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Penning the Past Roams Historic Highway 80
November/December 2026
We're concluding SOHO’s 2026 Penning the Past series with historian and author Chris Wray, whose books have been perennial bestsellers in our museum shops, particularly at the Warner–Carrillo Ranch House.
Long before Interstate 8 existed, U.S. Highway 80 was the lifeline connecting San Diego with the mountains, desert, and the wider Southwest.
Join us for this final presentation of the year as Wray leads us on a journey along this legendary transcontinental highway, from downtown San Diego through the county's backcountry and into the Imperial Valley. Drawing on historic photographs, maps, and extensive on-the-ground research, Wray will trace Highway 80's diverse and changing routes and reveal how the road shaped the communities and landscapes along the way.
From early city streets and winding mountain grades to forgotten towns, scenic passes, and once-familiar roadside landmarks, Wray’s program explores a world of travel that largely disappeared with the arrival of the modern freeway system.
Blending transportation history with a strong sense of place, U.S. Highway 80 offers a fascinating look at how one road helped connect San Diego to its vast natural assets, the mountains and desert, and how changing transportation ultimately transformed that relationship.
Wray has spent years documenting the history of San Diego County's backcountry, mountain, and desert regions. He is the author of U.S. Highway 80, Highways to History, and The Historic Backcountry, and has also produced a series of videos exploring historic places throughout the county.
Please join us Saturday, November 14, 2026 · 11am–12 noon · Zoom
Purchase Advance Tickets
Free for SOHO members · $10 for non-members
As we conclude our third year of Penning the Past, we extend our heartfelt thanks to all the wonderful speakers and presenters who joined us throughout 2026. Their knowledge, research, and enthusiasm have brought new insights into San Diego’s historic neighborhoods, architecture, and the people and stories that shaped our built and cultural environment. We are grateful to each of them for sharing their work and deepening our understanding and appreciation of San Diego’s rich cultural and architectural heritage.
Missed a lecture or want to revisit a favorite? Recordings of this year's presentations, along with those from the previous two years, are available on SOHO's YouTube channel.
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