This entry includes a walking tour! Take the tour.
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
One of the most visited state parks in California, Old Town San Diego State Historic Park commemorates the early days of the town of San Diego and includes many historic buildings from the Mexican-American period from 1820 to 1870. The park was established in 1968 and has been designated as a U.S. Historic District. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a California Historical Landmark and San Diego Historic Landmark.
Images
The central plaza of Old Town is located in the midst of several National Historical Landmarks and a host of small museums
Entrance to La Casa de Estudillo
View of the plaza
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
The park is home to nine small museums and a number of historic homes: La Casa de Estudillo, La Casa de Machado y Stewart, La Casa de Machado y Silvas, the Pedrorena-Altamirano House, La Casa de Bandini—which became Albert Seeley's Cosmopolitan Hotel—the Schoolhouse and San Diego Union Building, the Seeley Stable, the Robinson-Rose Visitor Information Center, the Colorado house, and La Casa de Rodriguez. Many of these buildings have been designated national and/or state historic structures.
Sources
Bisbee, Cliff. "Old Town San Diego Historic District." National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service. September 3, 1971.