San Diego, California

:"San Diego" redirects here. For other uses, see San Diego (disambiguation).

History

The area has long been inhabited by the Kumeyaay people. The first European to visit the region was Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, sailing under the flag of Spain, in 1542. He named it San Miguel. The San Diego Bay and the area of present-day San Diego were given their current names by Sebastian Vizcaino when he was mapping the coastline of Alta California for Spain in 1602. The explorers camped near a Native American village called Nipaguay and celebrated Mass in honor of San Diego de Alcala (Saint Didacus of Alcalá). California was then part of the colony of New Spain.

Related Topics:
Kumeyaay - Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo - Spain - 1542 - San Diego Bay - Sebastian Vizcaino - Alta California - 1602 - Native American - Mass - Saint Didacus of Alcalá - New Spain

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In 1769, Gaspar de Portolà and his expedition founded a presidio (military post), and on July 16, Franciscan friars Junípero Serra, Juan Viscaino and Fernando Parron raised and blessed a cross, establishing the first mission in Upper California, Mission San Diego de Alcala. Colonists began arriving in 1774; the following year, the native people rebelled. They killed the priest and two others, and burned the mission. Father Serra organized the rebuilding and two years later a fire-proof adobe structure was built. By 1797 the mission had become the largest in California, with over 1,400 natives associated with it.

Related Topics:
1769 - Gaspar de Portolà - July 16 - Franciscan - Junípero Serra - Mission San Diego de Alcala - 1774 - Adobe - 1797

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In 1821, Spain recognized Mexico's independence. The governor of Alta California and Baja California moved the capital to San Diego from Monterey. The mission was secularized in 1834 and 432 people petitioned Governor José Figueroa to form a town. Commandant Santiago Arguello endorsed it. Juan Maria Osuna was elected the first alcalde (mayor), winning over Pio Pico in the 13 ballots cast. However, the population of the town shrank to little over a hundred persons, and by the late 1830s it lost its township until the province of Alta California became part of the United States in 1850 following the Mexican defeat in the Mexican-American War. The village was designated the seat of the newly-established San Diego County and incorporated as a city.

Related Topics:
1821 - Mexico - Baja California - 1834 - José Figueroa - Santiago Arguello - Juan Maria Osuna - Mayor - Pio Pico - 1830s - United States - 1850 - Mexican-American War

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In 1885, San Diego was linked to the rest of the nation by railroad. San Diego was reincorporated as a city in 1886.

Related Topics:
1885 - Railroad - 1886

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Significant U.S. Naval presence began in 1907 with the establishment of the Navy Coaling Station.

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San Diego hosted two World's Fairs, the Panama-California Exposition in 1915 and the California Pacific International Exposition in 1935.

Related Topics:
World's Fairs - Panama-California Exposition - 1915 - California Pacific International Exposition - 1935

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Since World War II, the military has played a leading role in the local economy. Following the end of the Cold War the military presence has diminished considerably. San Diego has since become a center of the emerging biotech industry and is home to telecommunications giant Qualcomm.

Related Topics:
World War II - Cold War - Qualcomm

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Largely because of their city's strong military presence, San Diegans have a reputation for being more politically conservative than residents of California's other coastal cities. This reputation may be more indicative of surrounding cities within the county of San Diego; notably, reports http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/voters/Eng/reports/current_reg_report.pdf show that as of 2005 registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans, 39% to 34%, within the city itself.

Related Topics:
Conservative - Surrounding cities - County of San Diego - As of 2005

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Beginning in 2003, the public became aware of an ongoing pension fund scandal which has left the city with an estimated $1.4 billion pension fund gap. Despite mounting problems with city finances the incumbent Mayor Dick Murphy narrowly won re-election with a plurality of votes. Some controversy ensued during and after the election when, contrary the San Diego City Charter, current city councilmember Donna Frye was allowed to run as a write-in candidate one month before election day. While more may have intended to vote for her than Dick Murphy, many did not fill in the "bubble" next to her written name and thus these were not counted as legitimate votes.

Related Topics:
2003 - Dick Murphy - Donna Frye

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With mounting pressure, Mayor Dick Murphy, in April 2005, announced his intent to resign by mid-July. A few days after his resignation two city councilmembers, Ralph Inzunza and deputy mayor Michael Zucchet, who was to take Murphy's place, were convicted for taking bribes in a scheme to get the city's "no touch" laws at strip clubs repealed. Both subsequently resigned.

Related Topics:
2005 - Ralph Inzunza - Michael Zucchet

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On July 26, 2005, city councilmember Donna Frye finished first in the special election to replace Dick Murphy with 43% of the vote, but was without the majority required to win outright. She will face the second place finisher, former San Diego police chief Jerry Sanders on a November 8, 2005 ballot. Districts Two and Eight will also vote on replacements for departed councilmembers Michael Zucchet and Ralph Inzunza.

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