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Including the Beermaker Subdivision

Fine early cadastral of National City, prepared by City Engineer Fred Copeland.

The map shows the names of dozens of early landowners, many of which were among San Diego's earliest families and speculators.  A key at the bottom left identifies post office, bank churches and schools, with the grounds of the railroad at the far west and the Sweetwater River at the bottom.

The map shows National City at a time when its initial subdivisions were completed, but much of the land to the east was still relatively undivided.

One of the lots in the center of the map between 17th and 18th Street is identified as Beermaker Subdivision.  While it would be colorful to imagine this an early brewery in National City, in fact, this is the land owned by George W. Beermaker,, agent for the American-Mexican Steamship and Trading company, which operated on the west coast of the US and Mexico in the beginning of the 20th Century.

National City

National City was original part of the 26,000 acre El Rancho del Rey (the Ranch of the King), used by Spanish soldiers to graze horses. After independence from Spain, in 1810, the Mexican government renamed it Rancho de la Nación (Ranch of the Nation). Governor Pío Pico granted Rancho de la Nación to his brother-in-law John (Don Juan) Forster in 1845. President Andrew Johnson, in issuing the land patent, listed the name as simply "The National Ranch", the English translation of the land grant name, "Rancho de la Nacion".

In 1868, Frank Kimball and his brothers Warren and Levi, contractors and builders from San Francisco, purchased the entire Rancho and founded National City.  In 1880, it became the starting point for the California Southern Railway, a branch of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe.

The Kimball Brothers constructed the first roads and railroad in what is now National City, Frank and his brothers most notably were responsible for introducing modern transportation to the residents of the community. The brothers also implemented the area's first post office and a wharf for sea-bound imports and exports. 

The city was incorporated in 1887.