Parks Legacy

Balboa Park is an urban park in San Diego, California, United States. It is located in 1,200 acre (4.9 km²) of land. It also has the famous San Diego Zoo. Balboa Park is managed and maintained by the City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department.

1868-1909

In 1868, a request was put forth to the city's Board of Trustees to take two 160 acre (0.6 km²) plots of land, and create a public park. A site was selected just northeast of the growing urban center of "New Town" which is now downtown San Diego for the nascent park's location. On May 26, 1868, a 1400 acre (6 km²) of land was set aside for a “City Park” which was approved by the city's Board of Trustees. During the first few decades the park remained undeveloped.

In 1892 Kate Sessions leased 30 acres of land in “City Park” for a nursery. Sessions was a local horticulturist and botanist who is often referred to as "the mother of Balboa Park." Although the nursery was owned by Sessions, by agreement with the city it was open to the public. Sessions planted trees in the park and donated trees and plants to the city every year for its beautification. Due to her work brushwood and rocky dirt was transformed into tree shaded lawns, flower gardens, and hillside nature paths. Sessions was also responsible for bringing in many of the different varieties of exotic plants in the park. During this period two reservoirs, an animal pound and a Florida Canyon were developed.

1910-1959

In 1910 the name of “City Park” was changed to “Balboa Park”. It was named after the Spanish explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa. Balboa Park was selected as the exposition site and development was done for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. The exposition was to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal. The head architect for the Exposition architect Bertram Goodhue adopted a highly ornamental Spanish Colonial style and Goodhue's associate architect Carleton Winslow was solely credited with the lattice-work Botanical Building and others. On December 31, 1914 The Panama-California Exposition opened. Balboa park received over 3.5 million visitors for the next two years.

Some of the buildings built for the exposition include Administration Building, California State Building and Quadrangle which now holds offices of the Museum of Man, Botanical Building, Cabrillo Bridge, Spreckels Organ Pavilion, California Bell Tower, New Mexico Building which is now Balboa Park Club.

1960-2008

In 1960 a plan was submitted for the future management and development of the park. Huge amount was spent on the improvement and beautification of the park. In 1989 a new master plan was adopted to continue with the improvements.