The American Cyclopædia (1879)/San Diego

SAN DIEGO, a city, port of entry, and the capital of San Diego co., California, on the N. E. shore of a bay of the same name, about 460 m. S. E. of San Francisco, and 15 m. N. of the Mexican border; lat. 32° 44' 41" N., Ion. 117° 8' W.; pop. in 1870, 2,300; in 1874, about 4,000. It has one of the three good harbors on the Pacific coast of the United States, and has been fixed by act of congress as the western terminus of the Texas and Pacific railroad. Its climate is remarkably equable and salubrious, the thermometer rarely rising to 80° F. or sinking to the freezing point. Many visit it as a health resort. The exports in 1874, consisting mainly of gold bullion, wool, wheat, flour, barley, hides, honey, wine, and olive oil, amounted to $2,000,000. There are four churches, two academies, two daily and two weekly newspapers, two banks, a fine court house, and a steam flouring mill. The city was laid out in 1868.—North San Diego, a small hamlet 4 m. N. of the city proper, was the first place settled by white men in California. Father Junipero, a Jesuit priest, with a number of followers, landed there in May, 1768, and soon afterward founded the mission of San Diego.