San Diego, California, in the 1930s and 1940s
Tellez Family Moves to San Diego
The Jerome mines dwindled and then closed: no work in Jerome. The town would go from a high of 15,000 residents in its 1920s heyday to around 250 in the 1960s. People cleared out quickly when the work stopped being available. The Tellez family did not stick around to watch.
Pedro and Patrocina moved their growing family from Jerome, AZ, to San Diego, CA, in 1936. Ruben was just out of 6th grade. He would begin junior high in San Diego. Alice was in high school; the move pretty much put an end to her going to school. She started high school again, but withdrew to work. The depression was still going on.
Today, 2012, there are fewer than 400 residents in Jerome. And, over 70 years later, the lot where the Tellez family's house once stood is still empty. It has a for sale sign. It will probably be there unsold for a very long time yet to come.
San Diego in 1936, on the other hand, was a large city. Instead of Jerome's high desert, it is on the Pacific coastline. Moderate weather--the norm, no snow like Jerome had being a mile high. A lot of changes for the family to experience.
According to Bob, the family came to San Diego County because one of the mine's owners had told Pedro about it. Pedro originally intended to move to the border-town of Jacumba, CA, which has a similar settlement on the other side of the Mexican border--La Rumorosa, but when confronted with his family's reactions to another high desert environment and relative isolation, he relented and went on to San Diego. (Jacumba in the 1930s had recently become relatively lively with its hot springs and a resort; its population climbed to 5,000. But, its heyday didn't last long; the 2010 census has its population of 561. It was a good thing for the family that Pedro listened and went to San Diego.) {Interview March 2012}
When the Tellez family came to San Diego, the previous census in 1930 showed 147,995 San Diego city residents. About 10x the size of Jerome, AZ, at its peak population. When the Tellez family was feeling well established in San Diego, the next census in 1940 counted 203,341 San Diego city residents, this time including them. In the 2000 census, San Diego had well over a million: 1,223,400. None of these numbers include the rest of San Diego County. Ruben would have been amazed to watch his adopted city grow.
Pedro and Patrocina moved their growing family from Jerome, AZ, to San Diego, CA, in 1936. Ruben was just out of 6th grade. He would begin junior high in San Diego. Alice was in high school; the move pretty much put an end to her going to school. She started high school again, but withdrew to work. The depression was still going on.
Today, 2012, there are fewer than 400 residents in Jerome. And, over 70 years later, the lot where the Tellez family's house once stood is still empty. It has a for sale sign. It will probably be there unsold for a very long time yet to come.
San Diego in 1936, on the other hand, was a large city. Instead of Jerome's high desert, it is on the Pacific coastline. Moderate weather--the norm, no snow like Jerome had being a mile high. A lot of changes for the family to experience.
According to Bob, the family came to San Diego County because one of the mine's owners had told Pedro about it. Pedro originally intended to move to the border-town of Jacumba, CA, which has a similar settlement on the other side of the Mexican border--La Rumorosa, but when confronted with his family's reactions to another high desert environment and relative isolation, he relented and went on to San Diego. (Jacumba in the 1930s had recently become relatively lively with its hot springs and a resort; its population climbed to 5,000. But, its heyday didn't last long; the 2010 census has its population of 561. It was a good thing for the family that Pedro listened and went to San Diego.) {Interview March 2012}
When the Tellez family came to San Diego, the previous census in 1930 showed 147,995 San Diego city residents. About 10x the size of Jerome, AZ, at its peak population. When the Tellez family was feeling well established in San Diego, the next census in 1940 counted 203,341 San Diego city residents, this time including them. In the 2000 census, San Diego had well over a million: 1,223,400. None of these numbers include the rest of San Diego County. Ruben would have been amazed to watch his adopted city grow.
Tellez Family House
If one drives today to 2537 Imperial Avenue, instead of a house, one will find a police station. But, when Pedro brought his family to San Diego, it was a nice house in a good middle-class multi-ethnic neighborhood. Being a smart man, he had saved money while working in Jerome. Pedro bought that house for his family and two houses for investments. The family, with eight kids, settled into life in San Diego. One more baby was added July 11, 1940.
El Cortez Hotel:
San Diego's answer to San Francisco's Nob Hill, downtown San Diego landmark, a short walk from San Diego High School
Rose has many fond memories of going to El Cortez Hotel's Big Band concerts. Her favorite Big Band singer was Frank Sinatra.
By Kyle E. Ciani and Cynthia Malinick
The El Cortez under construction in 1927 shows the mixed nature of the neighborhood the hotel would come to dominate. Cortez Hill represents one of the first neighborhoods in San Diego to have combined commercial and residential living, emerging in the 1920s as the center of fashionable entertainment.
In 1937, the San Diego-based El Cortez Company installed the large "El Cortez" sign which could be seen for miles at both day and night. (The Tellez family moved to San Diego is 1936.)
As the tallest building in San Diego, the El Cortez could offer its visitors breath-taking retreats, but that height served a completely different purpose after December 7, 1941 when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.
That night, "Marines surrounded the hotel with fixed bayonets to protect high officials," securing the hotel as a point of military operation.41 An anti-aircraft battery and radar station was installed on the El Cortez roof the next day.
Battery Commander Herman Silversher, stationed with the Army's anti-aircraft 244th Regiment in San Diego from 1942 to 1945, remembers well his trips to the El Cortez roof via the Sky Room during air raid practices:
"Since I was the search light battery commander, I would observe the action of the search lights at night. So some times I had to go on the roof of the El Cortez and there was no way of getting up there except through this bar that was on top. It was a beautiful bar. [To] the people sitting at the table, I had to "excuse me" and there I am in my uniform stepping on their table and getting out the window, walking up the fire escape to the top of the El Cortez to look at the mission."
World War II dramatically altered life in San Diego, including the operation of the El Cortez. In 1941, the hotel lost its Manager and Executive Assistant Manager within one week's time to the draft, so a twenty-two-year-old bell hop and night auditor received quick promotion to management status. That young man, George L. Stillings, also left for Navy service after several months as hotel manager, but returned to work for the El Cortez after his tour of duty, eventually serving as General Manager from 1947 to 1952. The hotel also attracted unwanted attention from the military. Stillings remembers the night in 1943 when staff tried to paint the Sky Room using spray guns in the middle of the night. "The Navy told us to quit," Stillings recounted, because "they thought we were signaling enemy ships at sea."
Paranoia along with housing shortages prevailed in the city during the first years of the war. As a center of defense, in both the training and management of troops as well as manufacturing of munitions, World War II created irreversible change for San Diego. Numbers tell much of the story: a population of 147,995 residents in 1930 swelled to 203,341 in 1940. An estimated 100,000 people arrived in 1941 alone, making the 1942 population stand at 380,000. Many of these newcomers represented military personnel and their families, thus "khaki and navy blues quickly replaced two-piece suits" among male citizens. Shipyard, aircraft, and munitions plant workers also relocated to San Diego, leaving city officials initially hard-pressed to suitably accommodate residents. Some recent arrivals remember that the rush to erect housing led to an infestation of rats and roaches as well as homes with no indoor plumbing. But the completion of twenty thousand new homes by the end of 1942 solved the worst of the housing crunch, although food and gas rationing remained intense until the war's end in 1945.47 By 1945, nearly 500,000 people lived in San Diego.
World War II also brought an unprecedented prosperity to San Diego. Indeed, connections to defense production and general support of major military installations provided a healthy economy for the city into the 1980s. Business development beyond downtown's central district expanded the power base north to Mission Valley and Kearny Mesa, spurring the need for suburban planning and improvements. The development of Mission Valley for shopping and Mission Bay for recreation created new attractions for San Diegans to enjoy. The allure of these new leisure centers created competition for the El Cortez. Some thought the now thirty-year-old sensation needed a face lift to boost it into an era more flashy, even plastic, than exhibited in its Spanish design. The new owner, Harry Handlery, offered the hotel just such a change.
The menu for the Don Room offers a sumptuous dinner for $3 per person, including cover charge. [Friday October 18, 1940] Dining room menus in the SDHC Collection list stuffed lobster thermidor and boneless royal squab with wild rice for the main course; turtle soup, and French pastries as house specialties.
Source: http://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/2000-1/elcortezphotos.htm
By Kyle E. Ciani and Cynthia Malinick
The El Cortez under construction in 1927 shows the mixed nature of the neighborhood the hotel would come to dominate. Cortez Hill represents one of the first neighborhoods in San Diego to have combined commercial and residential living, emerging in the 1920s as the center of fashionable entertainment.
In 1937, the San Diego-based El Cortez Company installed the large "El Cortez" sign which could be seen for miles at both day and night. (The Tellez family moved to San Diego is 1936.)
As the tallest building in San Diego, the El Cortez could offer its visitors breath-taking retreats, but that height served a completely different purpose after December 7, 1941 when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.
That night, "Marines surrounded the hotel with fixed bayonets to protect high officials," securing the hotel as a point of military operation.41 An anti-aircraft battery and radar station was installed on the El Cortez roof the next day.
Battery Commander Herman Silversher, stationed with the Army's anti-aircraft 244th Regiment in San Diego from 1942 to 1945, remembers well his trips to the El Cortez roof via the Sky Room during air raid practices:
"Since I was the search light battery commander, I would observe the action of the search lights at night. So some times I had to go on the roof of the El Cortez and there was no way of getting up there except through this bar that was on top. It was a beautiful bar. [To] the people sitting at the table, I had to "excuse me" and there I am in my uniform stepping on their table and getting out the window, walking up the fire escape to the top of the El Cortez to look at the mission."
World War II dramatically altered life in San Diego, including the operation of the El Cortez. In 1941, the hotel lost its Manager and Executive Assistant Manager within one week's time to the draft, so a twenty-two-year-old bell hop and night auditor received quick promotion to management status. That young man, George L. Stillings, also left for Navy service after several months as hotel manager, but returned to work for the El Cortez after his tour of duty, eventually serving as General Manager from 1947 to 1952. The hotel also attracted unwanted attention from the military. Stillings remembers the night in 1943 when staff tried to paint the Sky Room using spray guns in the middle of the night. "The Navy told us to quit," Stillings recounted, because "they thought we were signaling enemy ships at sea."
Paranoia along with housing shortages prevailed in the city during the first years of the war. As a center of defense, in both the training and management of troops as well as manufacturing of munitions, World War II created irreversible change for San Diego. Numbers tell much of the story: a population of 147,995 residents in 1930 swelled to 203,341 in 1940. An estimated 100,000 people arrived in 1941 alone, making the 1942 population stand at 380,000. Many of these newcomers represented military personnel and their families, thus "khaki and navy blues quickly replaced two-piece suits" among male citizens. Shipyard, aircraft, and munitions plant workers also relocated to San Diego, leaving city officials initially hard-pressed to suitably accommodate residents. Some recent arrivals remember that the rush to erect housing led to an infestation of rats and roaches as well as homes with no indoor plumbing. But the completion of twenty thousand new homes by the end of 1942 solved the worst of the housing crunch, although food and gas rationing remained intense until the war's end in 1945.47 By 1945, nearly 500,000 people lived in San Diego.
World War II also brought an unprecedented prosperity to San Diego. Indeed, connections to defense production and general support of major military installations provided a healthy economy for the city into the 1980s. Business development beyond downtown's central district expanded the power base north to Mission Valley and Kearny Mesa, spurring the need for suburban planning and improvements. The development of Mission Valley for shopping and Mission Bay for recreation created new attractions for San Diegans to enjoy. The allure of these new leisure centers created competition for the El Cortez. Some thought the now thirty-year-old sensation needed a face lift to boost it into an era more flashy, even plastic, than exhibited in its Spanish design. The new owner, Harry Handlery, offered the hotel just such a change.
The menu for the Don Room offers a sumptuous dinner for $3 per person, including cover charge. [Friday October 18, 1940] Dining room menus in the SDHC Collection list stuffed lobster thermidor and boneless royal squab with wild rice for the main course; turtle soup, and French pastries as house specialties.
Source: http://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/2000-1/elcortezphotos.htm
Balboa Park: Heart of the City, San Diego's Central Park
Balboa Park
Most San Diego visitors today do not believe their visit complete if they did not at least see part of Balboa Park. Like NYC's Central Park, it is in the downtown area on prime real estate.
Park Beginnings: Balboa Park began as 1400 acres of land set aside in 1868 by San Diego civic leaders. Known then as “City Park”, the scrub-filled mesa that overlooked present day Downtown San Diego sat without formal landscaping or development for more than 20 years.(Today the Park's total land parcel has been reduced to 1,200 acres.)
The first steps in Park beautification were made in 1892, largely due to the contributions of Kate Sessions. Sessions offered to plant 100 trees a year within the Park as well as donate trees and shrubs around San Diego in exchange for 32 acres of land within the Park boundaries to be used for her commercial nursery. Several popular species, including the birds of paradise, queen palm and poinsettia were introduced into the Park’s horticulture because of Sessions’ early efforts. Kate Sessions earned the title “The Mother of Balboa Park” at the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition.
Spreckels Organ Pavilion: John D. and Adolph Spreckels donated the Spreckels Organ, one of the world's largest outdoor pipe organs, to the City of San Diego in 1914 for the Panama-California Exposition. This unique organ contains 4,530 pipes ranging in length from the size of a pencil to 32 feet and is housed in an ornate vaulted structure with highly embellished gables. Since 1917, San Diego has had a civic organist, who performs free weekly Sunday concerts.
Most San Diego visitors today do not believe their visit complete if they did not at least see part of Balboa Park. Like NYC's Central Park, it is in the downtown area on prime real estate.
Park Beginnings: Balboa Park began as 1400 acres of land set aside in 1868 by San Diego civic leaders. Known then as “City Park”, the scrub-filled mesa that overlooked present day Downtown San Diego sat without formal landscaping or development for more than 20 years.(Today the Park's total land parcel has been reduced to 1,200 acres.)
The first steps in Park beautification were made in 1892, largely due to the contributions of Kate Sessions. Sessions offered to plant 100 trees a year within the Park as well as donate trees and shrubs around San Diego in exchange for 32 acres of land within the Park boundaries to be used for her commercial nursery. Several popular species, including the birds of paradise, queen palm and poinsettia were introduced into the Park’s horticulture because of Sessions’ early efforts. Kate Sessions earned the title “The Mother of Balboa Park” at the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition.
Spreckels Organ Pavilion: John D. and Adolph Spreckels donated the Spreckels Organ, one of the world's largest outdoor pipe organs, to the City of San Diego in 1914 for the Panama-California Exposition. This unique organ contains 4,530 pipes ranging in length from the size of a pencil to 32 feet and is housed in an ornate vaulted structure with highly embellished gables. Since 1917, San Diego has had a civic organist, who performs free weekly Sunday concerts.
First World's Fair: The 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition
Art and Culture, Gardens and Spanish-Renaissance Architecture The 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition commemorated the opening of the Panama Canal and provided a major impetus for the creation of the Park as it appears today—the first of two Expositions that created many of the cultural institutions as well as the stunning architecture in the Park. Most of the arts organizations along Balboa Park's famous El Prado pedestrian walkway are housed in Spanish-Renaissance style buildings constructed for the 1915 Exposition. It was one of the first times that this highly ornamented, flamboyant architectural style had ever been used in the United States.
The California Tower and dome, which houses the San Diego Museum of Man, the Cabrillo Bridge (historic 1,500-foot-long bridge) and the Spreckels Organ Pavilion (one of the world's largest outdoor pipe organs) were built for the 1915 Exposition-some of the few permanent structures designed for the fair. The San Diego Museum Association was established in 1915 as a museum of anthropology-its name changed in 1942 to the Museum of Man (with "San Diego" added in 1978). [San Diego High has held numerous graduation ceremonies in the Organ Pavilion.]
The former Food & Beverage Building (today's Casa de Balboa, which houses the Balboa Art Conservation Center, Museum of Photographic Arts, Museum of San Diego History & Archives and San Diego Model Railroad Museum), the Casa del Prado (San Diego Botanical Foundation, San Diego Civic Youth Ballet,San Diego Floral Association, San Diego Junior Theater and the San Diego Youth Symphony) and the House of Charm (Mingei International Museum and San Diego Art Institute: Museum of the Living Artist) were also built for the 1915 Exposition as temporary wood-and-plaster structures and have all since been reconstructed.
The extensive landscaping the Exposition brought to the Park has earned it the moniker, the "Garden Fair." The Park's landmark tree is the Moreton Bay fig growing north of the Natural History Museum. This tree, planted before 1915, is over 60 feet tall with a spread of 120 feet. Also built for the 1915-16 Exposition, along with the adjacent Lily Pond, the historic Botanical Building is one of the largest lath structures in the world. The view of the Botanical Building with the Lily Pond in the foreground is one of the most photographed scenes in Balboa Park.
The world-famous San Diego Zoo was established in the second year of this exposition (1916). Dr. Harry Wegeforth, a surgeon for the fair, conceived the idea of starting a zoo after hearing the roar of a lion, one of the few wild animals displayed in cages at the Exposition. Wegeforth became the San Diego Zoo's first president and remained in office until his death in 1941 Today the Zoo is home to more than 4,000 rare and endangered animals representing more than 800 species and subspecies-a world famous conservation organization where visitors view exotic animals in habitat environments.
The California Tower and dome, which houses the San Diego Museum of Man, the Cabrillo Bridge (historic 1,500-foot-long bridge) and the Spreckels Organ Pavilion (one of the world's largest outdoor pipe organs) were built for the 1915 Exposition-some of the few permanent structures designed for the fair. The San Diego Museum Association was established in 1915 as a museum of anthropology-its name changed in 1942 to the Museum of Man (with "San Diego" added in 1978). [San Diego High has held numerous graduation ceremonies in the Organ Pavilion.]
The former Food & Beverage Building (today's Casa de Balboa, which houses the Balboa Art Conservation Center, Museum of Photographic Arts, Museum of San Diego History & Archives and San Diego Model Railroad Museum), the Casa del Prado (San Diego Botanical Foundation, San Diego Civic Youth Ballet,San Diego Floral Association, San Diego Junior Theater and the San Diego Youth Symphony) and the House of Charm (Mingei International Museum and San Diego Art Institute: Museum of the Living Artist) were also built for the 1915 Exposition as temporary wood-and-plaster structures and have all since been reconstructed.
The extensive landscaping the Exposition brought to the Park has earned it the moniker, the "Garden Fair." The Park's landmark tree is the Moreton Bay fig growing north of the Natural History Museum. This tree, planted before 1915, is over 60 feet tall with a spread of 120 feet. Also built for the 1915-16 Exposition, along with the adjacent Lily Pond, the historic Botanical Building is one of the largest lath structures in the world. The view of the Botanical Building with the Lily Pond in the foreground is one of the most photographed scenes in Balboa Park.
The world-famous San Diego Zoo was established in the second year of this exposition (1916). Dr. Harry Wegeforth, a surgeon for the fair, conceived the idea of starting a zoo after hearing the roar of a lion, one of the few wild animals displayed in cages at the Exposition. Wegeforth became the San Diego Zoo's first president and remained in office until his death in 1941 Today the Zoo is home to more than 4,000 rare and endangered animals representing more than 800 species and subspecies-a world famous conservation organization where visitors view exotic animals in habitat environments.
Second World's Fair: The 1935-36 California Pacific International Exposition - More Art, Culture, Architecture and Gardens
The 1935-36 California Pacific International Exposition, held to boost the local economy during the depression, added other cultural organizations, structures and landscaping. Many of the buildings around the Pan American Plaza at the southern end of the Park were created for the 1935 Exposition and present a fascinating architectural history of the Southwest, from earlier Aztec influences through Mexican pueblo style to art deco and arte moderne.
The Palisades Area (southern end of Balboa Park)
The Palisades building (today housing the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater, a Recital hall and some offices), the Municipal Gymnasium and House of Pacific Relations delightful cottages are some of the buildings from 1935. Also, the California State Building (now housing the San Diego Automotive Museum), the Ford Building (San Diego Aerospace Museum) and the Federal Building (San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum) were added at this time. The Starlight Bowl, also constructed for the second exposition, is the home of the Starlight Theatre (San Diego Civic Light Opera Association). [San Diego High has held numerous graduation ceremonies in the Bowl.]
The renowned Old Globe
The internationally acclaimed, Tony Award-winning Old Globe, one of the most esteemed regional theaters in the country, was founded in 1935. Today The Old Globe boasts three unique venues: the historic Old Globe Theatre (originally built for the 1935 exposition); the intimate Cassius Carter Centre Stage; and the outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre.
The House of Hospitality Building
The National Historic Landmark House of Hospitality, built to be the centerpiece of the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition, was remodeled to add the inner courtyard for the 1935-36 California Pacific International Exposition. It is a magnificent example of Spanish-Renaissance architecture.
Spanish Village Art Center
Also built for the 1935-36 California-Pacific International Exposition, the Spanish Village Art Center now houses 35 working art studios in a charming setting that re-creates the feeling of a town square in Spain.
1935 Gardens
Zoro Gardens located just east of the Museum of Photographic Arts and now butterfly garden, was an adult-only attraction in 1935-a nudist colony. Alcazar Garden, named because its design is patterned after the gardens of Alcazar Castle in Seville, Spain, lies adjacent to the Mingei Museum. It is known for its ornate fountains, exquisite turquoise blue, yellow, and green Moorish tiles and shady pergola.
The Palisades Area (southern end of Balboa Park)
The Palisades building (today housing the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater, a Recital hall and some offices), the Municipal Gymnasium and House of Pacific Relations delightful cottages are some of the buildings from 1935. Also, the California State Building (now housing the San Diego Automotive Museum), the Ford Building (San Diego Aerospace Museum) and the Federal Building (San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum) were added at this time. The Starlight Bowl, also constructed for the second exposition, is the home of the Starlight Theatre (San Diego Civic Light Opera Association). [San Diego High has held numerous graduation ceremonies in the Bowl.]
The renowned Old Globe
The internationally acclaimed, Tony Award-winning Old Globe, one of the most esteemed regional theaters in the country, was founded in 1935. Today The Old Globe boasts three unique venues: the historic Old Globe Theatre (originally built for the 1935 exposition); the intimate Cassius Carter Centre Stage; and the outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre.
The House of Hospitality Building
The National Historic Landmark House of Hospitality, built to be the centerpiece of the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition, was remodeled to add the inner courtyard for the 1935-36 California Pacific International Exposition. It is a magnificent example of Spanish-Renaissance architecture.
Spanish Village Art Center
Also built for the 1935-36 California-Pacific International Exposition, the Spanish Village Art Center now houses 35 working art studios in a charming setting that re-creates the feeling of a town square in Spain.
1935 Gardens
Zoro Gardens located just east of the Museum of Photographic Arts and now butterfly garden, was an adult-only attraction in 1935-a nudist colony. Alcazar Garden, named because its design is patterned after the gardens of Alcazar Castle in Seville, Spain, lies adjacent to the Mingei Museum. It is known for its ornate fountains, exquisite turquoise blue, yellow, and green Moorish tiles and shady pergola.
Fishing Industry Needed Canneries
Bob talked about their mom working in one of the canneries. There were three big ones. He said that most of the workers were women and because of the stinky work, they usually smelled badly. The fish smell was very difficult to remove after working in it all shift long. When the tuna boats would come into port, a big horn or whistle would blow. The cannery workers would go in to work. The fresh fish had to be processed immediately.
Patrocina had Anglocized her name to Patricia by the time she worked in the cannery and was usually called Pat by her coworkers. Bob said that she would not let on at work that she spoke or understood English. (Interview March 2012)
On Ruben's enrollment card for SDHS, while his father, Pedro is listed, the occupation "Cannery" referred to their mother. Pedro worked in lumber yards and mines.
Patrocina had Anglocized her name to Patricia by the time she worked in the cannery and was usually called Pat by her coworkers. Bob said that she would not let on at work that she spoke or understood English. (Interview March 2012)
On Ruben's enrollment card for SDHS, while his father, Pedro is listed, the occupation "Cannery" referred to their mother. Pedro worked in lumber yards and mines.
San Diego and the Depression
13 million people were unemployed. The home building dropped by 80% during the Great Depression.
11,000 of the 25,000 banks had failed.
People were out of jobs and, in fact, the word hobo back then was not necessarily somebody who was a tramp or something that was derogatory, they were wandering men by the millions, and sometimes women and children, looking for jobs and for handouts in the back of restaurants and – and homes. And people did give handouts and they did little odd jobs around the house.
And for women it was particularly hard because married women were denied jobs; they were fired if people discovered that women were married. Single women were not given the relief programs and so it was very difficult for people to make do because they were mostly doing without. Just to give you an idea of how vitriolic it was about women, t they saw women as taking away men's jobs. One congressman called women 'undeserving parasites' if they're married and they're trying to get a job and take a job away from a family wage earner, a man.
11,000 of the 25,000 banks had failed.
People were out of jobs and, in fact, the word hobo back then was not necessarily somebody who was a tramp or something that was derogatory, they were wandering men by the millions, and sometimes women and children, looking for jobs and for handouts in the back of restaurants and – and homes. And people did give handouts and they did little odd jobs around the house.
And for women it was particularly hard because married women were denied jobs; they were fired if people discovered that women were married. Single women were not given the relief programs and so it was very difficult for people to make do because they were mostly doing without. Just to give you an idea of how vitriolic it was about women, t they saw women as taking away men's jobs. One congressman called women 'undeserving parasites' if they're married and they're trying to get a job and take a job away from a family wage earner, a man.
Discrimination was Alive and Flourishing in San Diego in the 1930s and 1940s
KKK
During the 1920's, San Diego, along with many other Southwestern cities and towns, witnessed a new emergence of the Ku Klux Klan, a rebirth of the older secret organization that, in the nineteenth century, had targeted newly freed slaves in the South.
The new Klan of the 1920s was a racist as well as a anti-immigrant organization targeting new immigrants and Jews as well as African Americans.
In San Diego, the Ku Klux Klan particularly targeted Mexican immigrants. Thousand of Mexican newcomers were crossing into California every year lured by the demand for laborers in the fields and in the newly developed suburbs. There the Mexicans encountered other immigrants, white Midwestern Protestants, who were eager to find fortune in the west. For many of these white immigrants the Klan, as well as fundamentalist religious organizations, offered a solution for the anxieties they felt as they encountered a new environment and new peoples.
School Segregation
The history of school desegregation legislation in the United States is not often associated with the Mexican community in Southern California and is usually thought to have begun with the 1954 landmark Supreme Court case of Brown vs. the Topeka school board. It has recently come to light that the earliest court cases concerning school desegregation occurred in the Southwest and California in the 1930s. In these cases, Mexican immigrants and their communities were the targeted groups of segregation by school officials.
During the 1920's, San Diego, along with many other Southwestern cities and towns, witnessed a new emergence of the Ku Klux Klan, a rebirth of the older secret organization that, in the nineteenth century, had targeted newly freed slaves in the South.
The new Klan of the 1920s was a racist as well as a anti-immigrant organization targeting new immigrants and Jews as well as African Americans.
In San Diego, the Ku Klux Klan particularly targeted Mexican immigrants. Thousand of Mexican newcomers were crossing into California every year lured by the demand for laborers in the fields and in the newly developed suburbs. There the Mexicans encountered other immigrants, white Midwestern Protestants, who were eager to find fortune in the west. For many of these white immigrants the Klan, as well as fundamentalist religious organizations, offered a solution for the anxieties they felt as they encountered a new environment and new peoples.
School Segregation
The history of school desegregation legislation in the United States is not often associated with the Mexican community in Southern California and is usually thought to have begun with the 1954 landmark Supreme Court case of Brown vs. the Topeka school board. It has recently come to light that the earliest court cases concerning school desegregation occurred in the Southwest and California in the 1930s. In these cases, Mexican immigrants and their communities were the targeted groups of segregation by school officials.
1930 Lemon Grove court case
KKK
El Congreso
NAACP
Buying Christian
KKK
El Congreso
NAACP
Buying Christian
US Navy and San Diego--The Right Port at the Right Place
Installation Information 2012
Naval Base San Diego is the principal homeport of the Pacific Fleet, consisting of 50 Navy ships, two Coast Guard cutters, six Military Sealift Command logistical support platforms, several research and auxiliary vessels, and the Navy's most advanced 21st century fleet platform known as the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). Naval Base San Diego is home to over 180 individual commands, each having specific and specialized fleet support purposes. The base itself is comprised of over 2,000 land acres and 326 acres of water, Naval Base San Diego also includes outlying entities like Commander, Navy Region Southwest headquarters located downtown San Diego and the Naval Medical Center in Balboa Park.
(Source: http://www.cnic.navy.mil/sandiego/ )
Naval Base San Diego is the principal homeport of the Pacific Fleet, consisting of 50 Navy ships, two Coast Guard cutters, six Military Sealift Command logistical support platforms, several research and auxiliary vessels, and the Navy's most advanced 21st century fleet platform known as the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). Naval Base San Diego is home to over 180 individual commands, each having specific and specialized fleet support purposes. The base itself is comprised of over 2,000 land acres and 326 acres of water, Naval Base San Diego also includes outlying entities like Commander, Navy Region Southwest headquarters located downtown San Diego and the Naval Medical Center in Balboa Park.
(Source: http://www.cnic.navy.mil/sandiego/ )
WW II Comes to San Diego
By Lucinda Eddy
All photos from this article--photos are referenced below where appropriate. You may see them all by clicking "All photos..." or individual numbers as they appear below. They are well worth seeing.
Prior to 1940, San Diego had established its reputation as a quiet residential community of retired Midwesterners and Naval officers. Two international expositions in 1915 and 1935 showcased the city and drew nationwide attention to San Diego's ideal climate, scenic beaches and many points of historic interest. Both expositions also promoted the economic opportunities available through development of the city's natural, land-locked harbor, but in spite of the efforts of earlier generations to create a great commercial port, San Diego failed to develop a strong industrial base. Naval expenditures, tourism and real estate accounted for a sizable share of the city's economy, but growth continued at a leisurely pace and San Diegans largely promoted their town as the "Ideal Home City".
In the late 1930s, sunny San Diego still seemed light years away from the gloom which had spread across Europe and Asia, as war engulfed both continents and threatened to erupt into a full global conflict. Although Americans remained determined to avoid any direct intervention, the certainty of a second world war drew steadily closer. By 1940, San Diegans began to feel the impact of worldwide events as local industry responded in order to supply allied nations with badly needed equipment and planes for their defense. The military beefed up their operations as well. Suddenly and dramatically, life in San Diego changed.
Almost overnight San Diego was transformed from a sleepy border town to a teeming wartime metropolis. Life Magazine and other national publications referred to San Diego as a "boom-town," but the Saturday Evening Post best described the tremendous changes taking place as the "Blitz-Boom." San Diego's major defense industry, aircraft, met the challenges of expanded production and began 24-hour, 7-day a week operations. Advertisements nationwide brought thousands of workers into the city to supply the needs of the defense plants. Already San Diego claimed the Navy's largest air base and the city's harbor housed the repair and operations base for many of the Navy's major aircraft carriers. U. S. Army and Marine Corps camps sprang up throughout the county to train the large numbers of incoming soldiers. The influx of civilian and military personnel caused the city's population to soar. By summer, 1941, the population had increased from 203,000, to more than 300,000, surpassing in little more than a year the projected growth for the next two decades.
Although attention was largely focused on the war in Europe, aggressive action in the Pacific made many residents on the West Coast uneasy. Numerous false alarms occurred throughout the summer and fall of 1941, however, most people still believed a surprise attack was unlikely.
On Sunday, December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Stunned San Diegans listened to initial news reports about the extent of damage to the Pacific Fleet and the loss of life. Days would pass before the true losses were known. In the meantime, local residents heard conflicting and frightening accounts of death and ruin. The knowledge that San Diego lay as exposed and physically unprepared as Hawaii caused near panic as civilian and military authorities scrambled into action to defend the city and coast. Authorities were frustrated by emergency plans which proved to be uncoordinated and impossible to implement. The only defensive measure to succeed on that fateful Sunday was closure of the harbor.
With President Roosevelt's official declaration of war, San Diego quickly mobilized to defend the city and its surrounding coastal communities. Military bases and camps expanded still further as tens of thousands of young men and women arrived for training before going overseas. Aircraft industries set records for wartime production and residents organized civil defense programs throughout the county. When rationing went into effect, in 1942, San Diegans, like Americans everywhere, did their part by learning to make do with less. Citizens planned scrap metal and paper drives so that vital materials could be recycled for war production and bought war bonds to help finance the cost of the war. They volunteered for the Red Cross and local USO, served as enemy spotters for the Navy and opened their homes to countless young men and women away from home for the first time.
San Diego was a city bursting at the seams. Between 1943 and 1944, San Diego's permanent and temporary population had reached nearly half a million. The impact on city services affected housing, transportation and schools. An overburdened sewage system coupled with drought, created serious water shortages. San Diego's former reputation as a town for retirees changed radically as a large, youthful population filled city streets day and night, creating a carnival-like atmosphere. Uniforms and defense company badges replaced the conservative business attire of pre-war days. Well-to-do residents now crowded onto streetcars with factory workers as gas and tire rationing made public transportation a necessity. This sudden transformation left many old-time San Diegans dazed. In spite of the many wartime shortages, a population explosion and a city turned upside down, spirits and patriotism ran high as local citizens and the military united to support and defend the homefront.
Victory in the Pacific finally brought an end to the war. On August 14, 1945, San Diegans launched a spontaneous celebration following the news that Japan had surrendered. VJ-Day signalled the end to one of the most difficult and exciting periods in the city's history. San Diegans looked forward to life returning to normal, but, in fact, nothing would ever be quite the same again. The city's image as a sleepy border town had vanished into memory.
Blitz-Boom
Consolidated Aircraft Corporation moved west from Buffalo, New York in the mid-1930s. San Diego's ideal climate, the availability of land and the city's growing reputation as a center for Naval and aviation operations, appealed to Consolidated's founder and president, Major Reuben H. Fleet. He began with a small plant and 757 employees. With the "Blitz-Boom" came expanded facilities and a work force of more than 16,500. Employment reached its height in 1943 with 45,000 workers. During the war years, Consolidated produced 33,000 planes at its various locations, the best known being the B-24 Liberator bombers and the PBY Catalina flying boats.
Production of the B-24 Liberator bomber began during the "Blitz-Boom." B-24s served mainly as heavy bombers, capable of flying on long missions. Some also came equipped to function as troop transports and cargo planes, fuel tankers, or photo reconnaissance planes. In both the European and the Pacific fronts, the Liberator played a significant role in allied air assaults because of its ability to cover the great distances between bases and targets.
As the war progressed, nearly 18,000 B-24 bombers rolled off the assembly line, more than half at Consolidated Aircraft plants. The San Diego plant produced 6,724 of these. Production schedules during the first eight months of 1944, set new records with the completion of eleven bombers each day! Consolidated workers celebrated when the 5,000 B-24 came off the line by autographing the entire body of the plane.
The versatility of the Catalina made it popular not only as a patrol bomber, but useful, too for photo reconnaissance missions in the Pacific. Catalinas played a pivotal role in the Battle of Midway, but distinguished themselves in the Atlantic Theatre, as well, where they flew cover for shipping convoys and patrolled for enemy submarines.
Photos: 54 ~ 55 ~ 56 ~ 57 ~ 58 ~ 59 ~ 60 ~ 61 ~ 62 ~ 63 ~ 64 ~ 65 ~ 66 ~ 67 ~ 68 ~ 69 ~ 70
A Day Which Will Live in Infamy
The photos listed below show local newspaper coverage of the bombing of Pearl Harbor and how San Diego was effected by the war such as nets across the entrance to the harbor by Point Loma, restricted areas of the city, camouflage of defense buildings, civil defense precautions, how museums removed valuable pieces for protection, and Balboa Park was mostly taken over by the military.
Photos: 71 ~ 72 ~ 73 ~ 74 ~ 75 ~ 76
Winning the War with Propaganda
The photos below are excellent examples of how propaganda was used in San Diego and across the USA
Photos: 77 ~ 78 ~ 79 ~ 80 ~ 81 ~ 82
Paying for the War
The United States' entrance into World War II came with a hefty price tag. After the lean years of the Great Depression, the government's ability to shoulder the high cost of war was limited. While half of the financing came from taxes, the remainder was obtained through loans. The sale of war bonds to individuals, business and industry, enabled the government to borrow most of the money it needed. Between 1942 and 1945, the government launched eight war loan drives, eventually totaling $135 billion in war bond sales.
Photos: 83 ~ 84
Doing Without
A wartime economy meant Americans would have to make do with less.
The purchase of war bonds gave everyone a chance to do their part to win the war. Americans saved as never before with the belief that each war bond brought the United States closer to victory. Every sector of the community contributed as nationwide promotional campaigns filled magazines, newspapers, billboards and the radio air waves. In San Diego, retail stores did their part to promote the sale of bonds. This San Diego Union ad for Walker Scott's Department Store features war bonds as the perfect holiday gift.
The rapid expansion of armed forces, coupled with the conversion of industry to war production, resulted in the necessity to ration many goods used by civilians on the homefront. Concerns about hoarding, price gouging and black markets led the government in 1942 to establish a national rationing system for all consumer products in short supply. Automobiles, tires, gasoline, food items, women's silk and nylon hosiery, cloth, leather, shoes and appliances were just some of the shortages San Diegans experiences. Even youngsters were not spared as bicycles disappeared along with shiny, metal toy trucks and cars.
Rationing boards established in communities across the United States issued books of ration stamps based upon an individual's qualifications. Here, San Diegans file applications for gas ration stamps. Applicants received a sticker for their vehicle marked "A", "B","C", or "I". These stickers indicated the amount of fuel a person could purchase each month and had to be displayed at all times on the vehicle's windshield. Gas station attendants verified stickers before the customer could buy fuel. Individuals who used their cars to take others to work or whose jobs were considered vital to the war effort, received "B" or "C" stickers and a larger allotment of gas. The average San Diegan was issued an "N" sticker which meant about four gallons per week. Gas rationing closed many parks and tourist attractions, eliminated travel except for emergencies and ended this nation's love affair with the automobile.
Many food items like butter, sugar, coffee, chocolate and red meat were rationed to ensure the troops overseas had enough to eat. Government set the standards for an individual's basic requirements and food rationing stamps were issued accordingly. Everyone registered for stamps including infants. Sugar was in such short supply that special sugar coupons were issued, good for a limited time. San Diegans did not see plentiful supplies of sugar on grocery shelves until well after the end of the war. Shortages made people frugal and many wartime cookbooks offered recipes for meatless dishes and suggestions for stretching one's meat points to get the most out of cheaper and more available cuts of meat. Sugarless desserts were especially popular.
Photos: 85 ~ 86 ~ 87 ~ 88 ~ 89 ~ 90 ~ 91
Doing Our Part
Scrap drives proved to be a popular means for local civilians to do their part to help the War effort. Paper, metal and rubber were all important materials that could be recycled for use in industry again.
Photos: 92 ~ 93 ~ 94
Women Go to War
Prior to World War II, most women did not work. Those who did held jobs in traditional fields as school teachers, secretaries and nurses. In 1941, Consolidated Aircraft hired an initial group of forty women who performed light tasks such as sewing, wiring and simple assembly.
Photos: 95 ~ 96 ~ 97 ~ 98 ~ 99 ~ 100 ~ 101
A City Bursting at the Seams
Gas rationing made public transportation a necessity. Both streetcars and buses shored downtown city streets during the war. The San Diego Electric Railway Company imported used vehicles from across the nation to handle the overflow of military and civilian passengers. This view taken near the corner of Fourth and Broadway, shows modern buses and a vintage streetcar operating side by side. page 102
The San Diego Electric Railway Company also faced a critical shortage of drivers. Many former employees had joined the armed forces, leaving serious vacancies. The company used a variety of patriotic appeals to encourage potential job applicants including women. page 103
Crowded downtown restaurants made long waiting lines a frequent occurrence in spite of an increase in local eateries. San Diego's wartime population surpassed the ability of restaurateurs to keep pace. Oftentimes, hungry patrons would finally reach the door only to be turned away because there was no food left. page 104
In spite of shortages, San Diegans responded to the impact of war amazingly well. The region's climate, open space and the sense of patriotism generated by a strong military presence, significantly boosted the morale of natives and newcomers and made life tolerable during the most difficult of times.
Police departments faced critical manpower shortages as the city spread rapidly outward and new communities sprang up overnight. Fortunately, crime did not escalate with the increase in population. The San Diego Police Department actually spent less time engaged in handling criminal matters than they did issuing traffic citations and parking violations on the city's crowded streets. page 105
San Diego's military presence made a strong visual impact downtown where pedestrians in uniform far out numbered the civilian population.
Much to the dismay of civic leaders, city government lost valuable tax reenues from lands appropriated by the military, but had to expand services to accomodate growth that had not been anticipated for another twenty years.
The Journal of San Diego History, SAN DIEGO HISTORICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY
Spring 1993, Volume 39, Numbers 1 & 2 Richard W. Crawford, Editor
All photos from this article--photos are referenced below where appropriate. You may see them all by clicking "All photos..." or individual numbers as they appear below. They are well worth seeing.
Prior to 1940, San Diego had established its reputation as a quiet residential community of retired Midwesterners and Naval officers. Two international expositions in 1915 and 1935 showcased the city and drew nationwide attention to San Diego's ideal climate, scenic beaches and many points of historic interest. Both expositions also promoted the economic opportunities available through development of the city's natural, land-locked harbor, but in spite of the efforts of earlier generations to create a great commercial port, San Diego failed to develop a strong industrial base. Naval expenditures, tourism and real estate accounted for a sizable share of the city's economy, but growth continued at a leisurely pace and San Diegans largely promoted their town as the "Ideal Home City".
In the late 1930s, sunny San Diego still seemed light years away from the gloom which had spread across Europe and Asia, as war engulfed both continents and threatened to erupt into a full global conflict. Although Americans remained determined to avoid any direct intervention, the certainty of a second world war drew steadily closer. By 1940, San Diegans began to feel the impact of worldwide events as local industry responded in order to supply allied nations with badly needed equipment and planes for their defense. The military beefed up their operations as well. Suddenly and dramatically, life in San Diego changed.
Almost overnight San Diego was transformed from a sleepy border town to a teeming wartime metropolis. Life Magazine and other national publications referred to San Diego as a "boom-town," but the Saturday Evening Post best described the tremendous changes taking place as the "Blitz-Boom." San Diego's major defense industry, aircraft, met the challenges of expanded production and began 24-hour, 7-day a week operations. Advertisements nationwide brought thousands of workers into the city to supply the needs of the defense plants. Already San Diego claimed the Navy's largest air base and the city's harbor housed the repair and operations base for many of the Navy's major aircraft carriers. U. S. Army and Marine Corps camps sprang up throughout the county to train the large numbers of incoming soldiers. The influx of civilian and military personnel caused the city's population to soar. By summer, 1941, the population had increased from 203,000, to more than 300,000, surpassing in little more than a year the projected growth for the next two decades.
Although attention was largely focused on the war in Europe, aggressive action in the Pacific made many residents on the West Coast uneasy. Numerous false alarms occurred throughout the summer and fall of 1941, however, most people still believed a surprise attack was unlikely.
On Sunday, December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Stunned San Diegans listened to initial news reports about the extent of damage to the Pacific Fleet and the loss of life. Days would pass before the true losses were known. In the meantime, local residents heard conflicting and frightening accounts of death and ruin. The knowledge that San Diego lay as exposed and physically unprepared as Hawaii caused near panic as civilian and military authorities scrambled into action to defend the city and coast. Authorities were frustrated by emergency plans which proved to be uncoordinated and impossible to implement. The only defensive measure to succeed on that fateful Sunday was closure of the harbor.
With President Roosevelt's official declaration of war, San Diego quickly mobilized to defend the city and its surrounding coastal communities. Military bases and camps expanded still further as tens of thousands of young men and women arrived for training before going overseas. Aircraft industries set records for wartime production and residents organized civil defense programs throughout the county. When rationing went into effect, in 1942, San Diegans, like Americans everywhere, did their part by learning to make do with less. Citizens planned scrap metal and paper drives so that vital materials could be recycled for war production and bought war bonds to help finance the cost of the war. They volunteered for the Red Cross and local USO, served as enemy spotters for the Navy and opened their homes to countless young men and women away from home for the first time.
San Diego was a city bursting at the seams. Between 1943 and 1944, San Diego's permanent and temporary population had reached nearly half a million. The impact on city services affected housing, transportation and schools. An overburdened sewage system coupled with drought, created serious water shortages. San Diego's former reputation as a town for retirees changed radically as a large, youthful population filled city streets day and night, creating a carnival-like atmosphere. Uniforms and defense company badges replaced the conservative business attire of pre-war days. Well-to-do residents now crowded onto streetcars with factory workers as gas and tire rationing made public transportation a necessity. This sudden transformation left many old-time San Diegans dazed. In spite of the many wartime shortages, a population explosion and a city turned upside down, spirits and patriotism ran high as local citizens and the military united to support and defend the homefront.
Victory in the Pacific finally brought an end to the war. On August 14, 1945, San Diegans launched a spontaneous celebration following the news that Japan had surrendered. VJ-Day signalled the end to one of the most difficult and exciting periods in the city's history. San Diegans looked forward to life returning to normal, but, in fact, nothing would ever be quite the same again. The city's image as a sleepy border town had vanished into memory.
Blitz-Boom
Consolidated Aircraft Corporation moved west from Buffalo, New York in the mid-1930s. San Diego's ideal climate, the availability of land and the city's growing reputation as a center for Naval and aviation operations, appealed to Consolidated's founder and president, Major Reuben H. Fleet. He began with a small plant and 757 employees. With the "Blitz-Boom" came expanded facilities and a work force of more than 16,500. Employment reached its height in 1943 with 45,000 workers. During the war years, Consolidated produced 33,000 planes at its various locations, the best known being the B-24 Liberator bombers and the PBY Catalina flying boats.
Production of the B-24 Liberator bomber began during the "Blitz-Boom." B-24s served mainly as heavy bombers, capable of flying on long missions. Some also came equipped to function as troop transports and cargo planes, fuel tankers, or photo reconnaissance planes. In both the European and the Pacific fronts, the Liberator played a significant role in allied air assaults because of its ability to cover the great distances between bases and targets.
As the war progressed, nearly 18,000 B-24 bombers rolled off the assembly line, more than half at Consolidated Aircraft plants. The San Diego plant produced 6,724 of these. Production schedules during the first eight months of 1944, set new records with the completion of eleven bombers each day! Consolidated workers celebrated when the 5,000 B-24 came off the line by autographing the entire body of the plane.
The versatility of the Catalina made it popular not only as a patrol bomber, but useful, too for photo reconnaissance missions in the Pacific. Catalinas played a pivotal role in the Battle of Midway, but distinguished themselves in the Atlantic Theatre, as well, where they flew cover for shipping convoys and patrolled for enemy submarines.
Photos: 54 ~ 55 ~ 56 ~ 57 ~ 58 ~ 59 ~ 60 ~ 61 ~ 62 ~ 63 ~ 64 ~ 65 ~ 66 ~ 67 ~ 68 ~ 69 ~ 70
A Day Which Will Live in Infamy
The photos listed below show local newspaper coverage of the bombing of Pearl Harbor and how San Diego was effected by the war such as nets across the entrance to the harbor by Point Loma, restricted areas of the city, camouflage of defense buildings, civil defense precautions, how museums removed valuable pieces for protection, and Balboa Park was mostly taken over by the military.
Photos: 71 ~ 72 ~ 73 ~ 74 ~ 75 ~ 76
Winning the War with Propaganda
The photos below are excellent examples of how propaganda was used in San Diego and across the USA
Photos: 77 ~ 78 ~ 79 ~ 80 ~ 81 ~ 82
Paying for the War
The United States' entrance into World War II came with a hefty price tag. After the lean years of the Great Depression, the government's ability to shoulder the high cost of war was limited. While half of the financing came from taxes, the remainder was obtained through loans. The sale of war bonds to individuals, business and industry, enabled the government to borrow most of the money it needed. Between 1942 and 1945, the government launched eight war loan drives, eventually totaling $135 billion in war bond sales.
Photos: 83 ~ 84
Doing Without
A wartime economy meant Americans would have to make do with less.
The purchase of war bonds gave everyone a chance to do their part to win the war. Americans saved as never before with the belief that each war bond brought the United States closer to victory. Every sector of the community contributed as nationwide promotional campaigns filled magazines, newspapers, billboards and the radio air waves. In San Diego, retail stores did their part to promote the sale of bonds. This San Diego Union ad for Walker Scott's Department Store features war bonds as the perfect holiday gift.
The rapid expansion of armed forces, coupled with the conversion of industry to war production, resulted in the necessity to ration many goods used by civilians on the homefront. Concerns about hoarding, price gouging and black markets led the government in 1942 to establish a national rationing system for all consumer products in short supply. Automobiles, tires, gasoline, food items, women's silk and nylon hosiery, cloth, leather, shoes and appliances were just some of the shortages San Diegans experiences. Even youngsters were not spared as bicycles disappeared along with shiny, metal toy trucks and cars.
Rationing boards established in communities across the United States issued books of ration stamps based upon an individual's qualifications. Here, San Diegans file applications for gas ration stamps. Applicants received a sticker for their vehicle marked "A", "B","C", or "I". These stickers indicated the amount of fuel a person could purchase each month and had to be displayed at all times on the vehicle's windshield. Gas station attendants verified stickers before the customer could buy fuel. Individuals who used their cars to take others to work or whose jobs were considered vital to the war effort, received "B" or "C" stickers and a larger allotment of gas. The average San Diegan was issued an "N" sticker which meant about four gallons per week. Gas rationing closed many parks and tourist attractions, eliminated travel except for emergencies and ended this nation's love affair with the automobile.
Many food items like butter, sugar, coffee, chocolate and red meat were rationed to ensure the troops overseas had enough to eat. Government set the standards for an individual's basic requirements and food rationing stamps were issued accordingly. Everyone registered for stamps including infants. Sugar was in such short supply that special sugar coupons were issued, good for a limited time. San Diegans did not see plentiful supplies of sugar on grocery shelves until well after the end of the war. Shortages made people frugal and many wartime cookbooks offered recipes for meatless dishes and suggestions for stretching one's meat points to get the most out of cheaper and more available cuts of meat. Sugarless desserts were especially popular.
Photos: 85 ~ 86 ~ 87 ~ 88 ~ 89 ~ 90 ~ 91
Doing Our Part
Scrap drives proved to be a popular means for local civilians to do their part to help the War effort. Paper, metal and rubber were all important materials that could be recycled for use in industry again.
Photos: 92 ~ 93 ~ 94
Women Go to War
Prior to World War II, most women did not work. Those who did held jobs in traditional fields as school teachers, secretaries and nurses. In 1941, Consolidated Aircraft hired an initial group of forty women who performed light tasks such as sewing, wiring and simple assembly.
Photos: 95 ~ 96 ~ 97 ~ 98 ~ 99 ~ 100 ~ 101
A City Bursting at the Seams
Gas rationing made public transportation a necessity. Both streetcars and buses shored downtown city streets during the war. The San Diego Electric Railway Company imported used vehicles from across the nation to handle the overflow of military and civilian passengers. This view taken near the corner of Fourth and Broadway, shows modern buses and a vintage streetcar operating side by side. page 102
The San Diego Electric Railway Company also faced a critical shortage of drivers. Many former employees had joined the armed forces, leaving serious vacancies. The company used a variety of patriotic appeals to encourage potential job applicants including women. page 103
Crowded downtown restaurants made long waiting lines a frequent occurrence in spite of an increase in local eateries. San Diego's wartime population surpassed the ability of restaurateurs to keep pace. Oftentimes, hungry patrons would finally reach the door only to be turned away because there was no food left. page 104
In spite of shortages, San Diegans responded to the impact of war amazingly well. The region's climate, open space and the sense of patriotism generated by a strong military presence, significantly boosted the morale of natives and newcomers and made life tolerable during the most difficult of times.
Police departments faced critical manpower shortages as the city spread rapidly outward and new communities sprang up overnight. Fortunately, crime did not escalate with the increase in population. The San Diego Police Department actually spent less time engaged in handling criminal matters than they did issuing traffic citations and parking violations on the city's crowded streets. page 105
San Diego's military presence made a strong visual impact downtown where pedestrians in uniform far out numbered the civilian population.
Much to the dismay of civic leaders, city government lost valuable tax reenues from lands appropriated by the military, but had to expand services to accomodate growth that had not been anticipated for another twenty years.
The Journal of San Diego History, SAN DIEGO HISTORICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY
Spring 1993, Volume 39, Numbers 1 & 2 Richard W. Crawford, Editor
World War II Era Balboa Park
Most of the buildings on the Central Mesa were taken over by the U.S. Navy-extensions of Balboa Naval Hospital. For example, the House of Hospitality became a nurses' dormitory; 400 beds were placed in the San Diego Museum of Art.
Source: http://www.woofsd.com/Balboa-Park.html
Source: http://www.woofsd.com/Balboa-Park.html
Balboa Park Post WW II
Post-WWII
On Christmas Day, 1946, the California Tower carillon was installed. The chimes are still heard across the Park on every quarter hour. In 1948 the San Diego Junior Theatre, the oldest youth theatre program in the United States, was established and the Starlight Theatre began performing Broadway musicals in the former Ford Bowl. Junior Theater still exists; Starlight Theatre closed productions after 65 years. Starlight hopes to reorganize and reopen.
On Christmas Day, 1946, the California Tower carillon was installed. The chimes are still heard across the Park on every quarter hour. In 1948 the San Diego Junior Theatre, the oldest youth theatre program in the United States, was established and the Starlight Theatre began performing Broadway musicals in the former Ford Bowl. Junior Theater still exists; Starlight Theatre closed productions after 65 years. Starlight hopes to reorganize and reopen.