San Diego Vacation Part 1: Old Town San Diego

By: Teri Bermudez

     While most tourists who visit San Diego, California tend to gravitate towards Sea World, the Safari Park, or their world famous zoo, we decided to try a different type of vacation and learn a little about the history of the region. What better place to start our historical adventure than Old Town San Diego State Historical Park. Old Town was first established in 1821 following Mexico's independence from Spain. After gaining control of what was then called Alta California, Mexicans began establishing homesteads at what is today called Old Town. This community of adobes formed a rough street patten around an open plaza. The plaza and two of these original structures remain today, giving the visitor a feel for how life was in the early to mid 1800's. One of these is La Casa de Bandini. Later it was renamed the Cosmopolitan Hotel.

     The Mexican era of San Diego ended in 1848 with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which gave the region to the United States. That same year gold was discovered and Old Town became a stopover for miners headed to the gold fields. Adobes were remodeled and wooden structures were brought by ship from the East Coast. Most of these buildings were destroyed by fire, but have been restored to their mid to late 1800 elegance.

     We begun our tour at the Visitor's Center at the Northern end of the plaza. It is housed in the Robinson Rose House. It contains dioramas, historical information of the various buildings surrounding the plaza and a gift shop. With a park map in hand we headed behind the Visitor's Center to the most elaborate museum in the park; the McCoy House.

                                                

     The McCoy House Museum, originally built by Sheriff James McCoy in 1869, meanders throughout the house beginning with the history of the earliest settlers, the Tipai, then continues on to the sea faring pelt traders and concludes with the overland stagecoach travelers.

A Boston Market Trader

This museum gives the visitor an avid amount of early San Diegan history with very authentic and interesting displays. 

     Next up was the Colorado House (pictured above). It houses the Wells Fargo Museum. Included in this museum is an original Wells Fargo Stage Coach and artifacts. We had a great time on a computer game that determined if we had what it took to be a Pony Express Rider. None of us quite fit the bill. 

     We continued around the plaza stepping into small museums and gift shops. The reconstructed courthouse and jail took me back in time, as did the restored 1865 one room schoolhouse.

     The final structure we visited at the plaza was one of the two original adobes, the La Casa de Estudillo.

It was made famous as "Ramona's Wedding Place", from the novel Ramona by Helen Hunt. Even though it was a book of fiction the adobe brought tourists in the late 1800's from all over to San Diego. There were many rooms to look into that depicted life in the 1800's.

     Our final stop was at the reconstructed Seeley Stable. The stable was used to house the horses for the San Diego-Los Angeles stage line. From 1867 to 1877 stage coaches ran daily until the railroad put the line out of business. The museum that now resides in the stable has quite an extensive collection of stable and stage artifacts. It also houses a replica of an 1800's theater.

     The day that we spent in Old Town was not only educational, but quite entertaining. The locals were very friendly and there were quite a few gift shops. As you explore beyond the plaza, the outlying streets contain numerous more shops and a large selection of restaurants. We had an amazing and busy afternoon.