Mission Valley

The broad open sweep of the San Diego River Valley, located at the geographic heart of the City of San Diego, has always attracted settlers and development.  From the early days when the Indians built their villages along the river banks to its present reincarnation as an urban center for shopping, hotels, restaurants and office buildings, the valley has been a center of activity for the San Diego area. In 1769, Fr. Junipero Serra relocated Mission San Diego de Alcala to the valley from the Presidio areas. 

The mission gave the area its name and also established agriculture as its primary business.  Dairy farms thrived and cows dotted the landscape for many years.  In the early part of the 1900s sand and gravel quarries were important industries. Several are still operating today.

In the 1950s, the completion of U.S. 80 (now I-8) provided an impetus for commercial development and the agricultural environment began to give way to shopping centers and hotels.  The river was tamed and although it can still flood parking lots and require road detours during a wet year, it is now hard to see it all.  There are three major malls in the area--Hazard Center, Mission Valley Mall and Fashion Valley Mall.  All of the malls include anchor stores, movie theaters and restaurants.  There are numerous smaller shopping centers as well as numerous auto dealers. Hotel Circle is home to a number of well-known hotels that offer visitors accommodations central to all of San Diego's major attractions.

Qualcomm Stadium (then known as Murphy Stadium) was built in 1967 and is home to the Chargers and, until recently, to the Padres as well.  The stadium's vast parking lot is home to tailgate parties and other events during the year.  It recently held over 10,000 evacuees during the wild fires that swept through San Diego in October, 2003.   Fenton Marketplace added an IKEA, Costco and Lowe's to the shopping alternatives.  The San Diego Trolley ties the area together.

Recently a number of condominiums and apartments have been built in the area making it a strong residential area as well.