By Katherine Hon | Past Matters

This year, the North Park Historical Society (NPHS) marks its 10th anniversary as an independent nonprofit organization. In its first decade, NPHS produced three books, achieved designation of two historic districts and two master builders, organized eight annual classic car shows, and conducted countless walking tours.

Many of these accomplishments earned awards from the city of San Diego’s Historical Resources Board (HRB). These achievements include publishing “North Park: A San Diego Urban Village, 1896–1946” by Donald Covington in 2007; reprinting Donald Covington’s first book, “Burlingame, the Tract of Character” in 2010; and preparing “Images of America: San Diego’s North Park,” which was published by Arcadia Publishing Company in 2014.

In 2012, both the HRB and the Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO) commended NPHS for contributing to the designation of the North Park Dryden Historic District, a neighborhood of impressive Craftsman homes along 28th Street and Pershing Avenue from Upas to Landis streets. In 2014, SOHO presented a People in Preservation “Towering Achievement” award to NPHS for achieving national historic designation of the North Park Water Tower.

NPHS is proud of all of these awards but was especially honored last month to have the County of San Diego Board of Supervisors declare May 17, 2018 as “North Park Historical Society Day” throughout the county. The Proclamation, which was presented at the May NPHS meeting, reads in part:

“WHEREAS, the North Park Historical Society this year is celebrating a decade of fulfilling its mission to help preserve North Park’s cultural and architectural history through research and educational outreach; and

WHEREAS, dedicated to exploring North Park history, the North Park Historical Society’s roots go back to 1988 when the North Park Community Association’s History Committee conducted research for a book about significant people, development, and events in North Park from the late 1800s forward; and

 WHEREAS, in 2008, the History Committee ‘graduated’ to become the North Park Historical Society, an independent, all volunteer, local nonprofit organization; and

 WHEREAS, since then, the group has continued to produce and market books, conduct walking tours, write newspaper articles, organize educational presentations and events, share historical information, outreach to schools, and achieve historic designation of important neighborhoods, structures, and builders; and

 WHEREAS, the North Park Historical Society has educated hundreds of people about local history and architecture on guided walking tours of the Burlingame Historic District, North Park Dryden Historic District, the commercial core centered on University Avenue and 30th Street, and Morley Field Recreational Area; and

WHEREAS, the County of San Diego is committed to recognizing and honoring those organizations who are dedicated to the best ideals of public service, and The North Park Historical Society is one such worthy organization; NOW THEREFORE,

BE IT PROCLAIMED by Chairwoman Kristin Gaspar and all members of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on this 17th day of May 2018 that they commend THE NORTH PARK HISTORICAL SOCIETY on the occasion of its 10th anniversary, and do hereby declare this day to be ‘NORTH PARK HISTORICAL SOCIETY DAY’ throughout San Diego County.”

NPHS is grateful to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors for the honor. The organization looks forward to many more years of successful projects to celebrate and protect North Park’s unique history.

— Katherine Hon is the secretary of the North Park Historical Society. Reach her at [email protected] or 619-294-8990.