CENTYBEAR, CURATOR Film showing daily: and educator. He studied painting and printmaking 11am, 1pm, 3pm DEVELOPMENT/ MEMBERSHIP Merry Member Discount Days During the holiday season, there are many reasons to be merry as a History Center member. This year, in addition to the special programs available, we Welcome are offering several member shopping days when members receive an extra 10% off all merchandise New Members store-wide in addition to their regular 15% discount.