North Park is a shifting neighborhood of San Diego with a rich and interesting history. From its conception in 1893 to the current process of revitalization, this culturally diverse segment of our great city continues to progress while maintaining its remarkable architectural history.
In the summer of 1893, merchant Joseph Nash, sold 40 acres of land to James Monroe Hartley who wished to develop a lemon grove. The complex process of preparing the earth for planting began; however adequate irrigation was not readily available. As such, water was hauled from downtown San Diego via a wagon trail, now known as Pershing Avenue.
With the continuous growth of San Diego, development eventually caught up with the original Hartley grove and the neighborhood boundaries were constricted from what they are today. James Hartley deemed his area “Hartley’s North Park.” Years later the name stuck as the City of San Diego referred to the new suburb as “North Park.”
92104 is a neighborhood comprised of mixed architectural styles from various eras. One of the most notable areas of North Park is Morley Field, named for its proximity to Balboa Park’s Morley Field Sports Complex. Many homes along 28th and Pershing Streets are lined with turn of the century Craftsman bungalows and California bungalows, many designed by renowned designer and builder David Owen Dryden.
Later in the 1910s, North Park became one of the many San Diego neighborhoods connected by the Class 1 streetcars and an extensive San Diego public transit system spurred by the Panama-California Exposition of 1915 and built by John D. Spreckels.
These street cars became a fixture of this neighborhood until their retirement in 1939. Based on the upcoming centennial celebration of the 1915 Exposition, plans are currently underway to restore streetcar service from downtown San Diego up Park Blvd. to Balboa Park by 2015. Once running on their original rail, the streetcars are eligible for state and national historic designation.
With an influx of new art galleries, coffee shops, boutiques and foodie-approved eateries, North Park is an urban village proving to be rich in San Diego history while moving forward with innovative and exciting renovations.
North Park is home to the Ray Street Arts District. Ray at Night is a gallery walk held the second Saturday of every month.
Celebrating good cheer every December, North Park holds its annual North Park Lions Club Holiday Parade, formerly known as the North Park Toyland Parade.
Finally, the North Park Farmers’ Market is held every Thursday from 3-7 p.m. Located on North Park Way between 32nd Street and Herman Avenue, this is a great place to meet your neighbors, listen to live music and sample local taste treats.
Ron Monigold is a Licensed Real Estate agent and a Certified Real Estate Appraiser. He is a member of the National, California, and San Diego Association of Realtors. You can reach Ron at The Metropolitan Group at 619-990-4631 or at ronmetro@cox.net. DRE License # 01865841.
Streetcars ran until 1949. They had heavy ridership during the war.
Great article Ron! Keep up the great work.
beautiful history, for a beautiful city. Good read Ron.~~aloha