Working out of the Rev. Henry A. McKinney House Museum and Archives, a 1908-built historical landmark, the La Mesa Historical Society is reaching out to the community through a number of avenues - educational historical roundtables led by notable historians, walking tours, to hosting and participating in special events, including our Annual Historic Home Tour.
A Brief History of La Mesa
Following Spanish colonization in 1769, what is now La Mesa became part of the lands of Mission San Diego de Alcala. Mexico won independence from Spain in 1821, and in 1834 the new government secularized mission lands. Eleven years later, Pio Pico, the last Mexican governor of California, granted 60,000 acres of ex-Mission land to Santiago Arguello, commandante of the Presidio of San Diego. In 1868, a wealthy Robert Allison arrived in San Diego and purchased land, including 4,000 acres from Arguello. The land, which is now south La Mesa, was used to graze herds of cattle and sheep.
Water and the Railroad
In 1885, the railroad sparked a land boom in San Diego, creating a need for new sources of water. In 1881, John Harbison purchased 4,000 acres from the Arguello estate, and in 1887, the San Diego Flume Company (formed to bring water from the Cuyamaca mountains), purchased Harbison's land and filed a subdivision map, naming it La Mesa Colony. A major growth period began in 1894 when A.S. Crowder and Joseph Allison (one of Robert's sons) filed the La Mesa Springs subdivision map. Streets were graded, the La Mesa Store and a blacksmith shop were constructed near what is now La Mesa Boulevard. Five- and 10-acre lemon ranches dotted the landscape.
Residential Development
The transformation from an agricultural area to a residential community began in 1906 when Sherman Grable purchased 100 acres in the Date Avenue area from land developer David Collier. Grable and Charles Park formed the Park-Grable Investment Company. Together they developed 200 acres in central La Mesa into 1,000 lots. With a population of 700, the community was incorporated as the City of La Mesa on February 16, 1912.
Grossmont and Mt. Helix
In 1902, Ed Fletcher and William Gross purchased the Villa Caro Ranch, which included the smaller peak on the north side of Mt. Helix. Fletcher named this mountain Grossmont, in honor of Gross. In 1910, the two men developed it as a picturesque artist's colony.
The 1920s through the Present
La Mesa grew rapidly during the post-WWI years, and by 1923, its population reached 1,600. The first theater was built and the business area continued its expansion east and west along La Mesa Boulevard. By 1950, La Mesa grew to 11,000 and by 1960, it grew to 30,000. Today, the population of La Mesa is nearly 60,000.
Legendary Citizens
Known as La Mesa's founder, Robert Allison came to La Mesa from northern California in 1869 in search of a climate that would be favorable to his health. In San Diego, Allison bought 4,282 acres of former mission lands. This property extended from what is now Allison Avenue in Downtown La Mesa south to an area near the present-day Sweetwater Dam. Allison's son Frank drove several heards of sheep from northern California to La Mesa and watched them in an area where a spring bubbled up and out of the ground, now known as Collier Park. Allison invested heavily in two projects that would bring water and a railroad through the area. He died in 1891, but did live to see the railroad complete from San Diego to Lakeside in 1889.
Excerpt from the book, "La Mesa Through The Years."
The La Mesa Historical Society is here to promote, collect and educate on and about the history of La Mesa and its area of historical influence for the benefit of the community through the McKinney House Museum, Historical Archives and public programs.
"La Mesa History Center is an all-volunteer organization, incorporated in 1975 as a not-for-profit, tax-exempt, public benefit, educational California corporation, and exempt under Section 501c3 of the Internal Revenue Code Tax ID 95-29847.Our mission is promote, collect and educate on and about the history of Greater La Mesa area for the benefit of the community through the McKinney House Museum, Historical Archives and public programs.The Greater La Mesa area includes the communities of Grossmont, Mt Helix, Casa de Oro, Spring Valley, Rancho San Diego and Fletcher Hills along with San Diego’s College Neighborhoods, Rolando, Del Cerro, and San Carlos, all of which share associated histories."
