Author Archives: Gaslamp Foundation

Fresh Produce Year ‘round!

Julian Produce Company Warehouse (1912) 679 J Street Contractors: A & H Brownlee Architectural Style: Italianate Revival /Commercial In the 1880s, San Diego experienced an exceptional land boom, which caused the population to expand from 5,000 to 40,000 in only a few years. However, a world-wide recession followed, and by 1890 the population numbered 16,000 […]

A Little Victorian Irish Luck!

Every March 17, the Gaslamp Quarter becomes the emerald jewel of San Diego, when ShamROCK arrives.  San Diegans don green clothes, drink green beer, indulge in leprechaun-worthy shenanigans, watch parades, eat corned beef and even dye their hair green. Revelers celebrate all things Irish, and claim to be Irish, if only for a day. The […]

Stingaree Hotel

(Lewis Brick Block) (1885) 538 Fifth Avenue Architectural Style: Victorian Commercial Architect: Unknown This attractive little building came about through a carefully constructed party wall agreement between its two neighbors, Archibald H. Julian and Max Lowenstein. It came to sit snugly between the Lincoln Hotel and the Lowenstein Building (now known as The Field).  A […]

Victorian New Years Resolutions

New Year’s resolutions are not a modern concept. Indeed, the Victorians and Edwardians had definite ideas about getting a fresh start during the impending new year. Surprisingly, some of their notions closely mirrored 21st century desires to reform and be one’s best self. Not surprisingly, a great deal of skepticism abounded about the general ability […]