A few months ago when my fiance and I were driving back home from LA we decided to make a stop at Mt. Soledad to watch the sunrise. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t cooperative that morning and we didn’t see any sun rising but a gloomy sky and clouds instead. Oh well, at least we tried ;-). We decided to get breakfast after and head to La Jolla shores and there we were greeted by sunshine :). It was a bit chilly because it was still winter at that time but still a gorgeous day and perfect for taking photographs and I will be posting those La Jolla photos shortly ;-). By the way, these photos were taken with my mobile phone as I have yet to find the time to go through the photos taken with my other camera so the images are somewhat pixelated but I think good enough to give you a preview of why Mt. Soledad is a MUST see when you’re visiting San Diego :). Of course this includes learning about the history of Mt. Soledad and most importantly paying respects to our military.
Below are some important facts about Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial:
The Memorial Today
Veterans Memorial Walls at Mt. Soledad, La Jolla, CA
- Six concentric walls will ultimately hold 3,200 black granite plaques purchased by
donors and engraved with the names and photos of war veterans – currently more than
2,700 are in place- Each plaque “tells the story” of a veteran’s military service or that of
a group’s military service- Unique memorial that honors U.S. veterans – living and deceased – that have
been honorably discharged from any branch of the U.S. military- Includes uniformed members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast
Guard also Merchant Marine veterans who served during WWII- Originally dedicated as Korean War Veterans Memorial in 1952
- Large American Flag proudly flies over the Memorial
- 23 bollards honor community and veteran organizations (sold out)
- Brick pavers honor veterans and supporters of Mt. Soledad (pending replacement of
walkways by 2010)- Open to the public
- Docents available
- Volunteer opportunities exist
Annual Event Programs on Memorial and Veterans Day
- Speakers from active and retired military
- Community and political leaders
- Military bands and color guards
- Spirited music from local groups
Special Events All Year Round
- Ceremonies for family and friends to honor veterans or groups whose plaques are installed
on the Memorial Walls- Gatherings for veteran reunions and other commemorative anniversaries
- Association speakers free of charge at your club, organization or group location
or at the Memorial siteLocation
From the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial, 822 feet high above San Diego County, a
360-degree, awe-inspiring view stretches:
- South to panoramic views of San Diego, Coronado and beyond to Mexico,
- North to include University of California at San Diego, and Torrey Pines cliffs and
golf course, to- East to purple-hued mountains, and
- West to the Pacific waters at the shores of La Jolla
The Soledad Natural Park surrounds the memorial with:
- Wide-open grass areas,
- Benches on which to rest and enjoy the sights, and
- Descending nature walkways to view the native chaparral and abundant wildlife.
History
An Important Part of San Diego History
- First used as a Memorial Park in 1914
- Used by the Lindberghs for glider flights in the 1920′s
- Part of the military’s early-warning defense system in WWII
- 29-foot cross dedicated on April 29, 1954 to honor Korean War veterans
- Long used by planes and ships for navigation
- Transferred to Federal Government August 14, 2006 as National Veterans Memorial
Original dedication ceremony
April 18, 1954
Mt. Soledad Memorial Association – honoring veterans since 1952
- Founded by The American Legion Post #275, La Jolla, California
- Designated as a California Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Corporation
- Purchased land in 1992 at the top of Mt. Soledad, now the site of Veterans Memorial
Walls- Consistently selects veterans and community leaders to serve on Board of Trustees
- Sponsors annual Memorial and Veterans Day tributes
- Conducts Veterans Honor Ceremonies that honor veterans whose plaques are installed
on the Veterans Memorial WallsMt. Soledad Veterans Memorial transferred to the Federal Government
In August 2006, the Memorial was officially transferred to the Department of Defense.
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In August 2006, the Memorial was officially transferred to the Department of Defense.
- The Memorial is now managed and operated by Commander, Navy Region Southwest located in San Diego, California.
More about Mt. Soledad:
Legend of Munchkin land
It is a common urban legend that, in the 1930s, a group of little people who earned money in Hollywood appearing in movies such as The Wizard of Oz, came to San Diego where they built miniature houses on Mount Soledad.
The legend gained support due to the fact several houses were built on steep slopes overlooking the Pacific and, as you drove or walked by, it was easy to believe, due to optical illusions created as you looked down at the houses from the road, that the doors and other features were smaller than normal. If you actually walked up to the houses it was easy to see they were normal sized. Most of the supposed “Munchkin Houses” have been remodeled and the effect is no longer present.
Last home of Dr. Seuss
Mount Soledad also holds the last home lived in by Dr. Seuss. His widow, Audrey Geisel still resides atop Mt. Soledad in a lavish home that includes an observation tower that is referred to as the Seuss house by the locals.
In literature
Mount Soledad figures in a major location for San Diego-born writer Adam Gnade‘s 2011 novella, Hey Hey Lonesome.
Sources: www.soledadmemorial.com en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Soledad
EXPLORE . ADVENTURE . DISCOVER . 