The Journal of San Diego History
SAN DIEGO HISTORICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY
January 1956, Volume 2, Number 1

More parking lots, more clinics, more office buildings — the need for them appears insatiable. And so, during 1955, the land-marks shown here were among those to go.

Top left, the Keating mansion, whose gardens once filled the entire block between Fifth, Sixth, Olive and Palm Streets; right, the Conklin house, with its two towers, at Fifth and Ivy. Center left, the stout walls of the old State Normal School on Park Boulevard resisted the onslaught of the wreckers for many weeks; it had been denounced by the local “liberal” press as an eye-sore — perhaps because it did not resemble an aircraft factory. At the right, the Puterbaugh and Parker houses, at Fifth and Palm, which went much more quickly.

Bottom left, the Whitson house at First and Laurel; its random-width shingles and added “improvements” hid honest ship-lap, and fooled many as to its real age. Right, part of the riot of lathe-turning and precision carpentry in the main hall of the Keating house.