Uptown Historic Architectural and Cultural Landscape Reconnaissance Survey Appendix B APPENDIX B UPTOWN HISTORIC CONTEXT STATEMENT AND ORAL HISTORY REPORT The complete document is available online at: http://www.sandiego.gov/planning/programs/historical/faq/surveydocs.shtml. ♦ IS Architecture, Ione R. Stiegler, Architect, AIA ♦ ♦ 5649 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla, California 92037 ♦ ♦ Vonn Marie May - Cultural Landscape Specialist ♦ Uptown Historic Architectural and Cultural Landscape Reconnaissance Survey Appendix B ----- Page Left Intentionally Blank ----- ♦ IS Architecture, Ione R. Stiegler, Architect, AIA ♦ ♦ 5649 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla, California 92037 ♦ ♦ Vonn Marie May - Cultural Landscape Specialist ♦ Uptown Historic Context and Oral History Report November 24, 2003 ♦ City of San Diego, Planning Department, 202 C Street, San Diego, California 92101 ♦ ♦ IS Architecture, Ione R. Stiegler, Architect, 5649 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla, California 92037 ♦ ♦ Walter Enterprises, Stephen Van Wormer, Historian and Susan Walter, Oral Historian, 238 2nd Avenue, Chula Vista, California 91910 ♦ Uptown Historic Context and Oral History Report Appendix B I. Introduction....................................................................................................................................................4 A. Purpose of the Report.............................................................................................................................4 B. Definition of Historic Context...............................................................................................................4 C. Discussion of the Study Area and Structure of the Report................................................................4 II. Historic Overview of the City of San Diego ............................................................................................6 A. Introduction..............................................................................................................................................6 B. The Urban Frontier (1846-1866)............................................................................................................6 1. City Builders ..........................................................................................................................................6 2. New San Diego (1846-1866)...............................................................................................................7 a. New Town.........................................................................................................................................7 b. Establishment of the Middletown Tract ......................................................................................9 c. Horton's Boom (1867-1873).........................................................................................................11 3. The Study Area Pre-Development (1869-1879) ............................................................................14 a. The Case of Middletown: Pueblo Lands and Squatters............................................................14 1) Middletown: The Court Case ..................................................................................................15 C. The Boom Years and the End of the Nineteenth Century (1880 - 1900) .....................................17 1. The City of San Diego (1880-1900).................................................................................................17 2. Uptown Study Area Development (1880–1900) ...........................................................................18 a. West Park Neighborhoods............................................................................................................18 b. Hillcrest - University Heights.......................................................................................................19 c. Middletown .....................................................................................................................................21 3. Post Boom 1890s................................................................................................................................21 D. The City Emerges (1901 - 1940)..........................................................................................................22 1. The City of San Diego (1901-1920).................................................................................................22 2. The Modern City and Military Port (1920-1940)...........................................................................27 a. William Kettner and Development of a Military Harbor.........................................................27 1) The Navy's Importance to San Diego....................................................................................29 3. Study Area Development (1901-1940)............................................................................................30 a. West Park Neighborhoods............................................................................................................30 b. Hillcrest ...........................................................................................................................................31 1) Hospitals.....................................................................................................................................33 c. Mission Hills ...................................................................................................................................35 1) Presidio Park & Presidio Hills.................................................................................................38 d. University Heights .........................................................................................................................39 e. Middletown .....................................................................................................................................42 E. Military Harbor and Sunbelt City (1940 – 2000) ...............................................................................42 1. The City of San Diego (1940-2000).................................................................................................42 2. Study Area Development (1940 – 2000).........................................................................................43 a. Hillcrest............................................................................................................................................43 1) Hillcrest Business District........................................................................................................44 b. Mission Hills...................................................................................................................................48 c. University Heights..........................................................................................................................50 d. Middletown.....................................................................................................................................51 III. General Statement of Existing Architectural Character by Neighborhood.....................................52 A. West Park Neighborhoods ...................................................................................................................52 B. Hillcrest....................................................................................................................................................52 B-1 ♦ City of San Diego, Planning Department, 202 C Street, San Diego, California 92101 ♦ ♦ IS Architecture, Ione R. Stiegler, Architect, 5649 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla, California 92037 ♦ ♦ Walter Enterprises, Stephen Van Wormer, Historian and Susan Walter, Oral Historian, 238 2nd Avenue, Chula Vista, California 91910 ♦ Uptown Historic Context and Oral History Report Appendix B C. Mission Hills ..........................................................................................................................................53 D. University Heights .................................................................................................................................54 E. Middletown .............................................................................................................................................54 IV. Uptown Historic Context Statement Themes and Associated Property Types .............................56 A. Introduction............................................................................................................................................56 B. Transportation and Development (1880 – 1940).............................................................................57 1. Railroad and Horsecar Suburbs (1880 – 1890)..........................................................................58 a. Associated Property Types and Land Development Patterns .........................................58 b. Significance ..................................................................................................................................59 2. Streetcar Suburbs (1890-1940) .....................................................................................................59 a. Associated Property Types and Land Development Patterns................................................62 b. Significance ...................................................................................................................................63 3. Automobile Suburbs