Almost 140 years ago, early streetcars extended into barren scrubland in San Diego and paved the way for the new streetcar suburbs of University Heights, North Park, Hillcrest, and Mission Hills.

Starting in 1890, a series of successive cable car companies developed the park land at Park and Adams to attract riders up to the barren University Heights. The San Diego Electric Railway Company purchased the property in 1898 and transformed it into the magnificent Mission Cliff Gardens.