CONNECT with the CityNew Discoveries
Welcome to the New Discoveries blog! City of San Diego City Clerk Archives staff use this area to upload newly rediscovered documents from San Diego’s history. In their duties, staff often find unique and interesting pieces of history they want to bring to the public. Those documents are uploaded here and then organized into their appropriate Collection, or a new Collection is created. Please check back frequently for fascinating new finds and discoveries!
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December 6, 1959 – The Second Annual Leatherneck Bowl Game
Check out this resolution from 1959 about the Second Annual Leatherneck Bowl Game! It took place at Balboa Stadium on December 6, 1959, between the football teams from Bolling Air Force Base and San Diego Marine Corps Recruit Depot. They played to raise funds for Navy Relief and the United Fund. Such a fun way to support a great cause!
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May 18, 1937 - Petition for Dance Hall License
This petition, dated 1937, is requesting a dance hall license to conduct dances on the ground floor of the Cafe of the World's Building in Balboa Park. The applicants are Robert O. Peterson & Frank J. Losey. Robert Oscar Peterson (1916-1994) was the founder of the Jack in the Box restaurant. In 1941, he kicked off his restaurant business and in 1951, he opened the first Jack in the Box restaurant on El Cajon Boulevard. He's known for pioneering the drive-through window with an intercom system.
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April 18, 1989 - Cesar Chavez Day
In this 1989 resolution, the City Council declared April 18, 1989, as "CESAR CHAVEZ DAY" to honor this remarkable labor leader and civil rights activist. Cesario Estrada Chavez (March 31, 1927-April 23, 1993)
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1912 - A Gateway to the East
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Checkout this auto racing on El Cajon Boulevard looking west toward Park Boulevard in 1912. Possibly, this was the annual two-day road race from Los Angeles to Phoenix by way of San Diego that began in 1911. It was established to advertise San Diego as a gateway to the East. The first driver arriving from Los Angeles won a $1,000 prize. Spectators enjoyed the annual event for several years.
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July 5, 1927 - The Soul of the American Indian
Please review a resolution from 1927 authorizing Leroy Keleher a free license to sell the book, "The Soul of the American Indian," from house to house. Mr. Keleher is the author of this book, which explores the spiritual beliefs and traditions of Native American tribes.
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1973 - Bathtub Racing on the Bay
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Take a look at this photo of participants preparing to launch in the 1973 Bathtub Races in Mission Bay. The races were held at Crown Point Shores as part of activities celebrating San Diego's America's Finest City Week, August 24-31, 1973. The boats are small watercraft designed around bathtubs or close facsimiles. The rules restrict the engine to 8 horsepower and the weight to a minimum of 350 pounds including the driver.
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1970 - The Site of the First National Bank
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The location at 904 Fifth Avenue was the site of the First National Bank Building in the 1880s. The original bank was built in 1884, later demolished and replaced with this building. In the 1970s, it was the Far East Trading Company. Restored during the Gaslamp Quarter preservation, it is now the site of a restaurant at the corner of Fifth and E Street.
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March 20, 1911 - Forty Acres of Land Prospected for Petroleum
On March 20, 1911, Ordinance 4404 was passed by the Common Council to authorize the lease of 40 acres of Pueblo Lands, located north line of the San Diego River, to be prospected for petroleum. And it was submitted to the electors of the city for approval on April 4, 1911. Today’s terminology would call this “Liquid Gold.”
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November 29, 1937 – Fundraising for Women and Children During the War
This petition proposed by the Chinese Relief Committee of the American Red Cross in 1937 aimed to fundraise by selling flowers on the streets to relieve the women and children of China under the distress of war. The next day, the Council approved this petition in Resolution No.66887. On July 7, 1937, the Marco Polo Bridge incident occurred, marking the beginning of Japan's comprehensive military campaign in China. The Marco Polo Bridge incident is generally regarded as the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War, and the Pacific theatre of World War II.
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1887 - City Waterfront
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The image was taken by Herve Friend, for Douglas Gunn's book 'Picturesque San Diego,' published in 1887. Elisha Babcock and Hampton Story were the founders of the Hotel del Coronado. They built an extensive wharf and a slip for their ferry boat Coronado in 1886 in the harbor to handle the increase in commerce, but it was blamed for restricting free and safe navigation. A lawsuit was brought against Babcock and Story under state law for obstructing navigation, resulting in a verdict and $100 fine.
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1943 – 73 Years of Achievement
Please review this promotional page from 1943, created by the San Diego Chamber of Commerce to celebrate its 73rd anniversary. The San Diego Chamber of Commerce was established in 1870 by Alonzo Horton, a well-known local entrepreneur who served as the chamber's first treasurer. The chamber initially worked to develop railway infrastructure, support harbor commerce, and encourage settlement and tourism in San Diego. In the early 20th century, it played a significant role in establishing military installations. This had a huge positive impact on the local economy. Let's not forget about the 1915 Panama-California Exposition! The chamber was the driving force behind that incredible event, which put San Diego on the map.
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January 23, 1974 - Chinese New Year Observance Day
Did you know that back in 1974, Mayor Pete Wilson declared January 23rd as "Chinese New Year Observance Day?” It was also to celebrate the Chinese New Year, Year of the Tiger! Speaking of Chinese New Year, the celebration begins on February 10, 2024. It's the Year of the Dragon! This holiday is super important in Chinese culture and is celebrated not only in East Asia and Southeast Asia, but also in other places like Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. It's truly a worldwide celebration!
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November 12, 1925 – The Sisters of Nazareth’s Invitation
Please review this 1925 invitation from the Sisters of Nazareth for the dedication ceremony of the orphanage on November 15, 1925. The Sisters of Nazareth have a longstanding history, dating back to 1851. Its first presence in America was in 1924, in San Diego.
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1964 – “Carnation Jubilee” Song
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Check out this sheet music, a song from 1964 that was written specifically for our City’s flower, Carnations! The song was named the “Carnation Jubilee.” Lyrics by, Betty Jean Lienhard and music by, Martha R. Marks. On April 28, 1964, the carnation was chosen as the official flower of our beautiful City!
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1918 - “All Aboard!”
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See the historical photo of the Santa Fe Depot (Union Station) with trolley cars out front from 1918. The depot was designed by architects, John R. Bakewell and Arthur Brown, Jr., and built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. Opening day on March 8, 1915, replacing California Southern Railway's 1887 Victorian depot. The opening date was prolonged due to the controversy over closing B Street. The new depot was built to serve travelers visiting the 1915 Panama-California International Exposition, which opened January 1, 1915.
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Undated - Josephine Clifford McCracken (1839-1921): Writer and journalist
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In 1871, Josephine Clifford McCracken’s popular collection the "Overland Tales” was published. She was evaluated and "well known to men of letters and to the reading public as an authoress of rare merit.” In 1899, a large forest fire destroyed her home and the surrounding redwood trees. The disaster prompted Josephine's new found passion in conserving in the redwoods. The following year, she issued an impassioned letter in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, emphasizing the importance of protecting these majestic trees. She and her friends formed the Sempervirens Club and in 1902, establishing the Big Basin Redwoods State Park, the first conservation park in California. Josephine continued her efforts to protecting wildlife, eventually establishing the Ladies Forest and Songbird Conservation Society. Josephine was most notable for her dedication to the preservation of redwood trees.
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January 17, 1850 – Hand Drawn Map
See the hand drawn map of the late Ed Stokes’ estate from 1850.
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October 16, 1934 - City Flag
The official flag of the City of San Diego was adopted by the City Council on October 16, 1934, when a sample banner was submitted by Albert V. Mayrhofer, on behalf of the California Historical Association, Native Sons of the Golden West, Native Daughters of the Golden West, and San Diegans. The flag is composed of three vertical bars, from left to right, red, white, and gold. The center white field is the official seal of the City and beneath it the date “1542” the year explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo first entered San Diego Bay and claimed the area for Spain. The use of the three vertical bars is reminiscent of the colors of the flag of Spain, which flew over Cabrillo’s ship.
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1945 – Advertising Benches
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In 1945, the “California Bench Company” submitted a petition to place advertising benches on the streets throughout the city. These types of advertisements, even from 80 years ago were very appealing with their simplistic designs and familiar common household namebrands.
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1968 – Technology Frontier
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Let's take a trip down memory lane to 1968. Here are the Data Processing personnel in the City Administration Building basement. IBM 360 computer, teletype interface, and hard drives were in use. The IBM System 360 was a mainframe computer system announced by IBM in 1964 and delivered between 1965 and 1978. It was the first family of computers, which were designed to cover the complete range of applications, from small to large, both commercial and scientific. Nearly 60 years later, the City of San Diego has their own Information Technology department that handles the innovative computer systems and applications to ensure that various departments are safe and secure for decades to come.