San Diego History

San Diego is a coastal city in southern California, just north of the Mexican border (which it shares with Tijuana). Mountains rise to the city's east, barricading San Diego from the heat and dryness of the Sonoran Desert. The city itself is built atop a series of mesas, with deep canyons running between them. This has the effect of creating small, scattered pockets of natural woodland all throughout the bustling metropolis.

Although the area has long been inhabited by the Kumeyaay natives, it was Portuguese explorer Juan Cabrillo who claimed the bay for Spain. A statue stands at the edge of Cabrillo Park where he first landed in 1542. Cabrillo named the land San Miguel. It was Sebastian Vizcaino who arrived some 60 years later and named the area San Diego, in honor of Saint Didacus. On November 12, 1602, Fray Antonio de la Ascension conducted the first Catholic service of record in California to celebrate the feast day of San Diego.

In 1768, the Russians began their colonization of Alaska and the Spanish feared they might decide to expand southward. Inspector General Jose de Galvez organized several expeditions to Alta California to protect their claim (and to convert the natives to Christianity, while they were at it). The Presidio of San Diego and the Mission San Diego de Alcala were both founded in 1769.

In 1821, Mexico declared its independence from Spain and the capital of the California territory was moved from Monterey to San Diego. When Alta California became a part of the U.S. following the Mexican-American War, the town was designated the seat of the newly-established San Diego County. The Gold Rush and the arrival of the railroad brought a population boom to the area. San Diego was officially incorporated as a city in 1886.

San Diego's year-round sunshine and mild temperatures make it popular with residents and tourists alike. San Diegans frequently joke that their city continues to grow because people come to visit, but decide they don't want to leave. Popular tourist attractions include Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld, and Old Town, the site of the original Spanish settlement.