It was a date in time when San Diego first began to begin being the city it is today.
It was October 23rd, 1902. A very long time ago.
But it is a date that is worth noting here in 2025, 123 years later.
The Times of San Diego this week brought this date and its significance to our city’s history it to our attention.
As their story describes it, October 23, 1902 was the date when Samuel Parsons Jr., a celebrated landscape architect, was scheduled to arrive in December to design what would become Balboa Park, the city’s crown jewel of gardens, culture, and community life.
As the Times tells it, Parsons’ thoughtful design would create the foundation for a park that blends natural beauty with playful elegance—a space that could host festivals, concerts, and countless memorable moments.”
Balboa Park officially opened to the public on Jan. 1, 1915, for the Panama-California Exposition. That was big news back then as thousands of visitors came to San Diego.
But a lot of the news about Balboa here in 2025 is what is coming in 2026.
Paid parking in San Diego’s famous urban park.
And we will have to see what history writes about that in the years ahead.
(Photo Clff Albert)