San Diego's Sunset Cliffs Park: A History

by Kathy Blavatt

Overview

Sunset Cliffs Park meanders along a mile and a half of San Diego's coastline, beckoning tourists and locals alike. These stunning cliffs inspired Albert Spalding, sportsman and visionary, to create a park in 1915 for all to enjoy. In the century since, many have left their mark, including the powerful Pacific Ocean. John Mills, an enterprising land baron, restored the original park, only to have it fall into neglect during the Depression and World War II. It became a popular spot for pioneering surfers and divers in the postwar boom, and the park's colorful landscape attracted artists and children. Join author Kathy Blavatt as she relates the many transformations of this beloved park and looks to its future.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781439670323
Publisher:	The History Press
Publication date:	01/22/2025
Series:	Landmarks
Sold by:	OPEN ROAD INTEGRATED - EBKS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	195
File size:	10 MB

About the Author

Kathy Blavatt is an award-winning author, historian and photographer who lives in Ocean Beach. She grew up on Sunset Cliffs Boulevard, and she's been on the Ocean Beach Historical Society board since 2006. Her previous book is Ocean Beach: Where Land and Water Meet, and she coauthored Ocean Beach and O.B.'s Weird, Wild and Wonderful. All include rarely seen photos and expound about community highlights, assorted characters and spirited generations who have left their loving marks in history.

Table of Contents

Foreword Karen Scanlon 9

Preface 13

Acknowledgements 17

1 Sunset Cliffs' Beauty Inspired Over a Century of Parks 19

2 Pre-Sunset Cliffs Park: Seeds for a Future Park 29

3 Visions of Many 39

4 Albert Spalding's Park Became a Reality in 1915 49

5 Sunset Cliffs Park's Evolution 65

6 The Park Takes an Interlude, While the Community Moves On 83

7 Sunset Cliffs' Animals, Marine life and Habitat 109

8 Embattled Community Fights over the Park and Beaches 125

9 A Designated Park in 1983 141

10 Sunset Cliffs Park Metamorphosis into a Designated Natural Park in 2005 147

Bibliography 169

About the Author 175