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Guided Walking Tour of University Heights 5-25-24

$15.00

Join us for a one-hour guided walking tour of the early history of University Heights on Saturday, May 25, 2024, at 11 a.m. starting in front of the Darling House at 1625 Adams Avenue.

Founded in 1888, University Heights is one of San Diego’s oldest neighborhoods and home to the original site of San Diego State University, Mission Cliff Gardens, Bentley’s Ostrich Farm, the San Diego Silk Mill, and much more. The tour will be led by Kristin Harms with the University Heights Historical Society.

While the tour is fairly short and easy, there will be some uneven streets and sidewalks. The deadline for registration and payment is Saturday, May 24, at 5 pm. Limit of 30 participants. If it rains, the tour will be rescheduled. Sorry, no dogs are allowed.

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Empire Builder: John D. Spreckels and the Making of San Diego

$25.00

Empire Builder is the previously untold story of a pioneer who almost single-handedly transformed the bankrupt village of San Diego into a thriving city. When he first dropped anchor in San Diego Bay in 1887, John Diedrich Spreckels set into motion a series of events that later defined the city. Within just a few years, he owned and controlled the majority of San Diego’s industry including building construction, water supply management, and energy production, as well as improvements in transportation—particularly by ship, rail, electric streetcar, and automobile.

John Spreckels also shaped much of early University Heights through his ownership and operation of the San Diego Electric Railway, the Southern California Mountain and Water Supply Company, and Mission Cliff Gardens. He was also Vice-President of the Panama-California Exposition Company which hosted the 1915 Exposition at Balboa Park and spurred a building boom in University Heights.

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Historic Architectural Assessment

$25.00

Thinking about having your home historically designated to take advantage of property tax reduction through the Mills Act? Our experienced architectural historians will conduct basic research to determine the age, architectural style, historic features, and architectural integrity of your property.

A variety of resources are included in your assessment including published historic surveys, Sanborn fire insurance maps, and historic photos and aerials, if available. You will receive a limited, written assessment within 3 weeks, including a professional opinion about the likelihood that the property could be locally designated on the basis of architecture only. The service is limited to properties over 45 years old and located in University Heights.

IMPORTANT: Please check the following resources before making your purchase to determine if your property is already historically designated or part of a historic district: Historic Districts in University Heights, California Historic Resources Inventory Database.

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University Heights House Plaque

$25.00

Show your love for University Heights with our 7” diameter, bronze color plaque made from 14-gauge steel, sanded smooth, and coated with a durable UV powder coat to endure the elements for many years to come. Perfect for proudly displaying on the front of your house or business. Comes with 2 screws for attaching to wood or stucco, and a white plastic backing to make the lettering more visible.

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Guide to Researching and Historically Designating Your Property

$10.00

This digital guide consists of a one-hour recorded webinar and the 63-page slide deck presented on March 31st by Senior Archaeologist/Historian Doug Mengers with PanGIS. Inc.

Mr. Mengers walks through the process of researching the history of your property, preparing a report to nominate it locally for historic designation within the City of San Diego, and completing a Mills Act application to reduce property taxes on designated properties.

Topics include: benefits, responsibilities, and up-front costs of historic designation, eligibility criteria for local designation with example properties, how to identify historic context, how to evaluate historic integrity, anatomy of a Historical Resource Research Report, local nomination process including application fees, and how to find a consultant including estimated fees.

The detailed slides include a link to the recorded webinar (on page 2) and other links to over 30 sources of historic information including databases, maps, photos, city directories, forms, and more.

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Self-Guided Walking Tour of Historic Churches in University Heights

$7.00

The revitalization of University Heights in the early 1900s can be seen in its surviving neighborhood churches. As San Diego’s population shifted out to the new “streetcar suburbs” like University Heights, the need for neighborhood churches grew. Visit six churches in University Heights established during this era, some of which contain some of the most beautiful and inspiring art glass windows in San Diego.

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Self-Guided Walking Tour of Historic Normal School Site

$5.00

Did you know that San Diego State University had it’s beginnings in University Heights? The San Diego Normal School was built in 1898 on Normal Street in University Heights to increase the certification of teachers. The school moved to Montezuma Mesa in 1931 and was renamed San Diego State University in the early 1970s. The tour highlights the eight historic buildings that still remain, and several potential heritage trees. An online version of this tour is available here.

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Self-Guided Walking Tour of Valle Vista Terrace Historic District

$5.00

Learn about 10 beautiful historic homes built by master architects and builders, and representing a variety of popular architectural styles from the early 20th century including Craftsman, American Colonial Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival and Tudor Revival.

New Self-Guided Walking Tours of University Heights

26th Anniversary of the University Heights Street Sign

Sue Earnest, PhD, Distinguished Graduate of Normal School in University Heights

University Heights Historical Society