I love history; I love learning the history of a place and I’m fascinated to see what has been preserved. When we pulled into a parking lot at Old Town last Wednesday, I hadn’t really been sure where we were headed that day.
From Old Town’s website:
Old Town San Diego is considered the “birthplace” of California. San Diego is the site of the first permanent Spanish settlement in California. It was here in 1769, that Father Junipero Serra came to establish the very first mission in a chain of 21 missions that were to be the cornerstone of California’s colonization. Father Serra’s mission and Presidio were built on a hillside overlooking what is currently known as Old Town San Diego. At the base of the hill in 1820’s, a small Mexican community of adobe buildings was formed and by 1835 had attained the status of El Pueblo de San Diego. In 1846, a U.S. Navy Lieutenant and a Marine Lieutenant, raised the American flag in the Old Town San Diego Plaza.
This little historical village reminded me a lot of Williamsburg, Virginia. (Just Spanish instead of English.) There were old buildings that had been restored to their original look and some that were actually original. Many little shops sold Mexican souvenirs and we had the best Mexican lunch outside in a little plaza. I can see myself revisiting Old Town on future trips to San Diego, even if only for the food!
