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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1924-1958 - San Diego Zoo Attendance
The San Diego Zoo is a favorite landmark of many San Diegans and visitors alike, check out what we found in the City Clerk Archives! This census captures the visitor attendance from 1924 all the way through 1958! This document also captures the City and County growth in population rate!
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September 18, 1922 - A Last Recommendation
William Ellsworth Smythe wrote the History of San Diego at the turn of the last Century. He passed away less than a month after this letter was dated. His book has two parts, a historical overview of when the City was first settled by Junipero Serra and then after California incorporated into America with personal stories of locals from the front lines.
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August 12, 1913 - The California State Flower: A Snow Plant?
When California was choosing a state flower, someone had suggested the Snow Plant. This letter from Laura Kimball, a fern collector from National City, related to the famous Kimball brothers, details her thoughts on the fungi with an amusing description.
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August 4, 1874 through October 5, 1875 - Show Me the Money: Horton Signs a Check
Cancelled checks are not often kept by anyone, but these receipts were found in the City Archives. To our surprise and delight, we found A. E. Horton’s signature on the back of them!