Neighborhood Walk: Golden Hill

About Golden Hill

Golden Hill is one of San Diego’s most historic and architecturally eclectic zones, with many pre-1900 homes and apartments. In the 1910s, it became one of the many San Diego neighborhoods connected by the Class 1 streetcars and an extensive San Diego public transit system that was spurred by the Panama-California Exposition of 1915 and built by John D. Spreckels.

These streetcars became a fixture of this neighborhood until their retirement in 1939. Street cars, the number 2 line operated until the mid-1950s.

As the 1978 official historic designation report notes, “Experimentation was the hallmark of turn of the century architecture and it was during this period” that the area was developed and came to reflect a “certain American confusion of taste.”

This is because “no individual designer was exclusively responsible for the architectural trend so strongly represented throughout much of Greater Golden Hill.”

For this reason, you can expect to see a variety of styles: Victorian, classical revival, Craftsman, Mission Style, California bungalow, “oriental” influence, Swiss chalet, Tudor, Art Deco, postmodern contemporary, and eclectic mixtures of various styles.

Personal Experience

So this is a slightly random post, but being a huge lover of beautiful architecture I felt I needed to share these gems with you. These photos were taken from my car and rather inconspicuously so please don’t mind the poor shots.

Golden Hill and South Park are brimming with amazing Victorian-esque homes. If you don’t live in the area, there are many cute cafés nearby to grab a bite and then take a stroll or cruise around the neighborhoods. You’ll feel like you stepped into another era for a moment, or at least a different city!