History Point Loma, San Diego

1857 map showing point loma in relation san diego bay

loma spanish word hill. original name of peninsula la punta de la loma de san diego, translated hill point of san diego. later anglicized point loma.

there no permanent indigenous settlements on point loma because of lack of fresh water. kumeyaay people did visit ocean beach periodically harvest mussels, clams, abalone , lobsters.

point loma discovered europeans on september 28, 1542 when portuguese navigator juan rodríguez cabrillo (joão rodrigues cabrilho in portuguese) departed mexico , led expedition spanish crown explore west coast of united states. cabrillo described san diego bay enclosed port . historians believe docked flagship on point loma s east shore, @ ballast point. first landing european in present-day california, point loma has been described california began .

united states boundary survey of san diego area, 1850, showing la playa trail la playa old san diego , mission

more 200 years pass before permanent european settlement established in san diego in 1769. mission san diego in san diego river valley, port bayside beach in point loma called la playa (spanish beach). historic la playa trail, oldest european trail on west coast, led mission , presidio la playa, ships anchored , unloaded cargoes via small boats. part of route became present-day rosecrans street. in book 2 years before mast, richard henry dana, jr. describes how sailors in 1830s camped on beach @ la playa, accumulated cattle hides export, , hunted wood , jackrabbits in hills of point loma. beach @ la playa continued serve san diego s port until establishment of new town (current downtown) in 1870s.

ballast point got name practice of ships discarding ballast there on arriving in san diego bay , taking on ballast left open ocean. fort guijarros constructed @ ballast point in 1797. ballast point , la playa on grounds of naval base point loma.

the longtime association of san diego u.s. military began in point loma. southern portion of point loma peninsula set aside military purposes 1852. on next several decades army set series of coastal artillery batteries , named area fort rosecrans. significant u.s. navy presence in san diego began in 1901 establishment of navy coaling station in point loma. marine corps recruit depot san diego commissioned in 1921 , san diego naval training center in 1923, both in point loma; naval training center closed in 1997. during world war ii entire southern portion of peninsula closed civilians , used military purposes, including battery of coast artillery. following war area retained multiple navy commands, including submarine base , naval electronics laboratory; consolidated naval base point loma. other portions of fort rosecrans became fort rosecrans national cemetery , cabrillo national monument.

the greek theatre theosophists built in 1901.

following death in 1891 of helena blavatsky founder, katherine tingley moved headquarters of theosophical society lomaland , hilltop campus in point loma overlooking ocean. facility unusual architecture , more unusual lifestyles became important source of music , culture residents of san diego between 1900 , 1920. producing of own food, society experimented planting trees , crops such eucalyptus , avocado, giving formerly barren part of point loma current heavily wooded character. lomaland site campus of point loma nazarene university.

during 1920s there dirt airstrip known dutch flats in midway neighborhood of point loma. charles lindbergh first tested , flew airplane, spirit of st. louis, had been built in san diego ryan aeronautical company. u.s. post office located on site contains several historic plaques commemorating dutch flats , lindbergh.

charles lindbergh preparing takeoff in bowlus model sailplane on january 19, 1930 @ point loma.

due prevailing sea-breezes , long north-south ridge, point loma well-known gliding site during 1929-1935. william hawley bowlus superintendent of construction on spirit of st. louis , resident of point loma built first american sailplane bowlus sp-1 , flew aircraft along west side of point loma establish new american endurance records. bowlus later used other refined designs soar on 9 hours near cabrillo national monument, , 1 of bowlus students jack c. barstow soared on point loma on 15 hours in 1930 establish unofficial world record soaring endurance.

landmarks


another view of old point loma lighthouse

the best known landmark in point loma old point loma lighthouse, icon used represent entire city of san diego. (it incorrectly referred old spanish lighthouse ; in fact built after california admitted united states.) perched atop southern point creates entrance of bay coronado, small, 2 story lighthouse completed in 1854 , first lit on november 15, 1855. @ 422 feet (129 m) above sea level @ entrance of bay, seemingly location lighthouse proved poor choice, fog , cloud within marine layer obscured beam ocean-going vessels. on march 23, 1891, lighthouse ceased used original purpose, new lighthouse built nearer sea level on same southern point. old point loma lighthouse partially open public , has been refurbished historic 1880s interior. located within cabrillo national monument, named after juan rodríguez cabrillo, first european explorer see san diego bay. lighthouse listed on national register of historic places.

in addition lighthouse, there 4 other sites in point loma listed on national register of historic places: cabrillo national monument, marine corps recruit depot historic district, naval training center san diego, , rosecroft.

point loma recognized national landmark of soaring of national soaring museum because of many record flights took place along promontory. 2 plaques honoring these accomplishments near entrance cabrillo national monument.