So why does George White Marston deserve his own post? #1 is there would be no Balboa Park nor Presidio Park without his drive, finance, sensibilities, historic insights, etc. He is alone in the foundation of San Diego with the drive and desire (and money)in preserving the founding of San Diego and preservation of the efforts of the Friar – Father Junipero Serra - and provided the seed money to establish Balboa Park. Indeed he is “San Diego’s First Citizen”.
As reported by myself and Good Times Rolling Marston used his own funds to purchase the old Spanish Presidio with the sole intent of preserving its history. Once the property was acquired the Serra Museum was built. He then gave it all to the people of San Diego as a remembrance of their history.
Fran and I did a loop to the Marston House a few weeks ago, but the weather did not permit all that is available on that loop. The pictures are a mixture from that trip and the one today.
We’ll start our loop from Spanish Village and loosely follow trials #4 and #5. The numbered trails within the park are on the park trails webpage.
We follow the pathway along the Prado. There are some BIG changes planned for here that are now funded! The big change is traffic will routed around the Plaza de Panama as seen here in front of the fountain.
The ‘Plan’ is to route traffic off the Cabrillo Bridge via what is now the Archery Range to a parking garage behind the Organ Pavilion.
You can see the plan proposals by following the links:
Voice of San Diego
Save Our Heritage Organization
Plaza de Panama Project
My vote is to simply close off Cabrillo Bridge to traffic! And add a trolley stop.
Within the ‘Founders Plaza’ exhibit Marston is shown as the ‘Champion of the Park’, while Morse and Horton are the ‘Promoters and Developers’. Kate Sessions is across as the botanist and drive behind Balboa Park.
From the Marston House we chose to make a loop over 163 and back to our parking spot near Spanish Village.
This is an easy hike on mostly paved walkways. Balboa Park has more than 65 miles of trails, it’ll take a few more visits to document them.
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