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• North Park: A San Diego Urban Village, 1896-1946, by Donald Covington. 
   
• Designation of Dryden Historical District
  
  
• Oral Histories of North Park
  
  
• Documentation of Notable Commercial Buildings (Potential Historic District)
  
  
• List of Other Ongoing Projects, including Walking Tours

North Park: A San Diego Urban Village, 1896-1946, by Donald Covington.

	The first 50 years of North Park come to life in an engaging book produced by the North Park Historical Society. The book is entitled North Park: A San Diego Urban Village, 1896-1946. Written by Donald Covington, and based on research conducted since 1988, the manuscript was organized/edited by Karon Covington and Katherine Hon. The book is available at the Museum of San Diego History Store in Balboa Park, North Park Main Street (3076 University Avenue), Vintage Religion (3821 32nd Street), Lost Your Marbles Too (3819 Ray Street), and through Sunbelt Publications by calling 1-800-626-6579 or on-line at www.sunbeltbooks.com. The suggested retail price is $19.95 plus tax. Sales benefit the North Park Historical Society. Click here to read the August 12, 2007 article by Roger Showley in the Union Tribune.
	The book was recently reviewed in the North Park News, click here to read the article!

The North Park Historical Society received an Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation from the City of San Diego Historical Resources Board on May 22, 2008 for publication of the book. Click here to see the award.  Click here to see the Special Commendation from Councilmember Toni Atkins.

Designation of Historical District (Dryden District)

An application for designation of 28th Street and Pershing Avenue from Upas to Landis Streets as a historical district has been filed with the City of San Diego Historical Resources Board.

• You can read about the proposed Dryden District here.
• Frequently Asked Questions about Historical Districts.

Oral Histories Recorded by History Committee Members

On November 30, 2004, the NPCA History Committee donated their collection of oral history tape recordings to the San Diego Historical Society for safe storage and transcription. Interviews with the following North Park residents were donated:

Contact the San Diego Historical Society for a status of the transcription of these oral interviews.

Documentation of Notable Buildings in University Avenue Commercial Core Area (Potential Historic District)

One of our projects is tracing the businesses and commercial buildings along University Avenue through the mid-1900s. With documentation on the architects, builders, and occupants of businesses in this area, the City could designate a commercial historic district in the traditional core of North Park. This would help preserve the unique architecture and ambience of the area. The North Park commercial area developed as a streetcar suburb in the early part of the twentieth century. Streetcar service arrived in North Park along University Avenue from the west in 1907; service along 30th Street on the east side of the Balboa Park crossed University in 1911. Through the 1930s, the business area grew to serve the needs of those living in bungalows built in neighborhoods adjacent to these transit lines.

Following World War II, growth in the commercial area exploded to accommodate regional retail stores including a Penny’s Department Store. North Park became one of San Diego’s first suburban centers. However, the economic vitality of the North Park commercial district began to wane by 1960 as regional shopping centers were located adjacent to San Diego’s freeway system. Sparked by residential redevelopment as well as an influx of arts and entertainment uses, economic revival of the commercial area began in the late 1990s.

The North Park commercial area is important historically because it contains a cross section of twentieth century commercial buildings – retail and residential buildings built near streetcar stops, streamline moderne stores, a mid-twentieth century department store, and international style office buildings. North Park Main Street, the local business association, identified more than 40 potentially significant buildings in the commercial core two years ago. History Committee members participated in the identification of these buildings and the Committee plans to work with Main Street if the formation of a commercial area historic district appears feasible.

List of Other Ongoing Projects:

• NorthParkHistory.org Website Work
• Our next walking tour will be the residential Dryden District along 28th Street and Pershing Avenue between Upas and Landis Streets on Saturday, August 23, 2008. Click here for the flyer and reservation form
  
  
• For past Walking Tours see the Centennial Booklet and Magical History Tour Map on the Tours and Brochures page
  

Credits:

• Unless otherwise noted, all photos on this website copyright 2006 by North Park Historical Society. All rights reserved.
  
  
• The following photos were provided to this website courtesy of Katherine Hon, who reserves all rights to her work:
• Theater Marquee photo on the "Who We Are" page
• Craftsman Bungalows photo on "Projects" page
• Water Tower photo on "Archive" page
• Spanish-Style Bungalows photo on "Tours & Brochures" page
• Masonic Temple photo on "Meeting Notes" page
• Georgia Street Bridge photo on "Links" page
• Peking Cafe photo on "Contact Us" page


• The following photo(s) were provided to this website courtesy of Paul Wade, who reserves all rights to his work:
• "Neon Signs" photo on "Historical Information & Photos" page

Unless otherwise noted, all text and photos © 1990 - 2008
by North Park Historical Society. All rights reserved.

Last Updated 08/04/2008 by North Park Historical Society Webmaster