Join the Save Our Heritage Organization to learn about the unique character of San Diego’s historic neighborhoods through the eyes of impassioned writers and historians. Brought to life by esteemed local authors, Penning the Past promises to be an enriching exploration of San Diego’s architectural legacy and historical tapestry.  The series is free for SOHO members, $10 per lecture for non-members. Your participation supports SOHO’s mission of education and advocacy to preserve the historic architecture, sites, and cultural landscapes that surround us and add meaning to our daily lives. La Jolla by Carol Olten La Jolla, California, famously known as "The Jewel," is noted for its natural beauty and appealing Mediterranean-like climate. Magnificent sea cliffs and caves, bathing coves, and sandy beaches have attracted visitors, developers, and residents since the 1880s. By the early 1900s, a small community developed with artists congregating to the internationally known Green Dragon Colony. Newspaper heiress Ellen Browning Scripps and her half-sister Eliza Virginia established residences and became the community's renowned philanthropists. Many beautiful homes and institutions, along with a growing commercial district next to the sea, owe their designs to architect Irving Gill. Today La Jolla still attracts visitors from around the world and is home to the rich, the famous, the avant-garde, and intelligentsia. Author bio Author Carol Olten is the historian for the La Jolla Historical Society and a former journalist on subjects of art, film, history, and architecture. She is a longtime La Jolla resident and currently owns and resides in one of the community's oldest homes. Working with Heather Kuhn the society's archivist and curator she traced La Jolla's history with many rare and never before published photographs selected from the archives of the La Jolla Historical Society. Carol’s writing is educational, investigative, and intriguing, and covers a wide range of topics from the history of movie theaters in La Jolla to the development and construction of some of its most iconic historic buildings. This event is hosted by the Save Our Heritage Organization. For more information, questions, and registration, please contact the event organizer.

Join the Save Our Heritage Organization to learn about the unique character of San Diego’s historic neighborhoods through the eyes of impassioned writers and historians. Brought to life by esteemed local authors, Penning the Past promises to be an enriching exploration of San Diego’s architectural legacy and historical tapestry.  The series is free for SOHO members, $10 per lecture for non-members. Your participation supports SOHO’s mission of education and advocacy to preserve the historic architecture, sites, and cultural landscapes that surround us and add meaning to our daily lives. La Mesa by James Newland On February 16, 1912, La Mesa Springs, a community of 700 citrus farmers, home seekers, developers, and businessmen, incorporated into the City of La Mesa. Located among the rolling hills and mesa lands between San Diego and El Cajon, today's suburban city of over 56,000 is still renowned for its small-town character, featuring its historic village business district, family-friendly neighborhoods, good schools, and ample retail and recreational amenities. The area's centuries-old prehistory and history can be traced to the natural springs that attracted stockman Robert Allison in 1869. Allison Springs, later renamed, prospered and grew after the arrival of the railroad in 1889. After incorporation, the young city grew steadily, reaching 3,925 residents by 1940. Post World War II La Mesa exemplified the exponential suburban growth of the region, expanding to the north and west of the old downtown to accommodate 50,000-plus residents by 1980—all were attracted, as today, to the "Jewel of the Hills." Author bio Historian and planner for the California State Parks Department, James Newland has been a stalwart in the field of historic preservation since 1991, and is past president of the La Mesa History Center. He has an MA in public history from San Diego State, has authored four insightful books on local history—Cleveland National Forest, Grossmont Hospital: A Legacy of Community Service, Around Mt. Helix, and La Mesa—and has made countless contributions to our community's heritage. This event is hosted by the Save Our Heritage Organization. For more information, questions, and registration, please contact the event organizer.