First Stop for La Mesa History: Rev. Henry McKinney House Open Today

“La Mesa 1912: A City is Born” sounds like a movie, but residents who attend a March lecture with this title can expected similar entertainment—and certainly enlightenment.

And it’s free.

Patch columnist James Newland, resident historian of the La Mesa Historical Society, will give a talk on the town’s incorporation at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 17, at the Grossmont Healthcare District’s auditorium at 9001 Wakarusa St., adjacent to Briercrest Park.

The talk is open to the public, according to the sponsors—the La Mesa Historical Society and the city’s Centennial Committee.

The society also gives tours of the historic Rev. Henry A. McKinney House from 1 to 4 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. Visitors can call 619-466-0197 to confirm. Society archives also are open to public inspection.

The group’s latest newsletter recently welcomed 28 new members: Nina Babiarz, Barbara Balaban, Jim and Jackie Bartelt, Jo-Ann and Brad Boswell, Steven Churchill, Pam and Ted Crooks, George Fahouris, and James Fifle and Marilyn Hundley.

Also: Richard and Kelly Forman, Joseph Glidden, James Hughes, Jeff Kieve, Vincent Ursillo, Carol and Dick Millard, and Rob McDonald and Linda Dentice, James and Suzanne McHenry, Virginia McKenzie, Debbie White, Cissy Walters, Sue Zatorski, and Gene Vicino and Paul Torro.

As the La Mesa Courier noted in its February edition:

If you want to research your home, look up old pictures of La Mesa from the last 100 years, or just poke around the many fascinating things in the Society’s collections, stop by to visit the McKinney House … or to do some fun research in the Palermo Archives at the rear of the property.”

The house is at 8369 University Ave.