Balboa Park History, Travel Information, Hotels, Fare, Geography, Facts And More
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PERSONAL INFORMATION
NAME
Balboa Park
COUNTRY
America
ADDRESS
San Diego, CA, United States
BALBOA PARK PICTURE
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About Balboa Park
Balboa Park is a cultural oasis with historical significance. It is one of North America's most iconic urban parks and a must-see on any visit to San Diego. It is a place where nature, art, and science collide. It is home to over 16 museums, performing arts venues, the famous San Diego zoo, beautiful gardens, and other recreational attractions.
Some Lesser Known Facts About Balboa Park
- The breathtakingly beautiful Balboa Park is spread over 1200 acres, its 17 gardens and 16 museums are enough to overwhelm nature-lovers and lovers of history. One can spend an entire day exploring the premises and engaging in recreational activities, hopping from one museum to another, or grabbing a bite at its numerous venues and shopping at the lovely gift shops. At night, one may go to the cinema or visit the haunted trail! There are countless things to do and never a dull moment.
- Its history goes back to the year 1867, when a man namely, Alonzo Horton bought around 800 acres of land. He then convinced the city to dedicate 1400 acres to a city park, which was called, lacking quite the creativity, The "City Park." Officials then later changed it to Balboa park, for Vasco Nunez de Balboa, the first European to see the Pacific ocean in the year 1910.
- The Beatles, an infamous British rock band, played a gig at the Balboa Stadium in the year 1965. Also, the Rolling Stones made their debut as well after their first record was released in 1964, they performed at the Starlight Bowl.
- The San Diego zoo has a mischief-maker by the name of Ken Allen, an orangutan who has escaped the zoo thrice! The zookeepers had to go undercover to discover how he managed to do it. Talk about jailbreak.
- During WWII, the plans for construction or any development at the park were put on hold and the grounds were named "Camp Kidd", after an admiral named Isaac Kidd who was killed in Pearl Harbor. The site was used as a hospital, for training and living quarters.
- The trees at the Park were planted by a renowned American landscape architect, botanists, plantswoman, and gardener Kate Sessions. A floral feast for your senses awaits in the gardens. The cactus garden contains some of the largest cactus and succulent specimens in the park and has also been developed to include the exotic African and Australian Protea plants. The botanical building features over 1000 permanent plants like cycads, ferns, orchids, other tropical plants, and palms.
- In the post-war time of 1940, the carillon in the California Tower was added as a new installment. It chimes the time every quarter-hour. In the 1970s the Timken Museum of Art was established along with the Centro Cultural de la Raza. The exposition's Food and Beverage Building was rebuilt and reopened in 1971 as Casa del Prado977. The site has also been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- With the buzzing of visitors within the buildings, some crime and misconduct were brought to light in the 1980s. Reports of arson and vandalism and cases of rape and murder would, unfortunately, take place at the park. These turbulent times led the American singer/songwriter Bruce Springsteen to write a song called "Balboa Park." A young woman was a victim of rape and murder at the park in June 1986. Another was shot and two more people murdered. This forced the officials to increase surveillance and hire park rangers to better monitor the site.
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