50 Facts about the La Mesa History Center #34: Walking Tour
The historical photo plaque program was started as a joint effort between the History Center and the La Mesa Rotary to preserve and celebrate our community’s rich history. The plaques feature historic images from the La Mesa History Center’s collections that are laser-etched onto stainless steel panels that provide crisp reproductions for the public to enjoy when visiting our historic downtown village. Stop by the Archives on Saturdays from 1pm to 4pm to pick up a physical copy of the walking tour brochure or check out our new interactive version of the tour our the La Mesa History Center website. https://lamesahistory.com/la-mesa-historic-plaque-walking-tour/

12 Plaque Location on the Walking Tour
1. La Mesa Theatre (1926)
2. La Mesa Lemon Co. Store (1895/1912)
3. Bank of La Mesa Site (1909)
4. Hotel La Mesa (1908/1923)
5. Heller Building (1930)
6. SDG&E Building (1928)
7. Sheldon's Gas Station (1920)
8. Drew Ford Site (1927)
9. Wolf Building (1911)
10. Bank of Southern California (1927)
11. First National Bank/Piggly Wiggly Buildings (1942) (lost in 2020)
12. La Mesa Lumber/Chamber Building (1930)

Volunteers Needed for the 19th Annual La Mesa History Center Home Tour!

We're thrilled to announce the 19th Annual La Mesa History Center Home Tour, our biggest fundraiser and most anticipated event of the year! As we gear up for another incredible tour on Saturday, November 8th, we're looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help make this year a tremendous event.

Docent volunteers play a vital role in making the home tour a success. It's a fun, engaging way to give back to the community - and as a thank-you, all docents receive free access to tour the other homes on the day of the event. Whether you are passionate about history, architecture, or just love meeting new people, this is a fantastic way to get involved.

LMHC is a volunteer-powered, non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of La Mesa. Your time and energy directly support our mission and help keep local history alive for future generations.

Interested in volunteering? Visit http://bit.ly/4fI6ejy to submit your interest. Know someone else who might be a great fit? Feel free to share this opportunity!

Thank you for helping us honor La Mesa's past and celebrate its future.

What is it Wednesday? This object is found in the parlor at the McKinney House Museum. Any guesses what it is? #WhatIsItWednesday #handmade

50 Facts of the La Mesa History Center #33: Collection Highlights - School Yearbooks
It's back to school time again already and as the Grossmont Union High School District welcomes back students today the LMHC would like to highlight our collection of school yearbooks. The LMHC holds a nearly complete run of the Grossmont High School yearbook as well as a large collection of Helix High yearbooks. We also have a sampling of various grammar, middle and junior high yearbooks. All these materials can be viewed in our Archives on Saturdays from 1pm to 4pm!

And as another school year starts, we'd also like to take this opportunity to call out the great work being done by our friends and colleagues at the Grossmont High School Museum! https://www.foothillermuseum.com/

50 Facts of the La Mesa History Center #32: Publications - Images of America: Around Mt. Helix
Continuing our look at the publications from La Mesa History Center, our topic today is the 2015's "Around Mt. Helix," - a second Arcadia Publishing Images of America book by Jim Newland. This volume focuses in on the history of the Mt. Helix area across the following chapters: The Land In-Between: Prehistory to 1902; A Colony for Artists: 1902-1917; Cementing a Community LandmarK: 1917-1928; The Avocado Is King - and Queen: 1928-1945; Mid-Century Rural Suburbia: 1945-1980; and The Battle and the Victory: 1980-Present. "Named for a rare gastropod, the 1,375 foot high pinnacle serves as a geographic beacon for the mostly unincorporated surrounding communities of Mt. Helix, Grossmont, Calavo Gardens, Casa de Oro, Spring Valley, and the adjacent, historically related municipalities of El Cajon, Lemon Grove and La Mesa.

Where is it Wednesday? Hint - Although not in La Mesa is it very close by. Where is this and what do you know about it?

50 Facts about the La Mesa History Center #31: Collection Highlights - Address Vertical Files
When someone comes in to the La Mesa History Center to conduct research, there is a very good chance that they are looking into the history of their home. We have several collections that help support this work including City and County Directories and the La Mesa Scout, but the most unique collection we have for this work is our Address Vertical Files. Arranged alphabetically by street name and then by address number, these files pull together a variety of compiled resources that provide insights into local properties. Many of the files have a (LS) written on them which indicates that they contain materials from the Leonard Smith files. Leonard Smith was a realtor in La Mesa for sixty-five years and with that sort of longevity, these records provide a rare insight into the growth of housing and property development in the greater La Mesa area long before the advent of computerized listing services. The La Mesa History Center is very grateful to the Smith family for entrusting us with the care and preservation of these records so that they can continue to be a useful resource to our community.

50 Facts about the La Mesa History Center: La Mesa Historic Preservation Commission
On July 31, 1984, the La Mesa Historic Preservation Commission held its first meeting. While a city ordinance was necessary to form the Commission, its true impetus came from La Mesa Historical Society members such as Barry Worthingon who advocated for its creation.

The structure of the Commission - then and now - consists seven members appointed by the mayor with the approval of the City Council including two design professions, two current La Mesa residents, and three members recommended by the La Mesa Historical Socity/History Center. During the first year, the Commission started to review a historic site survey conducted by Dr. Ray Barndes of the University of San Diego in 1981 and 1982.

The first structure that the Commission reviewed nomination for designation as a La Mesa Landmark Registry was the McKinney House.

Where is it Wednesday? What is this fine building? What do you know about it? #WhereIsItWednesday #historylovers