The Journal of San Diego History
SAN DIEGO HISTORICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY
October 1966, Volume 12, Number 4
Elvira L. Wittenberg, Editor
Barbara Lamb, Assistant Editor
Tim MacNeil, Assistant Editor
Cover image: Serra Museum at night has a new luminescence that is visible for many miles. The new floodlighting system provided by the Park and Recreation Department of the City of San Diego, is comprised of thirteen mercury vapor floodlights which turn on automatically at dusk, and burn until three o’clock a.m. Each floodlight contains a 400-watt lamp contributing to the total illumination power of 286,000 lumens.
Serra Museum
Page 7. Junior League tours are frequent at Serra Museum. The group shown here with the advisor, Mrs. Richard H. Sunderberg, was especially interested in the olive oil press.
Page 8. The constructing of dioramas depicting phases of local history is a popular project of the Young Historians. Here, Betty Stanley puts the finishing touches on a prairie schooner which will become part of an exhibit showing early modes of transportation. In addition to her active role in Young Historians, Betty, a high school senior, is Managing Editor and proprietor of the monthly Julian Sentinel.
Page 9. Mrs. Harold Peterson reviews “The Good Old Days” for John Davidson. Mrs. Peterson will soon launch a series of author teas for members of the Historical Society.
Page 9. Work on the excavation project can be fascinating. Frank Smith, lower left, uses whisk broom to clean away debris which is not part of the structure. Len Tugman points out the composition of a stone from the altar to Terry Pruitt.
Page 10. Dr. Paul Exell explains a finding of Virginia Pruitt to Les Wittenberg, Chairman of the Excavation Project. Dr. Exell heads the San Diego State College excavation field school.
Page 10. Bill Allen applies Pencapsula protective coating while Dr. Paul Exell explains the action to Mrs. Lester Wittenberg, Museum Director. The coating will prevent rain from washing away the remaining walls and floors.
Page 11. Drs. A. P. Nasatir, left, and Lionel U. Ridout, noted historians, have been doing valuable research in the Museum’s library.
Page 12. John Davidson, right, Serra Museum’s Director Emeritus, is interviewed by Bill Amsbaugh, Administrative Assistant. The interviewing program helps fill many existing history gaps in our heritage.
Page 13. Frank Smith, San Diego State College archaeology student, has been devoting his weekends to accessioning artifacts in preparation for placing them on exhibit.
Page 14a. When the death records of the Mission de San Francisco de Borja were found, the pages were damp and the ink was smearing. Mrs. Lester Wittenberg, Museum Director, dried the pages thoroughly with her hair dryer. The records are now on exhibit in the Museum.
Page 14b. En route to San Diego in 1769, Padre Junipero Serra apparently stopped at Mission Santa Gertrudis in Baja California. His signature, dated April 23, 1769, appears in the Mission’s baptismal record.
