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Community Corner

Welcome, Excursionists! How the Hinterlands of La Mesa Landed on San Diego's Map in 1911

Washington's Birthday event unveiled a proud, rapidly growing and friendly community intent on selling itself to the region. Cleanup and car tours helped.

One hundred years ago this month, La Mesa Springs held a “clean up day.” It was the Saturday before a special event—the unveiling of the village to greater San Diego. A group called the Improvement Association gathered volunteers and armed them with shovels, rakes, hoes and other tools to “attack weeds and other objectionable growth or rubbish that may be seen on the thoroughfares.” 

The volunteers were rewarded with coffee and sandwiches.

Why the special efforts?

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In a Feb. 15, 1911, article “special to the San Diego Union,” the La Mesa Improvement Association announced plans for an event timed for the Washington’s Birthday celebration a week later (when this was a federal holiday).

The goals were stated clearly:

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It is the intention of the citizens to show the town and a good time to all the excursionists. Automobiles and rigs [carriages] will be provided to drive the visitors about the community and arrangements are being made for a number of entertainments.

Association President E.B. Light appointed a committee of seven citizens, mostly merchants—including Mssrs. Haines, Lyons, Spurlock, Hull, Christopher, McCarthy and McNeil—to help make arrangements. The committee’s job was to obtain   vehicles for tours and secure entertainment. 

One of their most important jobs was obtaining reduced fares for those traveling to La Mesa on the San Diego and Cuyamaca Railroad that day. They also inquired to the railroad to help “clean up any refuse along their right-of-way” in order to make the best impression.

Thus prepared, the town welcomed an estimated 1,500-2,000 visitors on Feb. 22, 1911. This crowd tripled the community’s estimated 600-plus population that day. 

The San Diego Union of Feb. 23 reported that La Mesa was overwhelmingly pleased with the turnout and, due to their preparation, was ready for the crowd that arrived on the train and in “scores of automobiles.”

What the visitors found was a community “gaily decorated with bunting of the national colors and palm leaves.” American flags were placed in front of every building with hundreds of small flags scattered about, and given away.  

The town’s La Mesa Band greeted the visitors, playing festive tunes. And nearly 100 “Information Committee” members wore badges saying “About La Mesa, Ask Me.” They rapidly answered their every inquiry.

One of the great treats for the visitors was the opportunity for an automobile ride.  Cars were still a novelty for many. The committee provided 15 for tours of La Mesa.  The four- to five-mile round trip took visitors around the newest suburban tracts to the east and west of the depot-centered downtown—all primed for lot sales and home building.

Some of the newest suburban tracts of the day included those on the then “far east” part of the town such as Outlook Terrace and Collier’s Addition—just east of Fourth Street. 

Outlook Terrace was then known as the old Grant Ranch (once owned by U.S. Grant Jr. and his mother, former first lady Julia Dent Grant—the origins of Grant Street). 

Sweetwater Dam engineer James Schuyler originally developed his home and lemon ranch on the 40-acre plot in 1890, naming it the Lookout Ranch. It was later owned by speculator Andrew Crowder. While platting the original La Mesa Springs town site in 1894, Crowder was inspired to name La Mesa Springs’ main street Lookout Avenue.  (Today this hill framing the east end of the Village is known as Boulder Heights—its 1920s hilltop subdivision name).

Collier’s Addition is south and east of Outlook Terrace down to the parkland around the old Allison Springs (today’s Collier Park). Just a few weeks earlier, the noted San Diego real estate speculator D.C. Collier had deeded the park land to the Union-Title and Trust Co. to be held in trust for the community until La Mesa Springs incorporated and had the means to manage it.

San Diego Union articles (few issues of the La Mesa Scout exist from this time) in January and February 1911 reported on the initial grading of the streets and installation of water and sewer lines for these new La Mesa suburban tracts, areas today we call historic but were brand new then.

Also notable during January and February 1911 were the Improvement Club’s attempts to get San Diego Gas & Electric to assist with installation of the town’s first arc street lamps along Lookout Avenue near the railroad depot.

Sporadic articles in the Union also reported the building of new and impressive houses such as Mrs. Winslow’s at Fresno and Third and the Frank Oliver house and commercial nursery on Fourth south of Lemon—both now City Historical Landmarks. 

New business buildings on Lookout Avenue also made news, such as William Lake’s new two-story store—of which the Post Office had leased the full first floor. This expansion of the now full-time post office—from its little 2x4 foot “cage” in the old 1895 La Mesa Lemon Store just a few years earlier—reflected the community’s  growth.

The 1911 suburban “surge east” was also reflected by the Feb. 18 report that Mr. Y. Wolf would be erecting a business building on the north side of Lookout Avenue, way out near the intersection of Third!  This building would later house a pioneering business enterprise—the American Film Manufacturing Co. (a detailed story for another time).

These new east-end improvements along with the latest of the Park-Grable Co.’s tracts—the La Mesa Acres subdivision, platted along the western extension of Lemon Avenue beyond Mount Nebo—were featured “sites” on the Washington’s Birthday “grand tours” of 1911 La Mesa.

The Union concluded its coverage with the following comment on the enterprising community:

A point about La Mesa besides its beautiful surroundings, that generally attracts the attention of the stranger is the hearty cooperation evinced among its citizens for the upbuilding of the town and in affairs of a social nature.  The people always work in perfect harmony.  They are proud of their town and extend a hearty welcome to newcomers.

Its good to know some things from a hundred years ago haven’t changed.

For those with questions about La Mesa history, remember that the La Mesa Historical Society always has “About La Mesa History, Ask Me” buttons at the ready. Feel free to contact me below or the society directly at information@lamesahistoricalsociety.com or 619-466-0197.

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