Did You Say Mardi Gras? Go To Gaslamp Quarter!
The Gaslamp Quarter is a tiny downtown neighborhood in San Diego, California know for its rich history and antique buildings, many of which are still in service with active tenants including restaurants, stores and nightclubs. More than 90 historic buildings are seated and even now in use with active tenants in the center of this tiny, historic neighborhood of Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego, California. This strip of roughly 38 acres in land area was originally intended to become the main business district in the downtown San Diego during the late 1860′s.
During the late 1860′s, it had been originally projected to convert this more or less 38 acres of land into a major business district in downtown San Diego. In that period, San Diego has a thriving economy which in due course attracts swarm of gamblers and prostitutes. In that period, group of prostitutes and gamblers flooded San Diego as a result of its successful economy. With this, Gaslamp Quarter too became popular for its red light district and gambling halls and got its nickname ‘Stingaree’. With this, red light district and gambling halls soon emerged and Gaslamp Quarter became popular and was finally called ‘Stingaree’. In 1912, number of complaints from the citizenry pressed the city administration to limit the proliferation of nightclubs in the area~In 1912, city administration started restraining the proliferation of nightclubs in reaction to the complaints of the community. This attempt triggered the ‘death’ of the red light district. The attraction of the red light district ‘died’ due to this attempt. But between 1950′s to 1970′s, pornographic theaters and saloons again emerged in the vicinity of Gaslamp Quarter. Pornographic theaters and saloons yet again emerged within the district between 1950 to 1970. So in 1974, residents and the city government join hands and eventually initiated actions to cleanse the area and to protect the district’s historic aesthetic. To fully protect its historic aesthetic, residents and the city administration teamed up and initiated final actions to cleanse the district in 1974.
Subsequently in 1980, yet another history is going to be written after Gaslamp Quarter is included in the National Register of Historic Places. And then on, Gaslamp Quarter got back its long gone glory, this time, not being a red light district, but one of the major sights in San Diego. Numerous improvements and rehabilitations were made to further urbanized the district. The Gaslamp Quarter Foundation was afterward established to supervise the redevelopment and rehabilitation process. This non-profit charitable group, which was subsequently known as The Quarter Historical Foundation by 1996, assisted to educate not just the San Diego residents but also the guests and tourists, regarding the rich historical heritage of the district with the help of its more than a hundred volunteers.
Back in1986, the Gaslamp Archway initiative was conceived along 5th Avenue and L Street to serve as a symbol of declaration, not only for the Gaslamp Quarter but for the entire city of San Diego, for their eager devotion and perseverance to a continuous redevelopment. The mission initially started in 1988. The archway was designed by Arch. Harman Nelson and was constructed by Roy Flahive. And in 1989, the mission was officially finished and stood proud for its glory and its magnificent residents.
Wholesome and family-friendly business establishments began to emerged which undoubtedly suggests that the district’s image has changed. In the latest database of http://www.iStayGreen.org – the directory of eco friendly hotels – would you imagine that there are almost 200 hotels on or next to the vicinity of Gaslamp Quarter in addition to lines of dining establishments, bars, nightclubs, lounges, boutiques, art galleries and stores. Unmistakably, Gaslamp Quarter is beginning to build its own name in the sector of local and international tourism as one of the leading destinations in the United States.
At present, wonderful events are being held in the district like The San Diego Restaurant Week – a twice a year cooking celebration, The Fallback Festival and the Children’s Street Faire – celebrated every November, Michael John Houge Memorial Golf Tournament – a fund raising golf game held every May, The San Diego Film Festival – voted as among the hottest film festivals in the US; The Poinsettia Bowl Battle of the Bands, The 5th Avenue Auto Showcase, The KiFM Jazz Music Festival Memorial Day Weekend – held every Saturday of the Memorial Day Weekend, ShamRock St. Patrick’s Day Festival – street party turned green as they celebrate the festival every the 17th of March and of course who could ever forget the Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Celebration- celebrated every March. And do not be concerned about where to stay, there are lots of San Diego hotels in the area to choose from which fits your style.
Just a little trivia about the district’s name: The name “Gaslamp” came from the words “gas lamps”. The place started to be called “Gaslamp Quarter” when four new gas lamps were mounted in the corner of Market Street and 5th Avenue before the start of the 1900′s. This exact same location and intersection today features a “Pedestrian Scramble”, similar to a much larger Hachiko Square in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan.
Warren G. Harding’s 1922 Pierce Arrow at the 2009 Marion County Historical Society vintage car show