The 1930s were a tough decade for San Diego City, just like for the rest of the United States. The Great Depression, which began with the stock market crash of 1929, dominated the era. Unemployment was high. Many people struggled to make ends meet. But San Diego also showed resilience, finding ways to survive and even thrive during difficult times.
The Great Depression Hits San Diego
The Depression hit San Diego hard. Businesses closed. Construction projects stalled. Many people lost their jobs and their homes. The city’s economy, which had been booming in the 1920s, slowed dramatically.
Unemployment lines and soup kitchens became common sights. People struggled to find food and shelter. Families relied on charity and government assistance to get by. The city government struggled to provide relief.
The federal government, under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, launched the “New Deal,” a series of programs designed to combat the Depression. These programs had a major impact on San Diego. They provided jobs and funding for public works projects.
The Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) were two New Deal agencies that were particularly active in San Diego. They employed thousands of people on projects like building roads, parks, and public buildings. They also did conservation work.
These projects not only provided jobs but also improved the city’s infrastructure and created lasting landmarks. Many buildings and public works in San Diego today were built during the Depression by WPA or CCC workers. This was a silver lining in a dark cloud.
The Natural History Museum in Balboa Park; showing a Spanish Colonial Revival style rectangular reinforced concrete building, Balboa Park, 1932.Serra Museum and Presidio Park in San Diego, 1930Jose Lopez Adobe in San Diego, 1934Testimonial dinner given by citizens of San Diego in honor of Senator Fletcher, San Diego Hotel, 1938Jose Lopez Adobe in Old Town, San Diego, 1934California’s first dam, near the site of the first mission, 1930
The Military Presence
The military presence in San Diego, especially the Navy, continued to be important during the 1930s. The Navy expanded its facilities. It provided jobs and economic activity, even during the Depression.
The Naval Training Center, the Naval Hospital, and the Naval Air Station all continued to operate. They brought sailors and their families to San Diego. They contributed to the city’s growth and diversity.
The Navy’s presence also influenced the city’s culture and social life. San Diego became even more closely identified as a “Navy town.” This was a source of both pride and, sometimes, tension.
As the world moved closer to World War II in the late 1930s, the military buildup in San Diego accelerated. This would have a major impact on the city in the coming decade. The preparations for war began to shape the city’s future.
Several notable buildings were constructed. The County Administration Center was built in the later part of the decade. The El Cortez Hotel. Although opened in 1927, it dominated the skyline.
Tower of Jewels – Balboa Park, Horticultural Building, U.S. Naval Hospital, San Diego, 1936Street view of downtown San Diego looking south on Sixth Street from midway between Broadway and C Street, 1938.Three views of the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, now part of Cabrillo National Monument; showing approach drive, Cape Cod style building, Point Loma, 1939.Mission San Diego de Alcala (San Diego Mission), 1934.Junipero Serra Museum in the Presidio Hills Park, San Diego, 1930Plaza del Pacific and Arco de Porvenir (Arch of the Future), lagoon, and a tour bus, 1935.SD&A train carriage 42 at Santa Fe Station, San Diego, 1935West Broadway, showing automobiles, multi-story buildings including the U.S. Grant Hotel, and sailors, San Diego, 1932.View of town, San Diego, 1931.Eight views of the California Pacific International Exposition in Balboa Park, including the Ford Building and Fine Arts Gallery, 1935.Model of California Oil Field, San Diego, 1935.Two views of the San Ysidro Branch of the San Diego Public Library, a Mission-style building, 1930.San Diego Public Library, 1933Aerial drawing of exposition grounds, 1934.Sailors in a rowboat in the Lily Pond in Balboa Park, 1933.US Navy destroyer 337, San Diego Harbor, 1936Palace of Education, 1935.An aerial view of Point Loma, 1931.
The California Pacific International Exposition
In 1935-36, in the midst of the Depression, San Diego hosted another world’s fair, the California Pacific International Exposition. It was held in Balboa Park, reusing some of the buildings from the 1915-16 Exposition. It also added new ones.
The Exposition was intended to boost the city’s economy and attract tourists. It showcased the history, culture, and industries of California and the Pacific Rim. It was a smaller and less ambitious fair than the 1915 Exposition. It was successful.
The fair provided much-needed jobs and entertainment for San Diegans. It also brought in visitors from other parts of the country. It helped to lift the city’s spirits during a difficult time.
Several new buildings and attractions were added to Balboa Park for the Exposition. These included the Old Globe Theatre, a replica of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. It also had the Spanish Village, a collection of quaint shops and restaurants.
California Pacific International Exposition, San Diego, 1930s.An aerial view of La Jolla, 1930.
Balboa Park’s Continued Development
Even during the Depression, Balboa Park continued to develop as a cultural center. New museums and institutions were added. Existing ones were expanded. The park became an even more important part of San Diego life.
The San Diego Museum of Art opened in a new, permanent building in Balboa Park. This provided a dedicated space for displaying art. It became a major cultural institution.
The Natural History Museum also expanded. These museums provided educational opportunities and entertainment for San Diegans. They were a source of civic pride.
The park itself was improved, with new landscaping and gardens. The WPA and CCC workers played a major role in these improvements. They built roads, trails, and other infrastructure.
Lily Lagoon from the Botanical Building, showing a Churrigueresque style building , Balboa Park, 1935.An aerial view of North Island and Point Loma, 1936.San Diego downtown view, showing multi-story buildings along Broadway Avenue, the San Diego Trust and Savings Building, 1934.Balboa Park, San Diego, 1930s.California Pacific International Exposition, San Diego, 1930s.San Diego Historical Museum, 1930An aerial view of downtown San Diego, including B Street and Broadway Piers, a battleship, Lane Field, 1935.President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressing a crowd in Balboa Stadium, 1935.The Jose Lopez Adobe in Old Town, San Diego, 1930Monument School near the Mexican border in San Diego, 1939The San Diego County Administration Building, 1939.An aerial view of La Jolla, with La Jolla Coast Boulevard Park in the foreground, 1935.Eight motorcycle scenes; single and group poses on streets, roads, and desert, San Diego, 1930s.Cabrillo Bridge and California Tower, 1935.An aerial view of Ballast Point, 1935.An aerial view of the terminal at Lindbergh Field, 1932.Equestrian jumping at the 1937 La Jolla Hunter Trials, 1937.Booth at San Diego Fair, California, 1935.Elevated view of San Diego Stadium (City Stadium), showing stadium seats filled with people, and flag of the United States, 1935.California Pacific International Exposition, Indian Village, 1935.An aerial view of San Diego State University, 1930.Germany’s Karlsruhe in San Diego Bay, 1934.Two views of the lounge area of the San Diego Athletic Club at 1250 6th Street, 1930.Jose Lopez adobe in Old Town, San Diego, 1934Buildings on Broadway, including the San Diego Trust and Savings Bank building and a Romanesque-style church, 1934.The Star of India docked at Broadway Pier, 1933.Ford Bowl; showing rising tiers of bench seats, with a canyon, and U.S. Naval Hospital buildings, Ford Company, builders, Balboa Park, 1935.Three interior views of the Fox Theatre in San Diego, 1930sPalace of Better Housing, 1935.An aerial view of the San Diego waterfront, with the Star of India in the foreground, 1935.An unidentified corporal from the US Army’s 30th Infantry Division stands at attention with women in bathing costumes and doughboy helmets at Camp George Derby, San Diego, 1935.Street view of University Avenue looking east from below Park Boulevard, 1932.U.S. Navy battleships in San Diego Bay, 1935.The original First Avenue Bridge, 1930.Melicent Humason Lee, seated in front of a building, 1932.An aerial view of Mission Bay, Crown Point, and Mission Beach, 1930.Downtown San Diego looking west, 1930An aerial view of Lindbergh Field, 1935.San Diego Athletic Club lounge, 1930s.Court of Pacific Relations, 1935.Naval ships near Chollas Creek, 1939.An aerial view of docked ships and a crowd on Broadway Pier, 1937.An aerial view of San Diego Bay, 1932.San Diego Mission before restoration, showing deteriorating walls and a woman sitting on a bench, 1930.Twelve views of the California Pacific International Exposition, Balboa Park ,1935.Night view of buildings and a pool at the Lagoon of the Mirror, 1935.An aerial view of downtown San Diego, including the El Cortez Hotel, Balboa Park, and Cabrillo Bridge, 1935.
The Rise of Convair
The 1930s saw the growth of the aircraft industry in San Diego. This would become a major part of the city’s economy in the decades to come. Consolidated Aircraft Corporation, later known as Convair, played a key role.
Consolidated Aircraft moved to San Diego from Buffalo, New York, in 1935. The company chose San Diego because of its mild climate, which was ideal for testing airplanes. It also had a good harbor and a growing workforce.
Consolidated built a large factory on Lindbergh Field, next to the airport. The company produced seaplanes and other aircraft for the military and for commercial airlines. It became a major employer in San Diego.
The PBY Catalina, a famous flying boat, was one of Consolidated’s most successful aircraft. It was used extensively during World War II. It was a symbol of San Diego’s growing aircraft industry.
A U.S. Navy aircraft carrier in San Diego Bay, 1937.An aerial view of Herbert Hoover High School under construction, 1930.An aerial view of La Jolla shoreline, Ardath Road, and La Jolla Shores Drive, 1932.Many airplanes flying over the North Island Naval Air Station, 1934.Diorama of the Grand Canyon in the National Parks Illuvision, Standard Oil Building, 1935.Four girls holding a model of the Spanish Village, 1935.House of Hospitality; a two-story Spanish Churriguresque style stucco building in Balboa Park, 1930.Front view of the Federal Building; built for the California Pacific International Exposition, Balboa Park, 1935.An aerial view of Mission Bay, Pacific Beach, Crown Point, Mission Beach, and Ocean Beach, 1930.Lily Lagoon mirroring exhibition buildings of the California Pacific International Exposition, Balboa Park, 1935.View of the Hotel San Diego from the front of the old County Courthouse, 1932.Large highrise John D. Spreckels building featuring Gladding McBean tile roof, 1930sPalace of Foods & Beverages building, street, and automobiles, 1935.California Tower and Avenida de Palacios, 1935.An aerial view of Presidio Park, 1930.An aerial view of Ryan Air, Lindbergh Terminal, Airtech, and United Air Lines hangar, 1935.The Star of India in San Diego Bay, with Globe Mills in the background, 1933.La Jolla Cove and the Red Rest and Red Roost cottages, 1936.A man standing near an Ocean Beach home that was destroyed by a storm, 1930.An aerial view of San Diego State University, 1936.An aerial view of Bishop’s School in La Jolla, 1935.Night view of the Palace of Electricity & Varied Industries building and Plaza del Agua Cantante, 1935.Pitts the Trunk Man luggage and leather goods shop, 1933.An aerial view of the Natural History Museum and the Moreton Bay Fig Tree, 1934.Aerial view of San Diego at Park Boulevard and University Avenue looking southeast, 1931.An aerial view of streetcars operating in North Park, 1931.An aerial view of Lindbergh Field, 1936.An aerial view of the downtown Post Office and Carnegie Public Library, 1939.San Diego Gas & Electric Company’s Station A generator, 1930.An aerial view of Lindbergh Field, 1934.The crew of Fire Station No. 3, 1930.San Diego Public Library – College Heights Branch location, 1938
Daily Life
Daily life in San Diego during the 1930s was shaped by the Depression. People had to be resourceful and find ways to make do with less. But they also found ways to enjoy life and find entertainment.
Families often grew their own food in gardens to save money. They also relied on home cooking and simple meals. Eating out was a rare treat for most people.
Radio remained a popular form of entertainment. People listened to music, news, and dramas. It provided an escape from the hardships of the Depression. It was a cheap form of entertainment.
Movies also offered an escape. San Diego had several movie theaters, including the grand Fox Theatre (now Copley Symphony Hall), which opened in 1929. Going to the movies was a relatively affordable way to spend an afternoon or evening.
Despite the economic hardship, people found ways to have fun. They went to the beach, had picnics in Balboa Park, and attended community events. Social life often revolved around churches, clubs, and neighborhood gatherings.
Ford’s two millionth V-8 automobile in a parade running through North Park, 1935.Governor James Rolph visiting an unemployment camp at Camp Kearny, 1932.Exterior of the American Agar Company at Washington and Kettner Boulevard, 1930s.Airplane parked outside Topsy’s Drive-in at Pacific Highway and Hawthorne Street, 1939.Exterior view of the Lindbergh Field Administration Building, 1937.Exterior of the Ford Building at the 1935 Exposition.California Pacific International Exposition, showing a tiled bench, walkway, and garden, 1935.People celebrating Admission Day at the 1935-36 Exposition, 1936.House of Charm at the 1935 Exposition.U.S. Navy PBY-3 Catalina seaplane entering the harbor, 1939.Aerial view of San Diego Ice and Cold Storage Plant, 1930.View of the California State Building from the Ford Building, 1935.Automobiles and people at the Broadway Pier for the return of the fleet, 1935.People crowded outside the United States National Bank at Second and Broadway, 1933.An aerial view of Bankers Hill and surrounding areas, 1932.Aimee Semple McPherson giving a sermon at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion during the 1935 Exposition.Group of Communist protestors holding a banner in New Town Park prior to the start of the riot, 1933.Exterior of the Mission San Diego de Alcala, 1939.Aerial view of Lane Field with San Diego Harbor in the distance, 1936.Specialized Exposition bus transports spectators to the 1935 Exposition.Four men standing with a camera in front of a biplane, 1930.Group of people gathered around the San Diegan passenger train at the Santa Fe Depot, 1938.Exterior view of the San Diego Hospital and Clinic at 701 Seventh Avenue, 1931.Exterior view of Casa de Bandini in Old Town, 1930.A group of women in bathing suits standing along the edge of the swimming pool at Morley Field, 1933.Construction crew for San Diego State College on College Avenue, 1932.Large group of people gathered in front of the Federal Building during the 1935 Exposition.Large crowd gathered at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion to hear Aimee Semple McPherson at the 1935 Exposition.People gathered for the rededication ceremony of Mission San Diego de Alcala, 1931.View of the Central Auto Park in downtown San Diego, 1931.View of downtown San Diego looking northwest toward Eighth and B Street, 1930.View of Belmont Park in Mission Beach, 1930.Soldiers operating an artillery piece at Camp Derby in Balboa Park during the 1935 Exposition.Automobiles parked in front of cottages on Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach, 1930s.Santa Fe railroad tracks at the foot of either Beech or Cedar Street in downtown San Diego, 1930Children playing in the San Diego River, 1931.Cityscape view of Broadway and Seventh Street, 1930.Exterior of the Post Office between Eighth and Ninth Street in downtown San Diego, 1936.Cafe of the World building at the 1935 Exposition.The Ford Building in the Palisades area of the 1935 Exposition.Exterior of the Miller service station at 32nd and University Avenue, 1932.People and automobiles in front of the Spreckels Theater in downtown San Diego, 1936.Aerial view of San Diego looking northeast toward the Naval Hospital in Balboa Park, 1930.Downtown San Diego looking east from the roof of the Headquarters of the 11th Naval District, 1932.Several ships tied to two piers in San Diego Harbor, 1930s.Aerial view of the County Administration Building looking northeast over harbor, 1939.Entrance to Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach, 1937.Exterior of the San Diego Electric Railway Company’s trolley barn at 15th and Imperial Avenue, 1930.Street view of El Cajon Boulevard looking east from Park Boulevard, 1933.A man standing in front of a Packard automobile parked in front of the Bull Dog Inn, 1930s.Two men and truck in front of the San Diego Soda Works at 333 Eleventh Avenue, 1930Exterior of the Army-Navy YMCA Building in downtown San Diego, 1930.San Diego College of Commerce School on Fourth Avenue between Broadway and E Street, 1934.Aerial view of San Diego from over the bay looking east, 1930Aerial view of Consolidated Aircraft and downtown San Diego looking southeast, 1935.The El Patio apartments on the 3900 block of Third Avenue, 1930s.Exterior of the San Diego Natural History Museum, 1930s.View of C Street in downtown San Diego, 1930.San Diego Lamp & Manufacturing Company building at State and Market Street, 1930.Apartments built by B.M. Torgerson at Fifth and Upas Street, 1930.Exterior of the Cafe Merry Go Round in the Bernadini Building, 1930s.Exterior of the Burnap Block at Third and Broadway showing extensive streetcar line network, 1930.A house with front porch, and a family sitting on steps at the Diverting Dam, 1930sRear exterior view of the U.S. Customs house at San Ysidro looking south, 1932.View of San Diego State College, 1931.Exterior of the Federal Building in San Diego showing extensive streetcar wiring and tracks, 1930.Exterior of an office building in downtown San Diego, 1930s.View of parked cars and airplanes at Lindbergh Field, 1930s.University Avenue and 30th Street in North Park, 1933.View of downtown San Diego looking east from Third and Broadway, 1939.San Diego looking northeast toward the El Cortez Hotel, 1930s.View of San Diego State Teachers College, 1930.Palace of Education building at the 1935 Exposition.View of the Ocean Village Hotel in Ocean Beach, 1930.Ford Building looking west from over the Plaza de America and Firestone Fountain, 1935.A Customs Officer talking to the driver of an automobile at the U.S. Customs Building in San Ysidro, 1934.Downtown San Diego looking northeast from the harbor, 1930s.View of rental cottages on Crystal Pier, 1937.The SS Monterey preparing to dock at the Broadway Pier, 1930s.Exterior of the San Diego Fire Alarm Station in Balboa Park, 1930s.Street view of Adams Avenue looking west from Felton Street, 1933.Broadway looking west from the roof of the US Grant Hotel, 1938.Automobiles and a streetcar on an East San Diego Street, 1931.San Diego Savings Bank located in the Watts Building at 520 E Street, 1930University Avenue looking east from 42nd Street, 1930.Exterior view of Charles L. Hoskins’ home at 3311 Xenophon Street, 1930s.View of San Diego looking northwest toward Point Loma from Fifth and Broadway, 1930s.The intersection of University Avenue and 30th Street in North Park, 1930.Delivery trucks loading at the docks of San Diego Ice & Cold Storage, 1931.University Avenue and Sixth Street in Hillcrest, 1930.Mission Beach street with trolley tracks and automobiles, 1933.Exterior of the J.M. Anderson Building at the northeast corner of Seventh and Broadway, 1937.Garbick’s Drug Shop storefront at 3404 30th Street, 1930s.Street view of Fifth Avenue looking north from C Street, 1930.Exterior view of the New Ocean Beach Dancing Pavilion and Bath House, 1930.Exterior of the San Diego Hotel, 1935.Exterior of the San Diego Glass Company at 631 Market Street, 1936.Aerial view of ships tied together in San Diego Bay, looking northeast over downtown San Diego, 1939.The staff of the 1937 San Diego Chamber of Commerce, 1937.Aerial view of San Diego looking south, 1939.Aerial view of San Diego harbor from the foot of Seventh Avenue, 1936.Aerial view of San Diego looking northwest, 1937.The Lion Club of San Diego, 1935.Two exterior and nine interior views of the Lion Clothing Co. at 531 Broadway in San Diego, 1932.Aerial view of Consolidated Aircraft and downtown San Diego, 1935.Large group of people at the concession zone of the Mission Beach Amusement Center, 1930.Three exterior and one interior views of Walker’s Department Store at 5th and Broadway, San Diego, 1935.An American air and sea base in San Diego shortly before CATALINA bomber aircrafts taking-off to Hawaii, 1930s.U.S. Grant Hotel, a multi-story concrete building with transmitter towers, and Horton Plaza, San Diego, 1936.San Diego Bay, 1930.Exterior view of the former San Diego Trust & Savings Building at Sixth and Broadway, 1930s.View of the Muirlands development in La Jolla, 1930s.Automobiles parked on the street in front of the Labor Temple, 1936.A Bon Voyage Dance for the Navy, attended by over 5,500 people, 1938.Man measuring woman’s neck with calipers. California Pacific International Exposition, San Diego, 1935.California Tower, 1935.The installation of Donal Hord’s Guardian of Water Fountain at the County Administration Building, 1939.Distant view of Churriguerresque style tower from the west, built as the California Tower, with dense foliage of trees and shrubs, Balboa Park, 1935.Charles Ludwig, Chief of Police of Midget Village with San Diego Chief of Police George M. Sears, and Assistant Chief of Police Arthur R. Hill, 1935.Zoro Gardens nudist colony, showing stone walls and walkways, 1935.Casa del Rey Moro garden and the sunken garden of Seville, House of Hospitality, 1935.Memorial to Junipero Serra at the California Pacific International Exposition, 1935Entrance to the Palace of Fine Arts, with sculptured stone featuring images of Spanish Renaissance artists, 1935.Three interior views of the Russ Auditorium at San Diego High School, 1932.Municipal dancers of San Diego, California, 1935.Interior view of the lobby of the San Diego Athletic Club, located at 1250 6th street, 1930.Kate Sessions near ocotillos in Balboa Park Cactus Garden, 1935.People at the America’s Exposition, San Diego, 1935.Publicity shots of Linda Vista, San Diego, 1930.Frederick Schweigardt, Sculptor adding clay to sculpture for the California Pacific International Exposition, San Diego, 1935.Multi-story beaux-arts style Medico-Dental Building, with cars parked on the street, 1930s.Anna Hyatt Huntington standing atop the El Cid Campeador statue, 1935.Sculpture of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, Cabrillo National Monument, Point Loma, San Diego, 1939.California Tower, 1935.Donal Hord, Sculptor, a three-quarter length outdoor portrait of a man seated next to “Aztec Indian Girl” sculpture, California Pacific International Exposition, San Diego, 1935.California Building, Balboa Park, San Diego, 1937.Buildings at San Diego Fair, California, 1935.A man known as “Information Anderson” standing at an information kiosk in San Diego, 1939.Military parade on Broadway from the east; with officers, band and troops marching, spectators, palm trees, and commercial buildings, San Diego, 1936.Partial view of the Maddux Airlines airplane crash, San Diego, 1930.
Image Credits: sandiego.gov, Library of Congress, California State Library, Online Archive of California, Wikimedia,
