The Gaslamp Quarter is a historic neighborhood in downtown San Diego, California. It extends from Broadway to Harbor Drive and from 4th to 6th Avenue. The neighborhood is listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places as the Gaslamp Quarter Historic District. It includes over 90 historic buildings,[3] most of which were constructed in the Victorian era; many are in use as restaurants, shops, entertainment venues, and nightclubs.
Gaslamp Quarter Historic District | |
San Diego Historic Landmark No. 127 | |
 | |
     | |
| Location | Bounded by RR tracks, Broadway, 4th, and 6th Aves., San Diego, California |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 32°42′42″N 117°9′33″W / 32.71167°N 117.15917°W |
| Area | 38 acres (15 ha) |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian, Art Deco |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000841[1] |
| SDHL No. | 127 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | May 23, 1980 |
| Designated SDHL | June 2, 1978[2] |
The Gaslamp Quarter is known for its nightlife. It is the site of various events and festivals, including Mardi Gras in the Gaslamp, Taste of Gaslamp, and ShamROCK, a St. Patrick's Day event. Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres, is one block away in the East Village neighborhood.
History
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In the 1860s, the area was known as New Town, in contrast to Old Town, the original Spanish colonial settlement of San Diego.[4] Intensive development began in 1867, when Alonzo Horton bought the land in hopes of creating a new city center closer to the bay, and chose 5th Avenue as its main street.[5]
After a period of urban decay, the neighborhood underwent urban renewal in the 1980s and 1990s.[6]
It was rebranded the "Gaslamp Quarter" during the redevelopment and preservation efforts that occurred during the 1980s, though the streets were generally lit by arc lights, not gaslamps.[citation needed]
Timeline
edit- 1850: William Heath Davis bought 160 acres (0.65 km2) in what would eventually become the Gaslamp Quarter. Despite heavy investment from Davis, little development happened in this period.[7]
- 1867: Real estate developer Alonzo Horton arrived in San Diego and purchased 800 acres (3.2 km2) of land in New Town for $265. Major development began in the Gaslamp Quarter.[8]
- 1880s to 1916: Known as the Stingaree, the area was a working class area, home to San Diego's first Chinatown, "Soapbox Row" and many saloons, gambling halls, and bordellos.
- 1912: Stingaree was the site of a free speech fight between socialists and city politicians which led to riots and the abduction by vigilantes of Emma Goldman's husband.[9]
- 1916: the entire neighborhood of Stingaree was demolished and renamed by anti-vice campaigners.[10]
- 1950s-1970s: The decaying Gaslamp Quarter became known as a "Sailor's Entertainment" district, with a high concentration of pornographic theaters, bookshops and massage parlors.[11]
- 1970: Public interest in preserving buildings downtown started, especially in Gaslamp Quarter.
- 1976: The city adopted the Gaslamp Quarter Urban Design and Development Manual, aimed at preserving buildings in the area, and the redevelopment of Gaslamp Quarter as a national historic district.[12]
- 1982: Gaslamp Quarter became the major focus of the redevelopments in downtown by the city of San Diego.[citation needed]
- 1992: Gaslamp Quarter Archway is installed and dedicated.[13]
See also
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References
edit- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ "Historical Landmarks Designated by the San Diego Historical Resources Board" (PDF). City of San Diego. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 18, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
- ^ "San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter Historical Markers". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
- ^ "10 Fun Facts About San Diego's Historic Gaslamp Quarter". San Diego Tourism Authority. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
- ^ "Alonzo Horton – Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation". gaslampfoundation.org. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
- ^ "Gaslamp Quarter Historic District | TCLF". The Cultural Landscape Foundation. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
- ^ "William Heath Davis". Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation. Archived from the original on February 20, 2016. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- ^ "San Diego Historical Society". Archived from the original on December 24, 2015. Retrieved October 10, 2007.
- ^ Dotinga, Randy (March 15, 2011). "When San Diego Had Its Own Big Labor Clash". Voice of San Diego. Archived from the original on December 3, 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
- ^ MacPhail, Elizabeth (Spring 1970). "Shady Ladies in the "Stingaree District": WHEN THE RED LIGHTS WENT OUT IN SAN DIEGO". The Journal of San Diego History. 20 (2). Archived from the original on October 24, 2005 – via sandiegohistory.org.
- ^ Sanford, Jay Allen (July 23, 2008). "Before It Was the Gaslamp: Downtown's Grindhouse Row (updated 8-22-09)". San Diego Reader. Archived from the original on July 8, 2009. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
- ^ Lia, Marie Burke (2009). "Gaslamp Quarter Planned District Design Guidelines 2009" (PDF). SanDiego.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 9, 2021.
- ^ "Gaslamp Quarter History | Downtown San Diego, California". gaslamp.org. Archived from the original on February 21, 2016. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
External links
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