20090327 San Diego Day 2--Old Town San Diego

Old Town San Diego是聖地牙哥的起源地

San Diego is the site of the first permanent Spanish settlement in California. It was here in 1769, that Father Junipero Serra came to establish the very first mission in a chain of 21 missions that were to be the cornerstone of California’s colonization. Father Serra’s mission and Presidio were built on a hillside overlooking what is currently known as Old Town San Diego. (最早是西班牙殖民地)

At the base of the hill in 1820’s, a small Mexican community of adobe buildings was formed and by 1835 had attained the status of El Pueblo de San Diego. （1820年墨西哥人戰勝了西班牙人,聖地牙哥又歸墨西哥人所有)

直到1846年美國海軍在Old Town插上了美國國旗,San Diego才成為加州的一個城市

Old Town San Diego保留了當年建築物的風貌:教堂、馬車、住家和商店....店員也都穿著古代服裝,就好像走進時光隧道一樣

--Mason Street Schoolhouse （聖地牙哥的第一所公立小學)

Built in 1865, the Mason Street School is southern California's first publicly owned schoolhouse. The schoolhouse was built out of salvaged lumber. Notice no two boards appear to be the same width or length. San Diego Historical Days Association now operates the historical landmark.

遇到好多小學的field trip,老師會跟小朋友講解當年上課的一些情形(嗚.....可惜我聽過就忘了orz)

--Casa de Estudillo （當年的貴族人家)

聽說還是棟鬼屋哩（有興趣的人可以點我看英文介紹)

Constructed in 1825 as the home of Don Jose Antonio de Estudillo, a Spanish aristocrat. It became a sanctuary for women and children during the American occupation in 1846. For a number of years it was incorrectly identified as "Ramona's Marriage Place" from Helen Hunt Jackson's "Ramona". The adobe structure is considered to be one of Old Town's outstanding show places.

La Casa de Estudillo was turned over to a caretaker in 1887 who sold its tiles, locks, doors and windows. In 1910 architect Hazel W. Waterman supervised the restoration of the house with funds provided by the Spreckels family.