M.G WHITE

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SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
Prepared by the Research Department of
San Diego Chamber of Commerce
San Diego, southwesternmost city of the United States, first white settlement
on the Pacific Coast, county seat of the county of the. sam~ name
which formerlv extended to the Colorado river and seat of Cahforma government
in Sp~n ish regime, has developed within the past deca~e into metropolitan
aspect historically contemplated by reason of strategic seaport location.
1930 ;ensus figures place the present population at 147,897 an Increase
of 98% over 1920 figures.
The landlocked harbor, San Diego bay, was discovered 111 1542 by Juan
Rodriguez Cabrillo, surveyed by Sebastian V i~~aino in 16?~ and a set.tlement
effected on the shores in 1769 by a military exped1tion from New
Spain attended by Franciscan missionaries under direction of Fra. J unipe:o
Serra, who promptly founded Mission San D iego de Alcala,. first of the cham
of 21 along California's "King's Highway". Under :Mexican government,
, an Diego was constituted a pueblo in 1834. The United States flag was
raised by John C. F remont in 1846. for the first tim e in Cali fornia, and the
American City of San Diego was formulated in 1850.
j Equable climate averaging 61.1 degrees and va rying only 10 degrees
i between mean averages for winter and summer has prompted travelers to
j call San Diego "The Climatic Capital of the World." Certainly it is pleasant
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the year around, and combines with natural harbor and extensive tributary
agricultural, mining and fi sheries resources to indicate continued and probl
ably rapid growth. A great deal of the remarkable growth in the past de-
'1 cade has been due to attraction of new populace from states of rigorous f
climatic conditions, an influx encouraged among people of means by the j
I San Diego-California Club, first community advertising organizat ion now j
patterned after in many sections of the country. 1
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\\'ith large increase of population, the City's consuming power has increased
in proportion, of course, influencing establishment of many merchandising
houses and enabling new industries. Approximately 5000 army
j and navy fam ilies constitute an important unit in the population, their resi-
I ! dence influenced by a large and comprehensive service establishment that includes headquarters of the 11th naval district, naval air station, naval train- 1
! ing station, naval hospital, Rockwell field, army aviation establishment; Fort j
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Rosecrans, coast defense; U.S. Marine Base, destroyer base, Chollas Heights j
radio station and other units of a total in which the government has in vested i
$40,