Mission Valley, California
Encyclopedia
Mission Valley is a wide river valley trending east-west in San Diego
, California
, through which the San Diego River
flows to the Pacific Ocean
. For planning purposes it is divided into two neighborhoods: Mission Valley East and Mission Valley West.
Mission Valley was the site of the first Spanish
settlement in California, established in 1769.
Mission Valley nowadays serves as an important shopping and entertainment center for San Diego. Some condominiums and apartments can be found in the area as well.
The San Diego River valley was originally called La Cañada de San Diego. Cañada in Spanish means gully, ravine, or glen. The name was changed to Mission Valley in the 1860s in reference to Mission San Diego de Alcalá
.
The Mission Valley area was inhabited by Kumeyaay
Indians for more than 10,000 years.
The first Spanish settlement in present-day California was the Presidio of San Diego
and Mission of San Diego de Alcalá
, both established in 1769. The Presidio and Mission were located at the western end of Mission Valley, present day Old Town
, where the valley opens out into the flood plain of the San Diego River. In 1774 the Mission was moved to its present location at the eastern end of Mission Valley because of better access to fresh water for drinking and farming.
Until the 1940s Mission Valley remained largely undeveloped, featuring dairy farms and other agricultural activities; the city of San Diego was largely confined to areas south of the valley. After World War II the city’s expansion began to encroach on the valley. The last of the valley’s dairy farms closed in the early 1960s.
Another early activity in Mission Valley was quarrying sand and gravel from its walls. A large quarry on the north side of the valley was in operation for most of the 20th century. The quarry ceased operation around 2000 and is now the site of the proposed Quarry Falls mixed use development.
The development of Mission Valley began in 1953, when the first hotel was built in what is now Hotel Circle. In 1958 the city council rezoned 90 acres (36.4 ha) of the river valley to allow construction of San Diego’s first regional shopping center. The Mission Valley Center (now Westfield Mission Valley) opened in 1961 and was followed by several other large regional shopping malls.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the U.S. 80 freeway (now Interstate 8
) was constructed through Mission Valley, further opening the area up for development.
Westgate Park
, a baseball stadium for the then-minor-league San Diego Padres
, was built in Mission Valley in 1957. In 1967 San Diego Stadium (later renamed Jack Murphy
Stadium, now Qualcomm Stadium
) was opened and the Padres moved there, becoming a major league team the following year. Westgate Park was razed in 1969 and was replaced by the Fashion Valley shopping center.
. At the Jack Schrade Interchange, Interstate 805 crosses Mission Valley and connects with Interstate 8. Interstate 15 and State Route 163 also cross Mission Valley and connect with Interstate 8.
The Green Line of the San Diego Trolley
system also runs through Mission Valley. The main hub for buses is located at the Fashion Valley Transit Center and Mall. Other trolley stations in the valley are found at Morena/Linda Vista
, Hazard Center
, Mission Valley Center
, Rio Vista
, Fenton Parkway
, and Qualcomm Stadium
.
Toward the eastern end of Mission Valley lies Mission San Diego de Alcalá, for which the valley is named. At the southwestern end overlooking the valley is Presidio Park
. At the foot of Presidio Hill lies Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
, the original site of the town of San Diego. All three attractions are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Three major shopping malls located in Mission Valley are Fashion Valley Mall
, Hazard Center Mall and Westfield Mission Valley
. Many other commercial developments can be found in the valley as well, including smaller shopping plazas, auto malls and vocational schools. The frontage roads parallel to Interstate 8 west of Highway 163 are named Hotel Circle North and Hotel Circle South, for the many hotels and motels located on them. The frontage roads east of Highway 163 are called Camino del Rio North and Camino del Rio South.
Qualcomm Stadium
, home of the San Diego Chargers
and the San Diego State University (SDSU) Aztecs
football
teams, is located in Mission Valley East near the I-8/I-15 interchange. At the outlet of Mission Valley lie SeaWorld
, Mission Bay
, and other San Diego attractions.
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, through which the San Diego River
San Diego River
The San Diego River is a river in San Diego County, California. It originates in the Cuyamaca Mountains northwest of the town of Julian, then flows to the southwest until it reaches the El Capitan Reservoir, the largest reservoir in the river's watershed at . Below El Capitan Dam, the river runs...
flows to the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. For planning purposes it is divided into two neighborhoods: Mission Valley East and Mission Valley West.
Mission Valley was the site of the first Spanish
Spanish colonization of the Americas
Colonial expansion under the Spanish Empire was initiated by the Spanish conquistadores and developed by the Monarchy of Spain through its administrators and missionaries. The motivations for colonial expansion were trade and the spread of the Christian faith through indigenous conversions...
settlement in California, established in 1769.
Mission Valley nowadays serves as an important shopping and entertainment center for San Diego. Some condominiums and apartments can be found in the area as well.
History
Mission San Diego de Alcalá
Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá, in San Diego, California, was the first Franciscan mission in the Las Californias Province of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. It was founded in 1769 by Spanish friar Junípero Serra in an area long inhabited by the Kumeyaay Indians...
.
The Mission Valley area was inhabited by Kumeyaay
Kumeyaay
The Kumeyaay, also known as Tipai-Ipai, Kamia, or formerly Diegueño, are Native American people of the extreme southwestern United States and northwest Mexico. They live in the states of California in the US and Baja California in Mexico. In Spanish, the name is commonly spelled...
Indians for more than 10,000 years.
The first Spanish settlement in present-day California was the Presidio of San Diego
Presidio of San Diego
El Presidio Reál de San Diego is an historical fort established on May 14, 1769, by Commandant Pedro Fages for Spain. It was the first permanent European settlement on the Pacific Coast of the United States. As the first of the presidios and Spanish missions in California, it was the base of...
and Mission of San Diego de Alcalá
Didacus of Alcalá
Saint Didacus of Alcalá, , Saint Diego, was a lay brother of the Order of Friars Minor who died at Alcalá de Henares, Spain, November 12, 1463.-History:...
, both established in 1769. The Presidio and Mission were located at the western end of Mission Valley, present day Old Town
Old Town, San Diego, California
Old Town is a neighborhood of San Diego, California. It contains and is bounded by Interstate 8 on the north, Interstate 5 on the west, Mission Hills on the east and Bankers Hill on the south. It is the oldest settled area in San Diego and is the site of the first European settlement in...
, where the valley opens out into the flood plain of the San Diego River. In 1774 the Mission was moved to its present location at the eastern end of Mission Valley because of better access to fresh water for drinking and farming.
Until the 1940s Mission Valley remained largely undeveloped, featuring dairy farms and other agricultural activities; the city of San Diego was largely confined to areas south of the valley. After World War II the city’s expansion began to encroach on the valley. The last of the valley’s dairy farms closed in the early 1960s.
Another early activity in Mission Valley was quarrying sand and gravel from its walls. A large quarry on the north side of the valley was in operation for most of the 20th century. The quarry ceased operation around 2000 and is now the site of the proposed Quarry Falls mixed use development.
The development of Mission Valley began in 1953, when the first hotel was built in what is now Hotel Circle. In 1958 the city council rezoned 90 acres (36.4 ha) of the river valley to allow construction of San Diego’s first regional shopping center. The Mission Valley Center (now Westfield Mission Valley) opened in 1961 and was followed by several other large regional shopping malls.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the U.S. 80 freeway (now Interstate 8
Interstate 8
Interstate 8 is an Interstate Highway in the southwestern United States. It runs from the southern edge of Mission Bay at Sunset Cliffs Blvd, in San Diego, California, almost at the Pacific Ocean, to the junction with Interstate 10, just southeast of Casa Grande, Arizona...
) was constructed through Mission Valley, further opening the area up for development.
Westgate Park
Westgate Park
Westgate Park was a former baseball stadium located in San Diego, California. The ballpark was home to the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League from 1958 to 1967.The ballpark was located in the Mission Valley region of San Diego...
, a baseball stadium for the then-minor-league San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres (PCL)
The San Diego Padres were a minor league baseball team which played in the Pacific Coast League from 1936 through 1968. The team that would eventually become the Padres was well traveled prior to moving to San Diego. It began its existence in 1903 as the Sacramento Solons, a charter member of the PCL...
, was built in Mission Valley in 1957. In 1967 San Diego Stadium (later renamed Jack Murphy
Jack Murphy (sportswriter)
Jack Murphy was a sports editor and columnist for the San Diego Union newspaper from 1951-1980 and the brother of New York Mets broadcaster Bob Murphy...
Stadium, now Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area....
) was opened and the Padres moved there, becoming a major league team the following year. Westgate Park was razed in 1969 and was replaced by the Fashion Valley shopping center.
Boundaries
Mission Valley stretches as far west as Interstate 5 and as far east as Interstate 15. The exact boundary between Mission Valley East and West is State Route 163.Transportation
Mission Valley serves as a path for Interstate 8 and is crossed at its mouth by Interstate 5. Both I-8 and I-5 serve as the major east-west and north-south routes respectively, for San DiegoSan Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. At the Jack Schrade Interchange, Interstate 805 crosses Mission Valley and connects with Interstate 8. Interstate 15 and State Route 163 also cross Mission Valley and connect with Interstate 8.
The Green Line of the San Diego Trolley
San Diego Trolley
The San Diego Trolley is a light rail system operating in the metropolitan area of San Diego. The operator, San Diego Trolley, Inc. , is a subsidiary of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System ...
system also runs through Mission Valley. The main hub for buses is located at the Fashion Valley Transit Center and Mall. Other trolley stations in the valley are found at Morena/Linda Vista
Morena/Linda Vista (San Diego Trolley station)
Morena/Linda Vista is a San Diego Trolley station on the Green Line and the Special Event Service Line. It is located just off of Friars Road and Morena Blvd. The next station southwest is Old Town Transit Center. The next station east is Fashion Valley Transit Center. The stop is located in the...
, Hazard Center
Hazard Center (San Diego Trolley station)
Hazard Center is a station on San Diego Trolley's Green Line and Special Event Service Line. The street-level station has side platforms. It is located near the intersection of Hazard Center Drive at Frazee Road...
, Mission Valley Center
Mission Valley Center (San Diego Trolley station)
Mission Valley Center is a station on San Diego Trolley's Green Line and Special Event Service Line. The street-level station has side platforms. It is located near Camino De La Reina between Mission Center Road and Camino Del Este. The station is located next to theWestfield Mission Valley mall...
, Rio Vista
Rio Vista (San Diego Trolley station)
Rio Vista is a station on San Diego Trolley's Green Line and Special Event Service Line. The street-level station has side platforms. It is located near Qualcomm Way and the San Diego River. The station is a part of the Rio Vista development, which includes apartments and office parks in the...
, Fenton Parkway
Fenton Parkway (San Diego Trolley station)
Fenton Parkway is a station on San Diego Trolley's Green Line and Special Event Service Line. This street-level station has side platforms. It is located near Fenton Parkway and the San Diego River...
, and Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium (San Diego Trolley station)
Qualcomm Stadium is a station on San Diego Trolley's Green Line and Special Event Service Line. The elevated station has an island platform as well as side platforms. It is located in the parking lot of the Qualcomm Stadium, home to the San Diego Chargers football team, and is frequently used...
.
Attractions
Presidio of San Diego
El Presidio Reál de San Diego is an historical fort established on May 14, 1769, by Commandant Pedro Fages for Spain. It was the first permanent European settlement on the Pacific Coast of the United States. As the first of the presidios and Spanish missions in California, it was the base of...
. At the foot of Presidio Hill lies Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, located in the Old Town neighborhood of San Diego, California, is a state protected historical park in San Diego. It commemorates the early days of the town of San Diego and includes many historic buildings from the period 1820 to 1870. The park was...
, the original site of the town of San Diego. All three attractions are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Three major shopping malls located in Mission Valley are Fashion Valley Mall
Fashion Valley Mall
Fashion Valley Mall is an upscale, open-air shopping mall in Mission Valley in San Diego, California. The shopping center has over 1.7 million square feet of leasable floor area, making it the largest mall in San Diego and one of the largest in California. It is owned and managed by the Simon...
, Hazard Center Mall and Westfield Mission Valley
Westfield Mission Valley
Westfield Mission Valley, formerly Mission Valley Center, is a shopping mall in Mission Valley area of San Diego, California, owned by The Westfield Group. Its anchor stores are Macy's, Macy's Home & Furniture Store, Nordstrom Rack, and Target...
. Many other commercial developments can be found in the valley as well, including smaller shopping plazas, auto malls and vocational schools. The frontage roads parallel to Interstate 8 west of Highway 163 are named Hotel Circle North and Hotel Circle South, for the many hotels and motels located on them. The frontage roads east of Highway 163 are called Camino del Rio North and Camino del Rio South.
Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area....
, home of the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the San Diego State University (SDSU) Aztecs
SDSU Aztecs
The San Diego State Aztecs are the collegiate athletics and sports teams for San Diego State University .San Diego State has organized programs for baseball, basketball, football, soccer, golf, gymnastics, rowing , softball, tennis, track, swimming, diving, women's volleyball, and water polo.The...
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
teams, is located in Mission Valley East near the I-8/I-15 interchange. At the outlet of Mission Valley lie SeaWorld
SeaWorld
SeaWorld is a United States chain of marine mammal parks, oceanariums, and animal theme parks owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. The parks feature captive orca, sea lion, and dolphin shows and zoological displays featuring various other marine animals. There are operations in Orlando,...
, Mission Bay
Mission Bay, California
Mission Bay is a saltwater bay or lagoon located south of the Pacific Beach community of San Diego, California. The bay is part of the recreational Mission Bay Park, which is the largest man-made aquatic park in the country, consisting of , approximately 46% land and 54% water...
, and other San Diego attractions.