San Diego places you thought you knew

Palomar Observatory, Florida Canyon, Pendleton, Port Authority, General Atomics, and San Diego ballet

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Publish Date

Nov. 24, 2018

What made the ranch well-suited for a training base was also what made it so well-suited for cattle raising. (Craig Carlson)

The Corning Glass Works had poured the giant piece of Pyrex in 1934 and had allowed it to cool for two years. (Robert Burroughs)

Cast a cold eye on heaven

The concept of building the world's biggest telescope on Palomar Mountain was born when Alfred Einstein sailed into San Diego Bay as part of a world cruise in 1931. Officials from the California Institute of Technology drove down to greet the father of relativity, and they eyed the North County mountain for the first time as a possible observatory site.

By Jeannette DeWyze, May 11, 1978 Read full article

Florida Canyon is the last natural area left in metropolitan San Diego. (David Covey)

Nature's last stand

“Florida Canyon is a pitiful little remnant, really, of what was once a widespread environment. But its value lies in its accessibility. It’s practically in the center of the urban area, where people live who never get out into natural country. Where else are they going to see a wildflower?”

Grace under pressure

San Diego Ballet’s retort is that it is the city’s only professional company. When talking about its arch rival, spokesmen usually manage to mention that the California Ballet “just isn’t a professional company.” The California Ballet, however, has never claimed to be a professional company. “I think we're both semiprofessional,” asserts Maxine Mahon.

By Cynthia Lyle, Oct. 12 , 1978 Read full article

Don Ney: “We’re trying to use some sense and some decency about how to spend this money." (David Covey)

Port authority

Don Nay can look down and, if he had the inclination, marvel at the sheer dimension of his domain and its power. San Diego’s biggest and most prosperous companies lease their ground from Don Nay’s port. Solar, Rohr, National Steel and Shipbuilding, Van Camp Tuna, the Sheraton hotels.

By Neal Matthews, Dec. 14, 1978, Read full article

Ohkawa: "If you’re talking about when I do my best scientific work, probably it’s sometime when I’m asleep.” (David Covey)

Star chamber

As the head of General Atomic’s controlled fusion research program, Ohkawa has been working for the last twenty years to solve one of the most elusive riddles of modem physics; the controlled conversion of hydrogen into helium, a process which heretofore has taken place only in the middles of stars.

By Gordon Smith, March 22, 1979 Read full article

Bessie Magee Gardner:, 90: “I knew all the vaqueros. I had my own saddle horses there, six of them. I rode every day and I know every stick of that ranch." (Craig Carlson)

From Spanish rancho to hard-core Marines

“Las Flores got its name from the billions of flowers between the ranch house and Las Flores. The flowers were called gotas a sangre—because they looked like little drops of blood. They were no bigger than the tip of my little finger.” She lifts her wrinkled hand and tips a pinky with a thumb.

By Neal Matthews, Nov. 15, 1978 Read full article