North Park is a vast open-air, living museum of historic houses and neighborhoods.
Donald Covington
Once Upon a Time in North Park
HISTORICAL ARTICLES ARCHIVE
When the History Committee of the North Park Community Association (NPCA) began in the 1980s, the intent was to write a book on the history of North Park. The Committee members began researching the history of the people, buildings and other aspects of the community that are all part of the history of North Park. As people completed research on a topic, they would write an article that would appear in the NPCA newsletter and the articles began titled under the name “Once Upon a Time in North Park.” Eventually, much of the background information in those articles done up to 2002 appeared in North Park: A San Diego Urban Village 1896-1946, published in 2007. The History Committee, and later the North Park Historical Society after it incorporated and left NPCA, continued to write articles. Articles have been organized into the following categories: Buildings; Events; Homes, Builders and Subdivisions; People; and Building the Community and Infrastructure.
Buildings
- History of Paesano’s Restaurant by Katherine Hon, September 2009
- The Masonic Lodge on Utah Street by Ed Orozco, November 2008
- Stearns Gym and the New Life Laundry by Ernestine Bonn, August 1991
- Piggly Wiggly Grocery Stores by Katherine Hon, January 2009
- Palisades Gardens Roller Rink by Karon Covington, October 1997
- Neon Signs of North Park by George Franck, January 2008
- Memories of the North Park Theatre by Lorraine Halac, September 2005
- A Brief History of the North Park Theatre by Pamela Arnold, November 2010
- Gerow’s Searchlights by Larry Hall, April 2009
- Drowsy Maggies Restaurant by Steve Hon, September 2003
- Coca Cola and 7 Up Plants on El Cajon Blvd by Larry Hall, July 2009
- The Newman/I.O.O.F Building by Donald Covington, February 1997
- Rudfords Restaurant by Bertha Klann
- North Park Synagogues by Vickie Granowitz, July 2000
- The Plymouth Church by Joan Campbell, January 2000
- St. Patrick’s Church by Joan Campbell, August 1996
- The Ramona Theatre by Tom Shess, May 1996
- Piggly Wiggly Stores, August 1994
- The Lynhurst Building, by Ruth Dahl, June 1993
- The Silvergate Masonic Temple by Alex D. Bevil, April 1999
- PastMatters-A Tribute to the Pekin Cafe for web
Events
Articles about Events
- Morley Field as a Cross Country Mecca by Steve Hon, January 2005
- JFK Visits San Diego 1963 by Bill Vivian, September 2008
- History of the Toyland Parade by George Franck, October 2008
- History of the Morley Field Velodrome by Steve Hon, September 2004
- Contra Dancing Comes to North Park by Steve Hon, May 2004
- A Fire on Meade Avenue by Larry Hall, March 2009
- Gangsters in Burlingame by Bret Harris, November 2000
- When Heroes became Victims by Larry Hall, April 2009
Homes, Builders, and Subdivisions
Articles about Homes, Builders, and Subdivisions
- The Cottage on Utah Street by Ed Orozco, October 2007
- You Never Know Until You Look, by Chuck and Sofia La Bella, June 2010
- Art Bowen’s House Adventures by Art Bowen, November 2010
- The Mary Mascal House of South Park by Hilda Neck-Yoder, January 2012
- University Heights Streetnames by Katherine Hon, January 2012
- CCRs and a Restricted Residential District, by Katherine Hon, March 2004
- When Homes were a Bargain, by Katherine Hon, July 2004
- The Richardson Barn on 31st Street, by Bill Vivian, June 2008
- If Walls Could Talk by Katherine Hon, November 2003
- Pauly’s Addition Subdivision by Katherine Hon, June 2007
- History of Pershing Drive, Karon Covington, September 2002
- Creation of the Pershing Portal, by Katherine Hon, June 2003
- Fireplace Tiles by Katherine Hon, August 2007
- Wireless Radio and Edward F. Bryans by Donald Covington, January 1995
- The Shirley Ann Place Historic District by University Heights Historical Society, February 2002
- The Planting of Palm Trees is Urged on Home Owners by Karon Covington, September 2000
- The Mediterranean Revival Style in North Park by Joey Perry, May 2000
- The Klicka Bungalo by Donald Covington, October 1995
- J.M. Highett and the Balboa Square Subdivision by Donald Covington, March 1995
- The Frary House by Joey Perry, January 1991
People
Articles about People
- Ted Williams, Baseball Great and North Park Native by Alex D. Bevil, February 1992
- Maureen Connolly, North Park Tennis Legend by Karon Covington, September 1990
- Memories of Robert Hoy by Robert Hoy, August 2010
- Wilbur Folsom, Architect of Tennis Champions by Ernestine Bond, January 1998
- Who is the Morley of Morley Field? by Katherine Hon, November 2004
- Walter Wymouth, the Policeman Who Lived by Katherine Hon, March 2006
- History Snippets of Pershing Avenue by Katherine Hon, July 2005
- Fred Pyle, a Railroad Man by Katherine Hon, November 2005
- Edward F. Bryans by Donald Covington, January 1993
- Charlie and Cherie McCarty’s Love Story by Katherine Hon, April 2009
- The Search for Harry J. Kelly, Part I by Katherine Hon, March 2005
- The Search for Harry J. Kelly Part II by Katherine Hon, May 2005
- Roy Enright Guy by Lorraine Halac, March 2000
Building the Community and Infrastructure
Articles about Building the Community and Infrastructure
- A Brief History of Bird Park by Steve Hon, July 2012
- Sewers, Unsung Heroes of Infastructure by Katherine Hon, January 2004
- San Diego Streetcars by Larry Hall, January 2009
- History of the East Side of Ohio Street North of University by Steve Hon, January 2007
- History of Streetlights on University Avenue by Vincent Rivera, March 2008
- History of NPCA by Steve Hon, July 2006
- Balboa Tennis Club and the SD Tennis Hall of Fame by Steve Hon, September 2006
- A Short History of Morley Field by Donald Covington, March 2002
- El Cajon Boulevard, Old U.S. Highway 80 by Donald Covington, March 2001
- The North Park Recreation Center by Karon Covington, September 1990
- Park Boulevard, by Ruth Dahl, November 1991
Historical Photo Archive
Photos on this webpage are available for personal and commercial use. No permission is required to use them. Credit to the North Park Historical Society is appreciated when possible.
1915 Photo Booklet
This album, created by C. T. Co. Publishers of Chicago, presents photos from the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, downtown San Diego, and environs. It was donated to us by a friend of NPHS who found it in his late mother’s belongings.
Toyland Parade Slides
The late Joe Schloss, beloved North Park Little League coach and proprietor of A&B Sporting Goods formerly on University Avenue at Ray Street, donated these 1950s-era slides of historic Toyland Parades. The slides were scanned for us by professional photographer Stuart Hartley.
View Toyland Parade Slides (1)
View Toyland Parade Slides (2)
1935 Exhibition Postcards
The Covington Family gave us a treasure trove of 140 historic postcards with scenes of San Diego and the 1935-36 California Pacific International Exposition at Balboa Park published by the Western Publishing & Novelty Company of Los Angeles, and M. Kashower Co. of Los Angeles.
Klicka Job Record Book
This is a hand-written record of more than 1,000 buildings the Klicka Lumber Company helped construct from 1937 to 1941. Information includes contractor, site address and customer. George Klicka was the company president. He also developed a kit house that could be assembled on-site.
1994 Bungalow Tour
The 1994 Craftsman/Bungalow Tour took place along 28th Street, in what is now the North Park Dryden Historic District. Donald Covington compiled this tour booklet with details about 13 houses and his artistic sketches for 5 of the houses.
Stevens & Hartley Real Estate Company Notebook
Will Stevens and Jack Hartley were prominent real estate dealers who started commercial development in North Park with their three-story multi-use building on the northwest corner of University Avenue and 30th Street in 1912.
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Supporting members receive a monthly summary of our activities and are the first to learn about our home research, events and tours.
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We are an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) with no paid staff or office. Donations fund essential operating expenses and are tax-deductible as permitted by law.
