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A Large Survey Map of Downtown San Diego - East Village - Petco Park

An impressive manuscript map of downtown San Diego, dated 1889, and focused on the East Village area. The map shows a generous swath of downtown San Diego, bounded in the north by G Street, on the south by N Street (now Commercial Street), on the west by 7th Street and San Diego Bay, and 15th Street on the east side.

Includes the land encompassing today's Petco Park. Much of the area depicting in this map was still undeveloped at the time, with vacant lots indicated by red wash color.

The map was drawn by H. S. Fletcher, Chief Draughtsman for the San Diego County Surveyor, and offers a window onto the urban landscape of late 19th-century San Diego. Created with pen and ink, with original wash color on drafting linen, the map delineates a good part of the core of modern downtown San Diego. It was made as an Exhibit in an election fraud case of Russell vs. McDowell, which resulted in the invalidation of votes from several downtown precincts in a contest for Sheriff of San Diego County. The map also notes the Santa Fe Railroad.

At the time of the map's creation, San Diego was in a phase of rapid development and transformation. The late 1880s marked a pivotal moment in the city's history, with the arrival of the Santa Fe Railroad connecting it to the rest of the nation and subsequently fueling its expansion.

In sum, the map provides insight into land-use patterns, infrastructural development, and maritime activities that shaped downtown San Diego in the late 19th century. Its role as an exhibit in a land case underscores the complex negotiations and disputes that often accompany periods of rapid urban growth. Thus, the map stands as a valuable historical source, encapsulating various aspects of San Diego's history, from urban planning and transportation to military affairs.