VIEW FROM MISSION CLIFF GARDENS
The breath-taking view of Mission Valley and the surrounding mountains beyond is one of the reasons Mission Cliff Gardens became a popular San Diego attraction at the turn of the century. The cover photograph, made in the 1890's, shows a somewhat wind-blown couple surveying the countryside while perched near a cliff side gazebo. On exceptionally clear days visitors were treated to a panoramic scene of the San Bernardino and San Jacinto ranges to the north and the sparkling blue waters of the Pacific to the west.
Mission Cliff Gardens first opened under the management of the San Diego Cable Railway Company and was initially called The Bluffs. Later, John D. Spreckels purchased the site, redeveloped it, and changed the name to Mission Cliff Gardens. It became a much frequented end of the line attraction for his San Diego Electric Railway Company. At its height, Mission Cliff Gardens featured a walk-in bird aviary, a large lily pond, a miniature Japanese garden, plus seemingly endless garden paths meandering through brightly colored flowers, plants and trees.
San Diego Historical Society Photograph
