Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House

08/16/2023

Thank you so much for joining us for our August lecture!! It was a full house and a wonderful, lively crowd!

08/11/2023

In Person Tickets are Selling Fast! Hurry to Reserve Your Spot, or Join Us via Zoom!

More info:
https://gaslampfoundation.org/product/hokuleavisitsandiego/

Join us for our next “History Talks” Lecture on Saturday, August 12, at 11:00 am.

Community leaders, Aunty Dolly Crawford and Dr. Hanalei Vierra, will share a slide presentation on the profound cultural impact the double-hull canoe, Hōkūleʻa, made on San Diego – the recognition of its indigenous people, the Kumeyaay Nation, and the Native people from Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia who make their home in San Diego and William Heath Davis Jr., founder of” New Town” San Diego in 1850 and Native son of Hawaii.

Limited seating. Zoom simulcast will also be available!

Lectures are free for GQHF Members, $5 for the public.

07/28/2023

The 1995 visit of the Hōkūleʻa voyaging canoe from Hawai’i to San Diego’s waterfront was an epic and historic event that awakened the pride of Pacific Islander Communities and brought attention to the role of Pacific Islanders in San Diego’s culture and history.

Join us for our next “History Talks” Lecture on Saturday, August 12, at 11:00 am.

https://gaslampfoundation.org/product/hokuleavisitsandiego/

Community leaders, Aunty Dolly Crawford and Dr. Hanalei Vierra, will share a slide presentation on the profound cultural impact the double-hull canoe, Hōkūleʻa, made on San Diego – the recognition of its indigenous people, the Kumeyaay Nation, and the Native people from Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia who make their home in San Diego and William Heath Davis Jr., founder of” New Town” San Diego in 1850 and Native son of Hawaii.

Limited seating. Zoom simulcast will also be available!

Lectures are free for GQHF Members, $5 for the public.

07/23/2023

Congratulations Ruth for winning our Comic Con giveaway! Thank you for participating in our “Superheroes of the Gaslamp” Special Edition tour!

07/22/2023

Much fun was had during Comic-Con this year and our staff and wonderful volunteers handed out over a hundred swag bags!

We hope you enjoyed our special edition tour “Superheroes of the Gaslamp Quarter,” limited release museum sticker, and sweet treats!

07/22/2023

Comic-Con is back in San Diego and you can keep the fun going with our new Fun Guide. We've got you covered with the latest museum exhibits and events including three new "must see" exhibits at the Comic-Con Museum.

07/11/2023

Just two Victorian ladies taking a quick coffee break Le Parfait Paris in the historic after one of our history tours 🫶🏼.
*Keep an eye out for these two next week! They, and a couple of amazing museum volunteers will be out and about during Comic Con handing out free limited edition stickers of the museum and cool museum swag!

07/02/2023

Happy Fourth of July weekend! Have a safe and fun celebration!

Pictured: Alonzo Horton with the US flag behind him.

06/29/2023

In the spring of 1924, the San Diego Electric Railway completed the first leg of one of its ambitious expansion projects, the new “high speed” Beach Line, known as the #14 Train to Ocean Beach. Replacing the Point Loma Railway, the Beach Line went where no road or rail had gone before to cut commute times in half.

Join us at the Gaslamp Museum on Wednesday, July 12th at 7 pm for our next “History Talks!” Lecture. Our guest lecturer Eric DuVall, president of the Ocean Beach Historical Society, will share this fun and informative look at how rapid transit helped Ocean Beach grow.

Photo credit: Ocean Beach Historical Society

More info:
https://gaslampfoundation.org/product/ocean-beach-history-talks/

06/24/2023

Clean, power washed walkway and leaves in the court yard freshly blown this morning! Big thank you to Dean for taking the time to help keep the public park by the museum clean! It looks great!

06/18/2023

Go San Diego Padres ! We love our home team and want to celebrate them with you! $1 off House Tours admission when you sport your Padres gear on game days! Tours of the museum take about 30 mins. Plenty of time to learn a little history and visit a San Diego landmark before the game!

06/03/2023

It's Summertime and downtown San Diego is always bustling, especially during a Padres home game! We love seeing fans in their Padres gear supporting our hometown team. We want to celebrate them with you!

Come check out the Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House, the oldest building in downtown San Diego, while you're here for a game. Enjoy a discount on self-guided or audio-guided tours and learn the stories of one of downtown's most historic buildings!

The duration of these tours is approximately 30 mins (just enough time to learn some history on your way to, or coming from a game!) and the discount is only valid during home games at Petco Park.

05/31/2023

The “Davis” name in the Gaslamp Museum at the “Davis-Horton”House comes from William Heath Davis Jr. He was the first person to formally envision a thriving town by San Diego Bay that would become “New Town San Diego.”

Davis was born in the Kingdom of Hawai’i in 1822 and moved to California in 1838. His grandmother was Mahi Kalanihoʻoulumokuikekai, daughter an ali’i (Hawaiian Nobility) and part of King Kamehameha’s Royal Court.

Learn more about William Heath Davis Jr. and learn some ‘ōlelo Hawai’i on our YouTube page!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oAxe3yevsZM

05/30/2023

: The downtown San Diego area was home to many Filipinos who, because of racial segregation, were confined to ethnic enclaves in the downtown area. The Manila Cafe, pictured here, was named after the capital city of the Philippines. It was a popular restaurant which catered to Filipinos as well as anyone living or visiting the downtown area in the 1930s.

05/28/2023

- This structure, built in 1912, has a historic connection with San Diego’s old Chinatown community.

It was owned by Chinatown’s unofficial mayor Ah Quin and housed the Nanking Cafe. Quin passed it to his son Thomas, who originally used the building to sell Chinese imports. The big money- maker, though, was the Chinese lottery, which was run in the back!

In 1918, the building was sold to the Wong family, who opened what became the longest running Chinese restaurant, operated by the same family, in Southern California. The Wong descendants finally closed their doors in downtown in 1996.

05/25/2023

This brick structure on 5th and Island was constructed in 1878 and first housed a saloon with a menagerie.

In 1914 the Nippon Company, a Japanese import and export business, occupied the larger storefront and ultimately purchased the property in 1926. Upstairs was the Hotel Pacific which provided furnished rooms and office space for a variety of Japanese run businesses.

In 1941, under executive order 9066, all persons of Japanese heritage, regardless of nationality, were sent to internment camps and their properties were seized by the bank. The businesses in this building were among those seized.

In 1943, The San Diego Federal Savings and Loan Company became the owner and reopened under the name of Hotel Callan which it retains to this day.

05/25/2023

Lots of guests coming by and snapping photos of these beauties today ♥️. They are blooming quite beautifully and the smell is divine! A good reminder to stop and smell the roses while they are here!

These roses were planted in front of the museum in the late 1980s in honor of the contributions of John and Dori Rose to the historic Gaslamp Quarter. 🌹

05/24/2023

Please note that due to ongoing gallery repair, tonight’s “History Talks!” Lecture will be postponed until Wednesday, October 18th. Thank you all for understanding! We hope to see you at our next scheduled lecture on June 21st!

05/16/2023

We are so honored to have been a part of this historic event in Downtown San Diego’s Pantoja Park honoring kānaka maoli and original Founder of “New Town” San Diego, William Heath Davis Jr.

We are grateful to have had Kumeyaay Bird Singers, city leaders, and many members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Community present for this occasion! Mahalo nui loa, Eyaay Ahun, and thank you all!

Celebrating William Heath Davis Jr. Day during AAPI Heritage Month on Wednesday, May 10 2023 in Pantoja Park downtown San Diego .

05/03/2023

*New in the Museum Gift shop*
T shirts highlighting the original Founder of San Diego’s New Town, William Heath Davis Jr.

William Heath “Kanaka Bill” Davis Jr. was Kānaka Maoli born in the Kingdom of Hawai’i in 1822. He was one of the first people to envision a town center closer to San Diego’s bay.

These t shirts were graciously donated by the Kanaka Davis Trust Group. Get yours on your next visit to the museum! Mahalo nui loa ♥️

04/28/2023

“History Talks!” Sunset Cliffs has been postponed until October 18th.

*****************

Sunset Cliffs Park meanders along a mile and a half of San Diego’s coastline, beckoning tourists and locals alike. The park’s colorful sunsets and landscape attracts artists, children and others that enjoy beauty.

Kathy Blavatt, author of “San Diego’s Sunset Cliff’s Park, A History,” grew up on Sunset Cliffs Boulevard and married her husband Ray at Villa Surf above Sunset Cliffs’ Garbage Beach.

Join us as she talks about her book and shares personal insights and knowledge of Point Loma’s beloved Sunset Cliffs Park history.

Limited seating. Zoom simulcast will also be available!

More info:

https://gaslampfoundation.org/product/san-diegos-sunset-cliffs-park-a-history/

04/22/2023

We are so grateful for the wonderful people who dedicate their time and efforts to us as volunteers! They are the lifeblood of the Foundation.

Thank you all for leading historical tours, helping at Shamrock and Fall Back Festival, museum maintenance, serving on the Board, the work you do as interns and docents, and much more! We could not do it without you.

04/14/2023

Dowsing rods are a popular tool to use for Paranormal Investigations. This adorable ghost hunter had quite a knack for it! We think it’s because she takes after her great grandma… or as we know her our Historian/ ghost lady Sandee! 👻 ♥️

04/12/2023

We had a great group of students come by for a tour of the historic Gaslamp Quarter and a little bit of ghostly history this morning! Thank you all for joining us!

04/05/2023

He was an American lawman, gunfighter, and gambler known for being involved in the shootout at the O.K. Corral- one of the most famous shootouts in the history of the American Old West. After the events in Tombstone, Arizona, Wyatt Earp made his way to the next boomtown spending some time in New Town, San Diego! Hear all about his adventures in San Diego while seeing a few of the Victorian-era buildings associated with Wyatt Earp in downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter!

Friday, April 21 at 11:30 am

Tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 15 mins.

$25 per person( discounts available for Seniors, Military and Students)

GQHF Members are free!

He was an American lawman, gunfighter, and gambler known for being involved in the shootout at the O.K. Corral- one of the most famous shootouts in the history of the American Old West. After the events in Tombstone, Arizona, Wyatt Earp made his way to the next boomtown spending some time in New Tow...

03/30/2023

Anna Brown was a very well-known business person and a true embodiment of the self-made African American woman of her times. She managed several hotels in San Diego’s downtown area in the 1920s including the Ideal Hotel pictured here.

This hotel was built in 1912 in anticipation of the Panama-California Exposition, and opened specifically for people of color. The building also housed one of San Diego’s first Chinese restaurants, making the Ideal a meeting place for diverse cultures and ethnicities.

03/29/2023

03/28/2023

Dorothy's arrival in San Diego circa 1950.

Dorothy Akana Hom is an icon for both San Diego and the Chinese Community. Born in 1932 in Honolulu, Hawaii she moved to San Diego at age 18. She met and married her husband Tom Hom not long after.

Dorothy cared deeply about San Diego and the Chinese Community and led many organizations such as the Chinese Historical Society of Greater San Diego and Baja CA, and the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum, just to name a couple! Along with her husband, Dorothy played a major role in transforming the Gaslamp Quarter from red light district to a bustling scene full of shops, restaurants, and beautifully preserved architecture.

03/23/2023

Dr. Charlotte Johnson Baker was the first woman to practice medicine in San Diego and the first woman elected president of the San Diego County Medical Society. She worked tirelessly to advance women’s suffrage and advocated for a shorter work week for laborers. She delivered over 1,000 babies in her career and never lost a mother.

03/22/2023

It’s always lovely to see a familiar face! Dan, a former GQHF Board member and volunteer of many years, came by to say hello and see how we were doing before embarking on his adventures in Spain!! Thank you for visiting us, Dan!

03/15/2023

We are still looking for Volunteers for this Friday, March 17th at ShamROCK, our non-profit musuem’s biggest event and fundraiser!

If you are interested or know someone that might be, please email Jamie for more info: [email protected]. Thank you everyone!

03/08/2023

Anna Scheper was the “nurse in charge”when the Davis-Horton House was used as a county hospital in the 1870s.

She had no formal medical training but was hard working and provided conscientious care for her patients, whose families could not care for them.

She earned $1.00 a day per patient and employed other women to assist her. Her usual census was 6-8 patients a day, but had sometimes recorded as many as 19!

03/08/2023

Did you know all proceeds from ShamROCK help us continue to share the history of the Gaslamp Quarter? It is our non profit museum’s biggest fundraiser! Join us on March 17 and party for a cause!

Tradition returns as an authentic Irish celebration takes over the streets of San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter. Heading back to its roots, the 26th Annual ShamROCK provides a full lineup of the nation’s top Irish & Celtic Rock bands, iconic tribute performances and Irish dancers galore!

03/02/2023

It’s a beautiful day today! Come visit the oldest building in the historic Gaslamp Quarter. We are open from 10 am - 4 pm.

03/01/2023

“I ka 'ōlelo ke ola, i ka 'ōlelo ka make.”
In words is the power of life, in words is the power of death. -Hawaiian Proverb.

Today is the last day of Mahina ‘Ōlelo Hawai’i or Hawaiian Language month but it’s always a good time to learn more about the rich culture and heritage of Hawai’i.

William Heath Davis Jr. is the one who brought the historic Davis-Horton House to San Diego and began the development of New Town San Diego.

Davis was kānaka maoli (Native Hawaiian) from his grandmother who was part of King Kamehameha’s royal court. Learn a little more about William Heath Davis Jr. in this YouTube video!

E Ola Mau ka ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i!

3 facts about William Heath Davis Jr. , a Founder of New Town San Diego, ma ka 'ōlelo Hawai'i .

03/01/2023

Thank you UCSD Paranormal Society for visiting the oldest building in downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter! We hope you had a “spirited” and “spectre-cular” time!

02/18/2023

Do you know who this iconic San Diego tour guide is?

During the boom years of the 1880s, Reuben Williams, aka Reuben the Guide, sensed the excitement surrounding San Diego and arrived here to settle permanently.

He was employed as a guide by the National City and Otay Railway.

Known for his huge sombrero, his five-pointed star, his ever-ready smile, and accommodating manner he was a veritable wealth of information. His tours left from the NC & O Railroad Depot, located at 536 L St., the current location of the Hard Rock Hotel.

02/15/2023

February Specialty Tour! Explore the Gaslamp’s romantic side as we delve into the love stories that built the area.

Where there’s love, there’s life!

Love is in the air! Come take your sweetie for a stroll through the Gaslamp. Visit some iconic buildings as our historian shares the love stories that took place within. Hear the behind-the-scenes account of the amores that shaped the lives of Sa Diegans during the Victorian Era! Some are pretty, some not-so-much, but all are unique.

This specialty walking tour will be available twice in February!

Thursday 2/16 at 11am

Tuesday 2/21 at 4pm

Reservations Required. Walk-ons not available.

The tour lasts approximately 1.5 hours
https://gaslampfoundation.org/product/gaslamp-sweethearts-walking-tour/

02/10/2023

During the time of heavy segregation in the U.S. the Douglas Hotel, built in 1924, was owned by, employed, and served African Americans in downtown San Diego. It included a restaurant, barber shop, and a jazz club called "The Creole Palace" featuring greats such as Billie Holiday, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and was once known as the "Harlem of the West."