Old San Diego, 1769 to 1854
7 stops across California. 1769–1854
Seven stops from the Old Point Loma Lighthouse to Mission San Diego de Alcala through the Spanish and Mexican years of San Diego, six turned to a chart of the port drawn in 1799, 1802 or 1853 and the mission to the 1903 survey of its valley.
Turn the pages to see each stop on a map from its own era. Pins mark where each marker stands, sometimes a few miles from the ground it describes.
https://treealive.com/markers/ca/trail/old-san-diego-1769
The dashed line connects the stops in visiting order. It isn't a road route or the path anyone marched. Google Maps handles the driving, starting from wherever you are.
Provenance
- Program text from
- State of California, Department of Parks and Recreation, California Historical Landmarks (1971), updated October 20, 2026
- Stops and sheets last checked
- 2026-09-20
- Corrections
- Send a correction · privacy@treealive.com
Old Point Loma Lighthouse
Here at Point Loma Head on the afternoon of September 28, 1542, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, distinguished Portuguese navigator in the service of Spain, commanding the flagship San Salvador, made his first Alta California landfall and thus discovered what is now the State of California. Cabrillo with his companions came ashore on Point Loma at what is now Ballast Point. The lighthouse was constructed in 1854–55.
1971 register text, presented as a historical document. It uses the period's terms for Native people; the state's landmark listings still carry most of this wording, and the California Office of Historic Preservation maintains the program's current texts.
1853 map · San Diego Entrance. · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1802 map · Plano del Puerto de S Diego. · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1799 map · Port of San Diego; Port of San Blas. · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1855 map · Map of the Public Surveys in California, 1855 · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1859 map · Map of the Public Surveys in California, 1859 · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
"Old Landing," Site of El Desembarcadero
The landing place used by small boats coming from La Playa and other Point Loma places, which were able to penetrate at high tide close to the residences at San Diego Viejo.
1971 register text, presented as a historical document. It uses the period's terms for Native people; the state's landmark listings still carry most of this wording, and the California Office of Historic Preservation maintains the program's current texts.
1802 map · Plano del Puerto de S Diego. · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1799 map · Port of San Diego; Port of San Blas. · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1911 map · San Diego Harbor, California : [misc. drawings and plans] · Stanford Libraries
1953 map · Point Loma, California · USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection
1888 map · Southern California · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
San Diego Presidio Site
In this Indian village of Cosoy, discovered and named San Miguel by Cabrillo and christened San Diego de Alcalá by Vizcaíno, Fray Junípero Serra planted civilization in California. It was here he first raised the cross and began the first mission, July 16, 1769.
1971 register text, presented as a historical document. It uses the period's terms for Native people; the state's landmark listings still carry most of this wording, and the California Office of Historic Preservation maintains the program's current texts.
1799 map · Port of San Diego; Port of San Blas. · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1802 map · Plano del Puerto de S Diego. · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1903 map · La Jolla, California · USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection
1943 map · La Jolla, California · USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection
1888 map · Southern California · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Casa de Carrillo
This restored house is but a remnant of the earliest and one of the largest of the great casas and was constructed about 1810 by Francisco María Ruiz. It became the home of Joaquin Carrillo and his family in the 1820's.
1971 register text, presented as a historical document. It uses the period's terms for Native people; the state's landmark listings still carry most of this wording, and the California Office of Historic Preservation maintains the program's current texts.
1802 map · Plano del Puerto de S Diego. · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1799 map · Port of San Diego; Port of San Blas. · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1855 map · Map of the Public Surveys in California, 1855 · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1859 map · Map of the Public Surveys in California, 1859 · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1864 map · Map of public surveys in California and Nevada, 1864 · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Casa de Machado
Adobe house constructed about 1832 by José Manuel Machado, pioneer leather-jacket soldier of the Spanish Army who arrived at San Diego Presidio about 1782. Now used as a community church.
1971 register text, presented as a historical document. It uses the period's terms for Native people; the state's landmark listings still carry most of this wording, and the California Office of Historic Preservation maintains the program's current texts.
1802 map · Plano del Puerto de S Diego. · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1799 map · Port of San Diego; Port of San Blas. · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1903 map · La Jolla, California · USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection
1888 map · Southern California · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1943 map · La Jolla, California · USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
Settled by pensioned soldiers and their families from the presidio, Old Town grew in the early 1800's into a cluster of adobe houses and garden plots. By 1835, "it was composed of about 40 dark brown looking huts." The Stars and Stripes was first raised over the plaza in 1846 by Marines from the U.S.S. Cyane.
1971 register text, presented as a historical document. It uses the period's terms for Native people; the state's landmark listings still carry most of this wording, and the California Office of Historic Preservation maintains the program's current texts.
1802 map · Plano del Puerto de S Diego. · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1799 map · Port of San Diego; Port of San Blas. · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1855 map · Map of the Public Surveys in California, 1855 · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1859 map · Map of the Public Surveys in California, 1859 · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1903 map · La Jolla, California · USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection
Mission San Diego de Alcalá
This is the "mother" mission of the chain of 21 founded in California by the Franciscan order. It was established at what is now known as Presidio Hill on July 16, 1769, by Junípero Serra. In 1774 the mission was moved to its present site, called by the Indians Nipaguay.
1971 register text, presented as a historical document. It uses the period's terms for Native people; the state's landmark listings still carry most of this wording, and the California Office of Historic Preservation maintains the program's current texts.
1903 map · La Jolla, California · USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection
1802 map · Plano del Puerto de S Diego. · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
1930 map · La Jolla, California · USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection
1953 map · La Mesa, California · USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection
1888 map · Southern California · David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Old San Diego, 1769 to 1854
7 stops across California, in trail order.
Open the full route in Google Maps ↗Google Maps does the driving, starting from wherever you are. We don't estimate distance or time on the road.
- 1Old Point Loma LighthouseSan Diego County · Cabrillo National Monument, Point Loma · location approximate
- 2"Old Landing," Site of El DesembarcaderoSan Diego County · U.S. Naval Training Center, San Diego · location approximate
- 3San Diego Presidio SiteSan Diego County · Presidio Park, San Diego · location approximate
- 4Casa de CarrilloSan Diego County · Northwest corner Presidio Hills Golf Course, San Diego · location approximate
- 5Casa de MachadoSan Diego County · Old Town San Diego State Historic Park · location approximate
- 6Old Town San Diego State Historic ParkSan Diego County · Old Town San Diego State Historic Park · location approximate
- 7Mission San Diego de AlcaláSan Diego County · Friars Road, 6 miles northeast of Old Town, San Diego · location approximate
Old San Diego, 1769 to 1854
You visited every stop: 7 in all. A TreeAlive curated trail.
- Old Point Loma LighthouseSan Diego County · Cabrillo National Monument, Point Loma · location approximate
- "Old Landing," Site of El DesembarcaderoSan Diego County · U.S. Naval Training Center, San Diego · location approximate
- San Diego Presidio SiteSan Diego County · Presidio Park, San Diego · location approximate
- Casa de CarrilloSan Diego County · Northwest corner Presidio Hills Golf Course, San Diego · location approximate
- Casa de MachadoSan Diego County · Old Town San Diego State Historic Park · location approximate
- Old Town San Diego State Historic ParkSan Diego County · Old Town San Diego State Historic Park · location approximate
- Mission San Diego de AlcaláSan Diego County · Friars Road, 6 miles northeast of Old Town, San Diego · location approximate
Your checklist lives in this browser and in the address of this page. Copy the link to keep it, or open it on another device to carry it over.
https://treealive.com/markers/ca/trail/old-san-diego-1769