A Peninsula History Interactive Trail was unveiled recently at a public celebration marking the completion of the final phase of the Point Loma Association-sponsored Village Lights project.

On May 21, PLA hosted a free, festive fun event attended by about 75 people dedicating and showcasing 12 interactive historical plaques along Rosecrans. The plaques highlight significant people, places, and events shaping the Peninsula community through QR codes with details. Event docents were on hand at each plaque to educate attendees on the significance of the person, place, or event portrayed.

Excerpts from two of the 12 interactive PLA historical plaques:

SAN DIEGO’S FISHERMEN

“From 1860 to the early 1890s, Chinese immigrants constructed a fishing village and shipbuilding facility near the corner of Talbot Street and Anchorage Lane along La Playa trail. The small Asian immigrant community provided nearly all the fresh fish needs of San Diego and exported dried fish and abalone to China… These pioneer fishermen were instrumental in developing what would become one of San Diego’s most important industries.”

FORT ROSECRANS

In 1852, President Fillmore established San Diego’s first military reservation on Point Loma… Fort Rosecrans was named for Civil War Gen. William S. Rosecrans in 1898, and was completed by 1904… Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery is the lasting legacy of Fort Rosecrans, a final resting place for more than 120,000 Americans who died as long ago as 1846.”

“Legacy is a word we think of a lot within Point Loma Association, asking ourselves what can we do to make the Peninsula a more beautiful place now and for generations to come?,” said PLA spokesperson and Realtor Beth Roach. “And there is a lot of ‘legacy’ in Point Loma and Ocean Beach as you have many three- and four-generation families all still living on the Point.”

Noting the PLA was formed in 1961, Roach pointed out: “Today our whole community benefits from the projects of those who came before us, such as the removal of the billboards that used to completely line Rosecrans Street and the planting of the jacaranda trees in the village. So we are always thinking about what was done in the past and how we can make the Peninsula better for the future.”

Noting Village Lights were initially installed in the spring of 2022, Roach added over 250 individuals, businesses, and families have donated to make the project a reality via the installation of engraved bricks. “And we could see from the engraved messages that there is such a rich tapestry of influences on the Peninsula, from early San Diego business leaders to commercial fisherman, to Portuguese immigrants, to the Naval Training Center and submarine base,” she noted. “And around the same time a community member, Jeff Madruga, came to one of our board meetings and suggested we help set up some kind of historic district in the village commemorating the many historic influences on the Point.”

After some discussion, and sparked by Madruga’s suggestion, Roach said PLA realized “we could implement this idea on the Village Lights in the form of a self-guided history tour on the light posts.” She added past board member and landscape architect JT Barr came up with the concept, and board member Shannon Brown of CENTRIC designed the plaques.

The centerpiece of the PLA’s multi-phase project is a canopy of lights strung between Talbot, Cañon, and Rosecrans streets. The project was seeded with a $60,000 grant from the County of San Diego through former supervisor Greg Cox’s office and $5,000 from the City through Council District 2.

Looking ahead, Roach said the PLA is already hard at work on its next public improvement project. “Our next project is going the be the Point Loma Gateway sign over Rosecrans near Lytton Street,” said Roach. “A few years ago we asked the community for suggestions of our next project and a gateway sign was overwhelmingly the most suggested project. Design for that is underway and we hope to have it installed 12-18 months from now.”

Concluded Roach: “All our projects are funded by donations from the community and we are a 100% volunteer-led non-profit organization.”