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From the Editor
New Year's edition of San Diego Union Sunday insert titled The Opening of the Great Southwest San Diego 1915 promoting the opening of the Panama Canal. Note the cornucopia filled with all the riches and industries of our region that San Diego had to offer to the world. Illustration by M.C. Baker.
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San Diego - the First Port of Call, the San Diego Union
January 1, 1914 New Year's edition.
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With the coming Centennial of the Panama-California Exposition in 2015, the future shape of Balboa Park will be decided, of particular concern is the historic core. In this issue several writers provide both historical background and suggestions for the future of this National Register Historic District. Our hope is that this will provoke thoughtful debate and yield from this discussion a road map for the future preservation of one of San Diego's most treasured historic assets. Could another world's fair be in its future?
It is important to note that SOHO's Modernism committee feels very differently about some of the modern structures on the Prado and opposes some of the ideas put forth by the writers in this issue. Others feel that allowing these very buildings to be built caused a significant loss of historic and architectural integrity. One thing that most everyone agrees on is that cars should be removed from the interior of the park and that no more land should be given to non-museum commercial activities. This will be a very interesting and important discussion dealing with issues and decisions at the very core of Historic Preservation theory and practice.
Regrettably this issue also contains our coverage of the recent fires, which, as you can see, brings new meaning locally to the word devastating. We hope that some good will come out of this tragedy and that it will inspire renewed efforts to identify, restore, preserve and protect what is left.
It has been a very busy year for SOHO and we are moving into 2008 with three legal actions pending and multiple events in the works. We are very happy to announce that SOHO has established our own publishing company, Our Heritage Press, with our first book due in Spring, a photographic ode to the beautiful Victorian homes of San Diego County.
We are also honored to be hosting a conference with the National Trust for Historic Preservation for the advisors and partners of the Trust, Western region in April. SOHO has been banging the drum for cultural heritage tourism for years and the meeting theme will be just that. Where better to explore the subject than in a city and county as rich as San Diego is for the heritage tourist.
And finally we must with great regret report the loss of Beth Montes, one of SOHO's most beloved members, our President and a historic resource in her own right.
The fires began, as we were getting ready to go to press. In an effort to provide up to date information covering the fires and also the loss of Beth, we have combined issues three and four into one. We hope as always you find the magazine useful and informative, and that it will encourage all who see it to preserve "Our Heritage." |
MORE FROM THIS ISSUE
From the Editor
Reconstructing Balboa Park's "Dream City"
Names & Milestones in the History of Prado Buildings
10 Vanished Balboa Park Landmarks
Historic Losses: Fires Devastate San Diego San Diego County's Historic Sites
California Tile: Our Claim to Tile Fame
The Use of Tile in the Home
Tile Resources
President's Message
Reflections
In Memoriam - Beth Montes
The Beth Montes Memorial Internship & Outreach Fund
Book Reviews
Letters to the Editor
Lost San Diego
Strength in Numbers
Advertisements
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