Our Neighborhood Stories: A History of Four Neighborhoods - Old Town

The Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Knox Library proudly presents a series of programs highlighting the rich history of the neighborhoods in the Uptown area, in partnership with the Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Knox Friends of the Library, and the San Diego History Center. Bring your passion for history and community to these interactive and thought-provoking conversations about our communities.

Old Town: Before it was the second largest city in California, San Diego was native land, and then a small Mexican pueblo at the base of Presidio Hill. What we now know as Old Town San Diego developed slowly as people moved from the Presidio into the burgeoning town. Though the population rose and fell with the decades—reaching no more than about 700 people by California statehood in 1850—Old Town remains a center of San Diego community and history. This presentation explores Old Town’s layered past, one of pioneering, investment, and shared stories.