Transcript Remembering Our Past Together - Filipino

Part 1
Remembering Our Past Together
The Philippines
*1521 - 1946
*The Philippines was discovered in 1521 by Portugese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and colonized by Spain from 1565 to 1898.
Following the Spanish – American War, it became a territory of the United States. On July 4, 1946, the United States formally recognized
Philippine independence which was declared by Filipino revolutionaries from Spain.
NOTE
Information and images used in the preparation of the Philippine segment of this presentation are retrieved from on-line references.
Prepared for the Filipino-American Cultural Association of North San Diego County, Rica Derosier, President
February 2010
By Felix Saguing
Presentation Title by Dejah Urbanovitch, Miss Fil-Am 2009
Manila skyline at night viewed from Manila Bay
Press ENTER to continue
1
The early history of the Philippines predates Oceanside’s by more than 200
years. The Philippines as it is known today, because of its geographical location,
became embroiled in what historians will refer to as a search for new lands to
expand European empires – thinly disguised as the search for exotic spices. In the
early 1400’s, Portugese explorers discovered the abundance of many different
resources in these “new lands” heretofore unknown to early European geographers
and explorers. The Portugese are quickly followed by the Dutch, Spaniards, and
the British, looking to establish colonies in the East Indies.
The author’s objective is to provide an “abbreviated” historical background
in lieu of an in-depth, comprehensive historical presentation. That is what
textbooks and other references are for.
The presentation is done in timeline format to conserve space and at the same
time provide, in as much as possible, an accurate chronological order of
historical events, dates, names and places. Photos and images are selected for
relevancy to the event or subject.
Press TAB key to advance to the next slide
2
Ferdinand Magellan
Although not the first to set foot on Philippine soil, the first well document
arrival of Europeans in the archipelago was the Spanish expedition led by
Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan, which first sighted the mountains of Samara. At
Masao, Butuan, (now in Augustan del Norte), he solemnly planted a cross on the
summit of a hill overlooking the sea and claimed possession of the islands he had
seen for Spain. Magellan befriended Raja Humabon, the chieftain of Sugbu (present
day Cebu), and converted him to Catholicism. After getting involved in tribal
rivalries, Magellan, with 48 of his men and 1,000 native warriors, invaded Mactan
Island. Magellan seriously underestimated the strength of Datu Lapu-Lapu’s forces.
Grossly outnumbered he and 14 of his soldiers were killed.
Born 1480 Sabrosa, Portugal
Died April 27, 1521 (aged 40–41)
Cebu, Philippines
1521 – (March 17) Magellan sighted the mountains of what is now Samar while on
Other names
Portugese: Fernão de Magalhães
Spanish: Hernando de Magallanes
Known for: Captained the first
circumnavigation of the world.
a mission for Spain to find a westward route to the Moluccas Islands. On Easter
Sunday, March 31, 1521, at Masao, Butuan, (now in Augusan del Norte), he
solemnly planted a cross and claimed the island for Spain, naming them Islas de
San Lazaro.
Reference
Bergreen, Lawrence (October 14, 2003). Over The Edge of
the World: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation
of the Globe.
Reference
Zweig, Stefan, "Conqueror of the Seas – The
Magellan", 2007, ISBN 1406760064
Story of
On the morning of April 27, 1521, Magellan sailed to Mactan to confront the
rebellious Datu Lapu-Lapu. During the resulting Battle of Mactan with hostile
natives led by Lapu-Lapu, Magellan was killed. His body was never recovered. A
shrine has been built in his honor near the battle site.
Reference
Statue of Lapu-lapu
Agoncillo, Teodoro (2006) Introduction to Filipino History.
Garotech Publishing, and David Hawthorne (1964).
Ferdinand Magellan. Doubleday & Company, Inc.
3
1543 – Ruy Lopez de Villabos led an expedition to the islands and gave the
name Las Islas Filipinas (after Philip II of Spain) to the islands of Samar and Leyte.
Reference
Noone, Martín J. The Discovery and Conquest of the
Philippines 1521-1581, 1983
1565 – Colonization of the Philippines began with the arrival of Spanish
Miguel Lopez de Legaspi
First Governor and Captain-General
Of the Philippines
In office
April 27, 1565 – August 20, 1572
Born 1502
Zumarraga, Guipuzcoa, Spain
Died August 20, 1572
Manila, Philippines
explorer Miguel Lopez de Legaspi from Nueva España (present day Mexico) and
formed the first European settlements in Cebu. The colony was administered
through the Viceroyalty of Nueva España until 1821 when Mexican patriots seceded
from the Spanish Empire. After 1821, the colony was governed directly from Spain.
Reference
De Morga , Antonio. (2004). “History of the Philippine
Islands". Volume 1 and 2. The Project Gutenberg, or go to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_Lopez_de_Legazpi
Manila galleon or Galeones de Manila-Acapulco service was inaugurated
providing passage once or twice per year across the Pacific Ocean between Manila
and Spain via Nueva España. This was made possible with the discovery of the
ocean passage by Andrés de Urdaneta, and continued until 1815 when the Mexican
Revolution put a permanent stop to the galleon trade route.
Reference
Kamen, Henry (2004). Empire: How Spain Became a World
Power, 1492-1763. Harper, Collins ISBN 0060932643
Galleon
Filipinos were the earliest Asians to cross the Pacific Ocean for the New
Saint Malo Settlement as appeared in
Harper's Weekly, 1883
World because of the Manila galleon trade between Nueva España and Las Islas
Filipinas from 1565 to 1815. Many jumped ship to escape brutal treatment after
having been “exploited and impressed into service” and “forced to become
woodcutters, shipbuilders, crewmen and munitions workers.” Filipinos, the majority
entering Louisiana directly by galleons from Mexico, followed the mule trail to
Veracruz and other Mexican ports and crossed the Gulf of Mexico to Louisiana
where they established settlements such as St. Malo on the swamps south of Lake
Borgne in St. Bernard County, and Manila Village on the marshland on Barataria
Bay in the Mississippi Delta by the Gulf of Mexico.
Reference
FILIPINOS: Forgotten Asian
Americans by Fred Cordova
1762 – (October 30) Archbishop Manuel Antonio Rojo del Rio y Vieyra, Bishop of
Sir William Draper
Born 1721, Bristol, United Kingdom
Died January 8, 1787
Known for: Conquer of Manila,
losing Minorca
Manila and representative of the Spanish Real Audencia, following the death of the
Gobernador-General, Don Pedro Manuel de Arandia, surrendered the Philippines to the
British pursuant to the agreement of Treaty of Paris at the end of Seven Years War. The
British ended their rule on April, 1762.
Reference
Tracy, Nicholas (1995), Manila Ransomed: The British Assault
on Manila in the Seven Year War, University of Exeter Press,
ISBN 0859894266, ISBN 9780859894265
Martín de Goiti was a Spanish Basque Conquistador and founder of the city
of Manila. Goiti was one of the soldiers who accompanied the Spanish colonization
of the East Indies in 1565. He was the leader of the expedition to Manila, ordered by
Miguel Lopes de Legaspi in 1569. There, he fought a number of battles against the
Muslim chieftain, Rajah Sulaiman III of Manila for control of lands and settlements.
Goiti is laid to rest in a tomb inside the San Agustin Church, in Intramuros.
Reference
Artist sketch of Manila Bay, circa 1800s
Noone, Martín J. The Discovery and Conquest of the
Philippines 1521-1581, 1983
4
1781 – One of the forty-six early settlers of Pueblo de Nuestra Señora Reina
de los Angeles, now the City of Los Angeles, probably was a Filipino by the name of
Antonio Miranda Rodriguez.
Reference
FILIPINOS: Forgotten Asian
Americans by Fred Cordova
1863 – Queen Isabella of Spain decreed the establishment of a public school
system in the Spanish model leading to an increasing number of educated indios and
criollos or Insulares, (Spaniards born in the Philippines), creating a class of citizens
called Ilustrados.
Three most celebrated Ilustrados at
the end of 19th century: Jose Rizal,
Marcelo del Pilar and Mariano Ponce
The Ilustrados originally clamored for adequate representation to the Spanish
Cortes and later for independence. Jose Rizal, the most celebrated intellectual and
radical Ilustrado of the era, wrote the novels “Noli mi Tangere", and “El
Filibusterismo", which greatly inspired the movement for independence. The
Katipunan, a secret militant society, was founded by Andres Bonifacio. Its primary
purpose was the overthrow of Spanish rule in the Philippines.
On-line reference
On-line reference
http://people.cohums.ohiostate.edu/grimsley1/milhis/phil.htm
http://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/28063.html
1872 – Mass deportation occurred of nationalists to the Isla los Ladrones
(present day Guam) and Europe creating a Filipino expatriate community of
reformers abroad. The community grew within the next generation of Ilustrados
taking graduate studies in European universities. They allied themselves with
Spanish liberals, most notably a certain Spanish senator named Morayta of Madrid
and formed La Solidaridad.
La Solidaridad was an organization
created in 1888 in Spain to represent and
advocate the Filipino cause at the Spanish
parliament. They published a newspaper,
La Solidaridad, headed by Graciano
Jaena.
Reference
Schumacher, John N. (1973). The Propaganda Movement,
1881-1896: The creation of a Filipino Consciousness (1997 ed.)
Manila: Ateneo de Manila University Press.
ISBN 9789715502092
5
Graciano Lopez Jaena
The desire to form a purely Filipino organization was fulfilled on December 13,
1888 with the establishment in Barcelona of La Solidaridad. This organization was
sort of a rival of Morayta's Madrid group although the two organizations joined
together in a petition addressed to the Minister of the Colonies asking for
representation in the Cortes, abolition of censorship of the press, and prohibition of
the practice of deporting citizens merely through administrative orders. The
president of La Solidaridad in Barcelona was Rizal's cousin, Galicano Apacible.
Among the other officers were Graciano Lope Jaena, vice president, and Mariano
Ponce, treasurer. Rizal, in London at the time, was named Honorary President.
Unfortunately, Apacible could not hold the wrangling reformists together. It took the
prestige of Rizal and the political wisdom of Marcelo del Pilar to unite the Filipinos
in Spain and to coordinate their efforts.
Reference
Mariano Ponce
Schumacher, John N. (1973). The Propaganda Movement,
1881-1896: The creation of a Filipino Consciousness (1997 ed.)
Manila: Ateneo de Manila University Press.
ISBN 9789715502092
1896 – In the last days of August, Bonifacio called Katipunan members to a
Marcelo del Pilar
mass gathering in Caloocan, where they decided to start a nationwide armed
revolution against Spain.The event was marked by a mass tearing of cedulas
(community tax certificates) accompanied by patriotic cries. The exact date and
location are disputed, but two possibilities have been officially endorsed by the
Philippine government: August 26 in Balintawak and later, August 23 in Pugad
Lawin. Thus the event is called the "Cry of Balintawak" or "Cry of Pugad Lawin".
However the issue is further complicated by other dates such as August 24 and 25
and other locations such as Kankong.
Reference
First Katipunan (Bonifacio’s)
flag first flown July 7,1892
Cristobal, Adrian (2005) [1997],
The Tragedy of the Revolution,
University of the Philippines
Press, ISBN 971-542-471-6
6
1892 – (July) Jose Rizal was implicated in the activities of the nascent rebellion, was
deported to Dapitan in the province of Zamboanga, a peninsula of Mindanao. There he
built a school, a hospital and a water supply system, and taught and engaged in farming
and horticulture.
1896 - the rebellion fomented by the Katipunan had become a full blown
José Protasio Rizal Mercado y
Alonso Realonda
Born June 19, 1861
revolution, proving to be a nationwide uprising and leading to the first proclamation
of a democratic republic in Asia. To dissociate himself, Rizal volunteered and was
given leave by the Gobernador-General, Ramon Blanco, to serve in Cuba to
minister to victims of yellow fever. Blanco later was to present his sash and sword to
the Rizal family as an apology for the arrest of Rizal.
Before he left Dapitan, Rizal issued a refraction disavowing the revolution and
declaring that the education of Filipinos and their achievement of a national identity
were prerequisites to freedom.
Ramón Blanco y Erenas, marqués
de Peña Plata
(1833 – 1906)
Term: 1893-Dec 13, 1896
Jose Rizal was imprisoned in the fort before
his execution.. The site features his cell and
other artifacts. Embedded onto the ground in
bronze, his final footsteps representing the
walk from his cell to the location of the actual
execution. Photography is prohibited inside the
building that houses artifacts of Rizal’s
imprisonment.
Rizal was arrested en route to Havana, imprisoned in Barcelona, and sent back
to Manila to stand trial. He was implicated in the revolution through his association
with members of the Katipunan and was to be tried before a military tribunal for
rebellion, sedition, and conspiracy. During the entire passage, he was unchained, no
Spaniard laid a hand on him, and had many opportunities to escape but refused to do
so. Rizal was convicted on all three charges and sentenced to death. Blanco, who
was sympathetic to Rizal, had been forced out of office, and the friars had
intercalated Camilo de Polavieja in his place, sealing Rizal's fate. He was found
guilty of all charges and sentenced to die by firing squad. While awaiting execution,
he was held in a cell at Fort Santiago where he wrote Mi Ultimo Adios.
Reference
Zaide, Gregorio F. (2003) Jose Rizal: Life, Works and Writings
of a Genius, Writer, Scientist and National Hero. Manila:
National Bookstore. ISBN 9710805207
7
8
1896 – (December 30) Execution of Jose Rizal at
Bagumbayan (Luneta), present day site of Rizal Park, in the
City of Manila.
1897 – The Katipunan-Magdalo movement of Cavite
Record Photograph of the Execution of Jose Rizal (encircled)
under self-appointed general, Emilio Aguinaldo and another
Cavite faction, the Magdiwang, was embroiled in a power
struggle as to who would lead the formation of a
Revolutionary Government.
Andres Bonifacio, the original founder of the Katipunan, considered his
movement to be the Revolutionary Government, but nevertheless, he acquiesced and
presided over elections held during the Tejeros Convention held in Tejeros, Cavite
on March 22, 1897.
Andres Bonifacio y de Castro
Nov 30, 1863 - May 10, 1897
Away from his power base, Bonifacio lost the leadership to Aguinaldo and was
appointed by him to a lesser position in the revolutionary cabinet. Insulted,
Bonifacio declared the Convention null and void, and sought to return to his power
base in Morong (present-day Rizal Province), He and his party were intercepted by
Aguinaldo's men and violence resulted which left Bonifacio seriously wounded.
Bonifacio was charged, tried and found guilty of treason by a Cavite military
tribunal, and sentenced to death.
After some vacillation, Aguinaldo confirmed the death sentence and Bonifacio
was executed on May 10, 1897 in the mountains of Maragondon in Cavite, even as
Aguinaldo and his forces were retreating in the face of Spanish assault. Aguinaldo is
officially considered the first President of the Philippines.
Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy
Mar 22, 1869 – Feb 6, 1964
Reference
Zaide, Gregorio F. (1984) Philippine
History and Government. National
Bookstore Printing Press
9
The Pact of Biak-na-Bato, signed on December 14, 1897,
Filipino Revolutionary Soldiers Encampment
Biak-na-Bato, Bulacan Dec 27, 1897
created a truce between Spanish Colonial Governor - General
Fernando Primo de Rivera and Emilio Aguinaldo to end the
Philippine Revolution. Aguinaldo and his fellow revolutionaries
were given amnesty and monetary indemnity by the Spanish
government in return for which the Revolutionary Government
would go into voluntary exile in Hong Kong. Aguinaldo would
later use the money to purchase firearms.
Delegates to the Pact of Biak-na-Bato
Seated. L to R, Pedro Paterno, mediator, and General Emilio Aguinaldo.
Standing, L to R, rebel leaders Isabelo Artacho, Baldomero Aguinaldo,
Severino de las Alas, Antonio Montenegro and Vito Belarmino. (Paterno
became one of the founders, and Montenegro a founding member, of the
pro-American Partido Federal when it was organized on Dec. 23, 1900.)
Filipino exiles in Hong Kong, photo taken in
early 1898: Emilio Aguinaldo (arrow) led 36 other
revolutionary leaders including Gregorio del Pilar into
exile in the British colony
1898 – (April 21) Start of Spanish-American War following
the sinking, on February 15 in Havana Harbor, of the battleship
USS Maine.
On-line reference
Arnaldo Dumindin, Spanish-American War
http://philippineamericanwar.webs.com/
Hulk of USS Maine, Havana, Cuba, 1898
10
1898 - (May 19) Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines and he
Filipino Revolutionary Soldiers, 1898
Soldiers in dark uniforms were formerly indigenous
Spanish colonial troops who crossed over to the
revolutionary side.
immediately resumed revolutionary activities against the Spaniards,
now receiving verbal encouragement from emissaries of the U. S. In a
matter of months, revolutionary forces conquered nearly all of
Spanish-held territories, with the exception of Manila, which was
completely surrounded. The Filipinos now controlled the Philippines.
Aguinaldo also turned over 15,000 Spanish prisoners to the
Americans, offering them valuable intelligence.
June 12 - Aguinaldo declared independence from Spain at his
house in Cavite El Viejo. The declaration, however, was not
recognized by the United States or Spain, as the Spanish government
ceded the Philippines to the United States in the 1898 Treaty of Paris.
Tensions between the Philippine Revolutionary Government and the
American government existed because of the conflicting movements
for independence and colonization, aggravated by feelings of betrayal
on the part of Aguinaldo.
1899 – (March 23) The insurgent First Philippine Republic
Spanish Colonial Soldiers Prisoners of War
Cavite, 1897
formally established with the proclamation of the Malolos Convention
in Malolos, Bulacan.
June 2 – The Malolos Congress declared war on the United
States, with Pedro Paterno, President of Congress, issuing a
Proclamation of War. The date marked the beginning of the PhilippineAmerican War, which ensued between 1899 and 1902.
On-line reference
Malolos Convention
Arnaldo Dumindin, Spanish-American War
http://philippineamericanwar.webs.com/
11
1899 – (February 4) Armed conflict began when a Filipino
soldier was shot by an American sentry at San Juan Bridge. In 2003,
the Philippine National Historical Institute found the incident actually
happened in Sociego and Silencio streets in Santa Mesa, Manila.
1901 – (March 23) Capture and surrender of Emilio Aguinaldo
Present day corner of Sociego and Silencio Streets, Santa
Mesa District, Manila. The National Historical Institute
placed two plaques (in English and in Filipino) marking this
spot as the scene of the first shot that sparked the
Philippine-American War. The plaque in English states:
"Here at 9:00 in the evening of February 4th, 1899, Private
William Grayson of the First Nebraska Volunteers fired the
shot that started the Filipino-American War.”
to the American forces in Palanan, Isabela, which effectively dissolved
the First Philippine Republic.
Official end to the war. The Philippine Organic Act of July
1902 approved, ratified, and confirmed by U.S. President McKinley's
Executive Order establishing the Philippine Commission and
stipulated that a legislature would be established composed of a lower
house, the Philippine Assembly, which would be popularly elected,
and an upper house consisting of the Philippine Commission. The act
also provided for extending the United States Bill of Rights to
Filipinos.
On July 2 the Secretary of War telegraphed that the insurrection
against the sovereign authority of the U.S. having come to an end, and
provincial civil governments having been established, the office of
U.S. Military governor was terminate
Artist rendition of the capture of
Aguinaldo in Palanan, Isabela
On July 4 Theodore Roosevelt, who had succeeded to the U.S.
Presidency after the assassination of President McKinley on
September 5, 1901, proclaimed a full and complete pardon and
amnesty to all people in the Philippine archipelago who had
participated in the conflict. This date marked the beginning of
American annexation of the Philippines.
On-line reference
Macabebe Scouts who helped capture Emilio Aguinaldo
Arnaldo Dumindin, Spanish-American War
http://philippineamericanwar.webs.com/
From the very beginning, United States presidents and their
representatives in the islands defined their colonial mission as tutelage:
preparing the Philippines for eventual independence. Except for a small
group of "retentionists," the issue was not whether the Philippines would be
granted self-rule, but when and under what conditions.
Cultural Impact. Then U.S. President McKinley, in his
President William McKinley
William Howard Taft
25th. President
In office
Mar 4, 1897 – Sep 14, 1901
First Civil Governor
In office
Jul 4, 1901 - Feb 1, 1904
instructions to the First Philippine Commission in 1898 (more
popularly known as the Taft Commission), ordered the establishment
of a public school system and the use of the Philippine languages as
well as English for instructional purposes.
The American administrators, finding the local languages to be
too numerous and too difficult to learn and write teaching materials in,
ended up with a monolingual system in English with no attention paid
to the other Philippine languages except for the token statement
concerning the necessity of using them eventually for the system.
The Thomasites arrived in the Philippines on August 12, 1901
Filipino students and Thomasite teacher (arrow), 1901
to establish a new public school system in the American model, to
teach basic education and to train Filipino teachers. The Philippines
had enjoyed a public school system since 1863, when a Spanish decree
first introduced public elementary education in the Philippines.The
Thomasites expanded and improved the public school system, and
switched to English as the medium of instruction.
The name “Thomasite” was derived from the transport vessel,
the USS Thomas that brought them to the shores of Manila Bay. By
1902, there will be a total of about 1,074 stationed in the Philippines.
Students, Philippine Normal High School, ca. 1900s
The public school system introduced after the passage of the “Taft
Commission” in 1902 made it possible for a large number of
school-age Filipino to acquire education beyond the 6th grade.
Before the arrival of the Thomasites, some American soldiers
were used as teachers.
Reference
On-line reference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomasites
Karnow, Stanley. In Our Image: America’s Empire in
the Philippines, Ballantine Books, Random House, Inc.,
March 3, 1990, ISBN 0-345-32816-7
12
1932 – (December) United States Congress passed the Hare-Hawes-
Herbert Clark Hoover
31st President of the United States (R)
In office
March 4, 1929 – March 4, 1933
Franklin D. Roosevelt
32nd President of the United States (D)
In office
March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945
Signing of the Constitution of the Philippine
Commonwealth, Washington, DC, March 23, 1935
Seated left to right: George H. Dern, Secretary of War; President
Franklin Roosevelt, signing documents; Manuel L. Quezon,
Philippine Senate President.
Cutting Act with the premise of granting Filipinos independence. Provisions
of the bill included reserving several military and naval bases for the United
States, as well as imposing tariffs and quotas on Philippine exports. Finding
it too restrictive, it was vetoed by President Herbert Hoover but Congress
overrode his veto in 1933 and passed the bill. The bill, however, was
opposed by the then Philippine Senate President Manuel L. Quezon and was
also rejected by the Philippine Senate.
1934 – (March 24) The Tydings–McDuffie Act (officially the
Philippine Independence Act; Public Law 73-127) was approved, a United
States federal law, which provided for self-government of the Philippines
and for Filipino independence (from the United States) after a period of 10
years. It was authored by Maryland Senator Milard Tydings and Alabama
Representative John McDuffie. Philippine Senate President Manuel Quezon
headed a "Philippine Independence mission" to Washington, DC that
successfully secured the act's passage in Congress.
The act provided for the drafting and guidelines of a Constitution for a
10-year "transitional period" which became the government of the
Commonwealth of the Philippines before the granting of Philippine
independence, during which the United States would maintain military
forces in the Philippines. Furthermore, during this period the President of
the United States was granted the power to call into military service all
military forces of the Philippine government. The act also permitted the
maintenance of US naval bases within this region, for two years after
independence. The act reclassified all Filipinos that were living in the
United States as aliens for the purposes of immigration to America.
Filipinos were no longer allowed to come legally to the US as migrant
workers, and a quota of 50 immigrants per year was established.
Reference
Zaide, Sonia M. (1994), The Philippines: A Unique Nation,
All Nations Publishing Co. ISBN 971-642-071-4
13
Manuel Quezon won the Philippine's first national presidential
election under the banner of the Nacionalista Party. He obtained nearly
68% of the vote against his two main rivals, Emilio Aguinaldo and
Bishop Gregorio Aglipay.
1935 – (November 15) The Commonwealth of the Philippines was
Emilio Aguinaldo
Gregorio Aglipay
Manuel Luis Quezon y
Molina
Sergio Osmeña y Suico
Born Aug 19, 1878
Baler, Tayabas
Born Sep 9, 1878
Cebu City
Died Oct 19, 1961
Quezon City, Philippines
Died Aug 1, 1944
Saranac Lake, New York
President Manuel L. Quezon deliver his inaugural
address, November 15, 1935. The ceremonies were
held on the steps of the Legislative Building in Manila.
The event was attended by a crowd of around 300,000.
Reference
Zaide, Sonia M. (1994), The Philippines: A Unique Nation,
All Nations Publishing Co. ISBN 971-642-071-4
officially inaugurated with Quezon as President of the Commonwealth of
the Philippines and Sergio Osmeña as Vice President. During this period,
the Commonwealth exercised semi-independence in its territories. It
marked the end of the colonial eras as well as the transition of the name
of the Philippines from the plural "Las Islas Filipinas" or "Philippine
Islands" of the Spanish and American colonial periods, to the singular,
"Philippines.“
Pre-World War II Years (1939-40). The new government
embarked on ambitious nation-building policies in preparation for
economic and political independence. These included national defense
(such as the National Defense Act of 1935, which organized a
conscription for service in the country), greater control over the
economy, the perfection of democratic institutions, reforms in education,
improvement of transport, the promotion of local capital,
industrialization, and the “colonization” of Mindanao, which up to this
time have resisted any outside control of the predominantly muslim
population.
However, other uncertainties, especially in the diplomatic and
military situation in Southeast Asia, in the level of U.S. commitment to
the future Republic of the Philippines, and in the economy due to the
Great Depression, proved to be major problems. The situation was
further complicated by the presence of agrarian unrest, and of power
struggles between Osmeña and Quezon, especially after Quezon was
permitted to be re-elected after one six-year term.
14
1941 – (July 25) U.S. Secretary of War Henry Stimson
Philippine Scouts Soldiers, Fort McKinley, 1937
Established as an integral part of the United States
Army, they fought valiantly alongside American
troops in WWII.
requested that President Franklin D. Roosevelt issue orders calling the
military forces of the Commonwealth into active service for the United
States. Stimson explained, "All practical steps should be taken to
increase the defensive strength of the Philippine Islands.“ On July 31,
1941 the Philippine Department had 22,000 troops assigned, 12,000 of
whom were Philippine Scouts. The main component was the Philippine
Division, under the command of Major General Jonathan Wainwright.
Between July and December 1941 the garrison received 8,500
reinforcements consisting of additional aircrafts and crews for air
defense of the islands.
December 7 - Japan launched surprise attack at Pearl Harbor. Ten
hours later, on December 8, Japanese aircrafts bombed Clark Airbase,
Sangley Point Naval Station and other military targets in the Philippines.
Gen Douglas MacArthur during ceremonies
inducting the Philippine Army Air Corps into the
USAFE. Camp Murphy, August 15, 1941
The Commonwealth government drafted the Philippine Army into
the U.S. Army Forces Far East, which would resist Japanese invasion.
President Quezon declared Manila an open city to prevent its
destruction, and was eventually occupied by the Japanese on January 2,
1942. Meanwhile, battles against the Japanese continued on the Bataan
Peninsula, Corregidor, and parts of the Visayan Islands until the final
surrender of United States and Philippine forces.
Reference
On-line reference
Manila declared “open city” to save it
from destruction.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military history of
the Philippines
Duffy, Bernard K; Carpenter,
Ronald H. (1997), Douglas
MacArthur: Warrior as Wordsmith,
Greenwood Press
15
15
16
February 1942 – President Quezon and Vice President Osmeña
were escorted by troops from Manila to Corregidor, and later they were
evacuated to Australia and then to the United States. During this exile,
Quezon became ill with tuberculosis and died August 1, 1944 in in
Saranac Lake, New York. Vice President Osmeña replaced him as
president.
General Edward P.King surrenders American
and Filipino forces on Bataan. April 9, 1942
Image retrieved from http://www.history. Army.mil/books/
/wwii/52/5-_Contents.htm
1942 – (March 12) As the Battle of Bataan raged on, General
MacArthur, his family, and several USAFFE staff officers left Corregidor
for Mindanao aboard four PT boats and was eventually flown to
Australia where he broadcasted to the Filipino people his famous "I Shall
Return" promise. MacArthur's departure marked the end of the USAFFE
and by 22 March, the defending army was renamed United States Forces
in the Philippines (USFIP) and Lt. Gen. Jonathan Wainwright was placed
in command.
The Battle of Bataan represented the most intense phase of
Japanese soldiers guard Allied prisoners of war
captured after the fall of Bataan. April 9, 1942
Image retrieved from http://www.history. Army.mil/books/
/wwii/52/5-_Contents.htm
Japan’s invasion of the Philippines. The capture of the Philippine Islands
was crucial to Japan's effort to control the Southwest Pacific, seize the
resource-rich Dutch East Indies, and protect its Southeast Asia flank.
1942 – (April 9) Fall of Bataan – Maj Gen. Edward P.King met
with Maj Gen. Kameichiro Nagano and after several hours of
negotiations, the remaining weary, starving and emaciated American and
Filipino defenders on the battle-swept Bataan peninsula surrendered. It
was the largest surrender in American and Filipino military history, and
was the largest American surrender since the American Revolution.
The Bataan Death March: All told,
approximately 5,000 – 10,000 Filipino and 600 –
650 American prisoners of war died.
Image retrieved from:
http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/52/5-_Contents.htm
Reference
Morton, Louis (First Printed 1953) War in the
Pacific: THE FALL OF THE HILIPPINES
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents,
Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402
On-line reference
http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/5
2/5-2_Contents.htm
Fall of Corregidor - (May 6, 1942- After weeks of constant
Japanese bombardment, Lt. Gen Jonathan Wainwright finally surrendered
the Corregidor garrison at about 1:30 pm. Corregidor, the “Gibraltar of the
East” has fallen and marked the fall of the Philippines. More than two
brutal years occupation follows.
General Jonathan Wainwright negotiating with
Japanese General Homma the surrender of
Corregidor and all American forces in the
Philippines.
Image retrieved from http://www.history. Army.mil/books/
/wwii/52/5-_Contents.htm
Japanese soldiers hauling down the American
flag after the fall of Corregidor.
Image retrieved from http://www.history. Army.mil/books/
/wwii/52/5-_Contents.htm
American and Filipino soldiers surrenders in
front of Malinta Tunnel on Corregidor.
Image retrieved from http://www.history. Army.mil/books/
/wwii/52/5-_Contents.htm
Many American and Filipino soldiers evaded capture and will
continue to fight as guerillas. Their efforts made a significant contribution
to the eventual retaking of the Philippines. The most notable American
guerilla leader in the Philippines during World War II was Colonel
Wendell Fertig whose guerilla forces operated and controlled large areas
of Mindanao.
The other is Commander Charles “Chick” Parsons, USN, who was
instrumental for organizing a spy network, and for means to supply the
resistance in the Philippines by submarines. He was the connection
between General Douglas MacArthur’s GHQ in Australia and the
guerrillas in the Philippines.
Brig Gen Wendell Fertig
Cdr Charles Parsons
Reference
Keats J. 1990. They Fought Alone. Time Life. ISBN
08099485559
(reissue of 1963 book on Fertig's guerrilla operation)
On-line reference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chick_Parsons
17
1943 – (October 14) The Second Philippine Republic, otherwise
Jose P. Laurel
known as the “Puppet Government” was established in October 14, 1943
under Japanese occupation. The Japanese-sponsored government headed
by President Jose P. Laurel with Benigno Aquino, Sr. as Vice President
proved to be unpopular. Laurel was not subsequently officially recognized
as a Philippine president until the administration of Diosdado Macapagal
(1961-1965)
1944 – (October 20) The campaign to liberate the Philippines began
with the landing of U.S. forces on the eastern shore of Palo, Leyte.south of
Luzon. General Douglas MacArthur came ashore to fulfill his promise to
the Filipino people of “I Shall Return.” The campaign, which included
fierce, and decisive land and naval battles in and around the Philippines
continued until the Japanese surrender on September 2, 1945.
General MacArthur returns to the Philippines
Bombing of Manila by American aircrafts.
The Battle of Manila from 3 February to 3 March 1945 was
part of the Philippines' 1945 campaign. The one-month
battle, which culminated in a terrible bloodbath and total
devastation of the city, was the scene of the worst urban
fighting in the Pacific theater, and ended almost three years
of Japanese military occupation.
Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita
surrenders all Japanese forces in the Philippines.
General Yamashita was tried and found guilty of war
crimes. On 23 February 1946, at Los Baños Prison Camp,
30 miles south of Manila, Tomoyuki Yamashita was
hanged.
Reference
Filipinos welcome the liberators
On-line reference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Manila_(1945)
Retaking the Philippines: America's Return to
Corregidor and Bataan, October 1944-March 1945 by
William B. Breur (1986) St. Martin’s Press
18
19
On July 4, 1946, representatives of the United States of America and of
the Republic of the Philippines signed a Treaty of General Relations between
the two governments. The treaty provided for the recognition of the
independence of the Republic of the Philippines as of July 4, 1946, and the
relinquishment of American sovereignty over the Philippine Islands.
The Philippines celebrates its Independence Day in recognition of June
12, 1898, when the Philippines declared its independence from Spain,
although its independence was not recognized until July 4, 1946, by the United
States. From 1946 to 1962, the Philippines observed Independence Day on
July 4 each year. In 1961, President Diosdado Macapagal reverted the holiday
to the June 12 date, which up to that time had been observed as Flag Day in the
Philippines. In place of the former Independence Day, Macapagal created
Filipino-American Friendship on July 4.
The lowering of the Stars and Stripes and the
raising of the Philippine National Flag, Luneta
Park (now Rizal Park, Manila) July 4, 1946
Filipino historians point out that independence in 1946 came with
numerous strings attached. The U.S., for example, retained dozens of military
bases, including a few major ones. In addition, independence was qualified by
legislation passed by the U.S. Congress to ensure that the Philippines would
remain an economic ward of the U.S., for the time being.
Another burning issue is the Bell Trade Act, which prohibited the
Author’s note: I witnessed this event as a seven-year
old while waiting for my father who marched, as part
of the U.S. Army contingent, in the parade. The event
had a carnival-like atmosphere. Later on in the
evening, my father gave me a metal “dragon tray” he
had won at a shooting gallery. It was stamped “Made
in Occupied Japan.” It remains with me to this day.
In 1961, while with the Marine Barracks at Subic
Bay, on June 12, 1962, I marched in the parade when
the Philippines switched their Independence Day
from July 4 to June 12.
Philippines from manufacturing or selling any products that might "come into
substantial competition" with U.S.-made goods. It further required that the
Philippine Constitution be revised to grant U.S. citizens and corporations equal
access to Philippine minerals, forests, and other natural resources. But the
Philippine government had little choice but to accept these terms for
independence. The U.S. Congress was threatening to withhold post-World War
II rebuilding funds unless the Bell Act was ratified. The Philippine Congress
obliged on July 2, 1946.
EPILOGUE: The Philippines, throughout its recorded history, had endured colonization, wars, including a World War; natural
disasters with tragic consequences, and its own internal strife, which continue to the present time. It rose from the ashes and ruins
of WWII to slowly, but surely, gain its footing and takes its rightful place in the community of free nations and people. The Filipinos
are very much aware that freedom and the democratic process are crucial factors in nation-building. They are a proud people,
proud of their heritage, culture, their country, and the legacy of their forbearers that is for them to safeguard. This is true of any
race of people.
Press ENTER to view 5 images of old Philippines
Cabildo Street, Manila, 1862
Spanish and a Filipina upper class, ca. 1890s
Town Fiesta, ca. 1898
Ermita Street Scene, ca. 1900
San Miguel Brewery, Manila, 1910
Press TAB key to advance to the next slide
20
20
The General’s Sons
Maj Gen Frederick Funston
Sep 11, 1865 – Feb 29, 1917 (51)
Emilio Aguinaldo
Mar 22, 1869 - Feb 6, 1964 (94)
General and independence leader of
Chinese and Spanish descent. He
played an instrumental role in
Philippine independence during the
Philippine Revolution against Spain
and the Phil-American
War that
resisted American occupation. He
eventually pledged his allegiance to the
U.S. government. He is considered to
be the country's first and the youngest
president, and the longest living
Philippine President.
General Funston, then a Colonel in the
20th Kansas Volunteers, was awarded
the Medal of Honor
during the
Philippine-American War for gallantry
during the Battle of Rio Grande de la
Pampanga , on April 27, 1899.
Gen Frederick Funston (seated) and
the four officers who helped capture
Aguinaldo: (Left to right) Captains
Harry W. Newton and Russell T.
Hazzard, and First Lieutenants
Oliver P.M. Hazzard and Burton J.
Mitchell.
Frederick Funston, Jr., son of the general who captured Emilio
Aguinaldo, shakes hands with Emilio Aguinaldo, Jr., son of
the Revolutionary General and first Philippine President, at
the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York,
July 2, 1923. Frederick Funston, Jr. served in the United States
Air Force; Emilio Aguinaldo, Jr.’s military career is not known.
Press ENTER to continue to Part 2, Oceanside
American actor Douglas Fairbanks
visiting the 62-year-old Aguinaldo at his
home in Kawit, Cavite. March 26, 1931
Part 2
Remembering Our Past Together
Oceanside
1888 - 1988
Ocean Side or Oceanside, as it is known today, grew from a “dusty, shrub-covered little frontier
town” to what it is today. When it was founded as a township the population was estimated at just
over 200. The early pioneers and settlers were then concentrated in the flat land of San Luis Rey
Valley, but in the years that followed, many would move up the “bluff” and the township would
grown into the third largest city in San Diego County.
Information and images used in the preparation of the Oceanside segment of this
presentation are from the following references:
Oceanside Historical Society Website: http://www.oceansidehistoricalsociety.org/
Oceanside High School Alumni Foundation Website:http://www.ohsfoundation.org/history.htm
Oceanside: Where Life is Worth Living, Kristi Hawthorne, Author
Oceanside: Crest of the Wave, Langdon Sulley and Lawrence Bigelow, Authors
Oceanside Beach
Press ENTER to continue to Part 2, Oceanside
21
Oceanside is the third-largest city in San Diego County. As of 2007, the city has
a population of about 179,68. Together with neighboring Carlsbad to the south and
Vista to the east, it forms the Tri-City area. Just to the north is Camp Pendleton, the
busiest military base in the United States. Oceanside has experienced dramatic
growth since the 1970s, when its population was 45,000. Much of the city's area was
developed into single-family home tracts during the 1970s and 1980s. Since the
1990s, increased commercial and industrial development have diversified
Oceanside's economic base.
Located below the mesa five miles to the east of downtown is a valley where the
history of Oceanside had its beginning. Let us explore how the city that many of us
call “my town” came to be.
Press TAB key to advance to the next slide
22
Fortún Ximénez is the first European known to have landed in
Hernan Cortés
what is now known as Baja California. Ximénez was the pilot of a ship, La
Concepción, sent by Hernan Cortés in 1533 to travel north along the coast
of Nueva España (present-day Mexico), in search of two ships that had
been lost without a trace on a similar voyage the previous year. The
previous voyages had been in search of the "Strait of Anián" (the muchhoped-for Northwest Passage) and the Islas California, named for the
mythical places in the romance novel, Las sergas de Esplandián, popular
among the conquistadores.
The fictional Islas California was a “terrestrial paradise” populated
only by dark-skinned women. During the voyage, Ximénez lead a mutiny
during which the captain was killed. The mutineers then landed near
present day La Paz, on the southern tip of Baja California Peninsula, which
the mutineers believed to be Islas California. Ximénez was killed in a
clash with the local natives. The survivors returned to Nueva España with
tales of having found black pearls, which prompted further exploration of
the "Island" of Santa Cruz, as Cortés named the peninsula.
Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo is a Portuguese explorer noted for his
Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo
exploration of the west coast of North America on behalf of Spain. Cabrillo
was the first European explorer to navigate the coast of present day
California. Cabrillo shipped for Havana as a young man and joined forces
with explorer Hernan Cortés in Nueva España. His entrepreneurial skills,
mining gold in Guatemala, made him one of the richest of the
conquistadores.
Reference
On-line reference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hern%C3%A1n_Cort%C3%A9s
Diaz del Castillo, Bernal. The Conquest of New Spain
– available as The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico:
1517-1521 ISBN 030681319X
1539 - Francisco de Ulloa, who had been commissioned by Hernan
Cortés, discovered the Sea of Cortez (also known as Gulf of California).
Cabrillo was then commissioned by the new Viceroy of Nueva España,
Antonio de Mendoza, to lead an expedition up the Pacific Coast in search
of trade opportunities, perhaps to find a way to China (for the full extent of
the northern Pacific was still unknown) or to find the mythical "Strait of
Anián“. Cabrillo, also a shipbuilder, had built and owned the flagship of
this venture and two or three other vessels, and stood to profit from any
trade or treasure from the expedition.
Mapa de Mejico, 1847
1542 – (June 27) Cabrillo set out from Navidad (now Acapulco). On
September 28, 1542, he landed in what is now San Diego Bay and named it
"San Miguel".
1602 – (November) Sebastian Viscaino was sent to map the Baja
Sea of Cortez (shaded area)
(lower) and Alta (upper) California coasts. Arriving on his flagship San
Diego, Vizcaíno surveyed the harbor of what is now Mission Bay and Point
Loma and named the area for Saint Didacus, a Spanish saint more
commonly known as San Diego. On November 12, 1602, the first Christian
religious service on record in Alta California was conducted by Fray
Antonio de la Ascensión, a member of Vizcaíno's expedition, to celebrate
the feast day of San Diego.
Las Californias was the name given by the Spanish to the area
comprising the modern states of Baja California and Baja California Sur in
Mexico, and the modern state of California.
Administratively, Las Californias was part of the Viceroyalty of Nueva España. As
the name is plural, it must be understood to apply from approximately 1770, when the
region was divided into north and south administrative areas, until 1848 when Alta
(upper) California was ceded to the United States. Note that Las Islas Filipinas (modern
day Philippines) was also administered by Spain via the Viceroyalty of Nueva España.
Sebastian Viscaino
On-line reference
On-line reference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_Bay
23
1769 – During the exploration of Upper California, the Spanish
missionaries under Father Junipero Serra entered what is now San Luis
Rey river valley and found it settled by local Native Americans of the
Quechnajuichom tribe. They became known as the Luiseños.
1798 – (June 13) Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuén founded
Father Junipero Serra
Father Antonio Peyri
Oceanside Historical Society
A Luiseño Indian proudly
display his fine basket. The
Luiseño Indians were the
first inhabitants of the San
Luis Rey Valley. Ref 2.14
Oceanside Historical Society
Artist sketch of Mission San Luis Rey
and surrounding grounds, ca 1834
From the Bancroft Library Collection, UC Berkeley
Mission San Luis Rey de Francia ("The Mission of Saint Louis King of
France," known as the "King of the Missions“). Father Antonio Peyri was
assigned the task of administrator and served San Luis Rey for 34 years.
Father Peyri supervised the construction of the Mission from the very
beginning. The present church, completed in 1815, is the third to be built
on this location.
1821 – Spanish colonization of California ended after the Mexican
revolution after which time all territories held by Spain was ceded to
Mexico.
1833 – (August 17) The Mexican Congress passed the Act for the
Secularization of the Missions of California. The Act also provided for the
colonization of Alta California by Mexico. In 1834, pursuant to the
Secularization Act, Pio Pico, governor of Alta California, confiscated
mission properties and sold them for $2,437.50. In 1865, during the
administration of President Lincoln, the mission was returned to the
church.
1846 – (April 25) Mexican–American War was an armed conflict
between the United States and Mexico that ended on February 2, 1848.
The Mexican Cession of 1848 ceded to the U.S. all of Alta California, and
as well as other regions of present day Southwestern United States
formerly claimed by Mexico. California became the 31st to be admitted to
union on September 9, 1850.
Reference
Pio Pico, Governor of Mexican California
From the Bancroft Library Collection, UC Berkeley
On-line reference
http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/s_z/serra.htm
Krell, Dorothy (ed.) (1979). The California Missions:
A Pictorial History. Sunset Publishing Corporation,
Menlo Park, CA.
24
25
1870s - Township of San Luis Rey established. Some of its first
inhabitants were several English and European settlers. [Ref 1.II.
23]
1882 – (September) Andrew Jackson Myers moved from San Luis
Benjamin Franklin Libby came with his family
to San Luis Rey in 1867. They were some of the
Valley’s original settlers. Ref 2.25 Oceanside Historical
Society photo
Rey Valley to his new town. In 1883 he filed for a patent on 160 acres
along the right-of-way of what was then a sheep ranch where, in 1883, he
will build Oceanside’s first house, which was described by Samuel Tyson,
another Oceanside pioneer, as a “shanty”. [(Ref 1.III.28]
Cave J.Couts surveyed the town site, J. Chauncey Hayes sold
the lots. Also a Justice of Peace, Hayes later drew up a petition to build a
post office. [Ref 1.III.30]
Simon Goldbaum’s general store, San Luis Rey
Valley, ca. 1872. Ref 1.19 San Diego Historical Society photo
Cave Johnson Couts
J. Chauncey Hayes
Oceanside Historical Society
Oceanside Historical Society
Luis Billiard Hall and J. Chauncey Hays Land Office, located
at Cleveland and Second (Mission Ave) in 1885. Ref 1.32
Oceanside Historical Society photo
1885 – The greatest boon to Oceanside became a reality with the
opening of the coastal railroad line between Los Angeles and San Diego by
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. [Ref 1.III.33]
Oceanside’s first train station, a primitive wooden
platform (arrow) built in a lot covered with
bushes and shrubs, was built about 1883-84. Ref 1.44
San Diego Historical Society photo
Reference 1
Reference 2
Hawthorne, Kristi (2000) Oceanside:Where Life is
Living, The Donning Company Publishers,
ISBN 1-57864-126-8.
Sully, Langdon & Bigelow, Taryn (1988) Oceanside:
Crest of the Wave, Windsor Publications, Inc.
ISBN 0-89781-282-4
26
1886 –By this year Oceanside had a population of 350 people.
Streets were dusty dirt roads, empty lots are covered in brush. It
had the appearance and character of a “wild west” town. Churches
were the saloons outnumbered them two to one. [Ref 1.III.38]
Early 1888 - the township’s population was about 1,000. A new
The home of Andrew Jackson Myers at Third and
Hill (Pier View Way and Coast Highway), built in
1885 . Ref 1.44 Oceanside Historical Society photo
train depot had been built on the 100 block of North Cleveland Street,
where Second Street came to an end. Many of Oceanside’s citizens felt it
should be incorporated. Others felt that incorporation would be a liability.
J. Chauncey Hayes for one believed that incorporation will benefit only a
few speculators and voiced a strong opposition to the idea. [Ref 2.3.32]
1888 – (May 12) The first pile was driven for what would be the first
of Oceanside’s six piers at the end of Couts Street (now Wisconsin).
[Ref 1.III.35]
June 25 - With J. Chauncey Hayes strongly against it, the citizens of
Andrew Jackson Myers, the founder of
Oceanside, came to California from Illinois
and settled in San Luis Rey in 1877. Ref 1.19
Oceanside voted for incorporation. When the ballots were counted 74
voted for incorporation while 53 opposed it. [Ref 2.3.32]
Oceanside Historical Society photo
July 3 - Eight days after the election, Oceanside became an official
town. The area incorporated covered about 1,600 acres, 10 times the size of
the original townsite. Colonel. Daniel H. Horne, a pioneer, served as
Oceanside’s first mayor. [Ref 1.III.35]
Dr. Harrison Stroud opened the first drugstore in
1888 on Second Street between Cleveland and
Tremont streets. Ref 2.31 San Diego Historical Society photo
Reference 1
Reference 2
Hawthorne, Kristi (2000) Oceanside:Where Life is
Living, The Donning Company Publishers,
ISBN 1-57864-126-8.
Sully, Langdon & Bigelow, Taryn (1988) Oceanside:
Crest of the Wave, Windsor Publications, Inc.
ISBN 0-89781-282-4
Isaac J. Frazee, one of Oceanside’s early settlers, began a petition
The South Pacific Hotel, ca,1890. Built in 1877 near
Pacific and Third (Pier View Way) streets it was
destroyed by fire in June 13, 1896 leaving Oceanside
without a resort-type hotel.
Ref 3.41 Oceanside Historical Society
Mission San Luis Rey in ruins, ca.1892
Ref 1.14 Oceanside Historical Society
Father Joseph Jeremiah O’Keefe
Ref 1.12 Oceanside Historical Society
to restore the Mission.in the 1880s. Following secularization in 1833, no
religious services were held at the Mission. By the 1860s, the Mission has
fallen into a sad state of disrepair. In 1892, a group of Franciscans from
Zacatecas, Mexico arrived to take up residence and were given permission
to restore the Mission. Father Joseph O'Keefe, an Irish born, Spanishspeaking Franciscan, came shortly thereafter to supervise the Mexican
Franciscans and began the arduous task of restoring the Mission with hopes
of making it a Franciscan Missionary college. [Ref 1.I.12]
1893 - (May 12) After preliminary repairs, the Mission church
building was rededicated. Father O'Keefe remained at the Mission until
1912, overseeing the first major reconstruction. Through the hard work of
the Franciscans led by Father O'Keefe (the re-builder), the Mission was
brought back to life. [Ref 1.I.12]
Oceanside’s growth during the 1800s gave reasons for the city fathers
and boosters assurances that the town is destined to become a major
attraction between Los Angeles and San Diego. With that in mind, the
people embarked upon an ambitious community building. By the time of
incorporation in 1888, it was a thriving community with a several business
and commercial establishments to support the local citizens and the stream
of visitors that the trains brought in. The anticipated influx of tourists were
not disappointed. There are now banks, stores, and several hotels to meet
their needs. As Oceanside enter the 20th century, it will do so with a
continuing bright outlook for the future.
Reference 1
Reference 2
Hawthorne, Kristi (2000) Oceanside:Where Life is
Living, The Donning Company Publishers,
ISBN 1-57864-126-8.
Sully, Langdon & Bigelow, Taryn (1988) Oceanside:
Crest of the Wave, Windsor Publications, Inc.
ISBN 0-89781-282-4
27
1889 – (February) Plagued with financial problem from the
beginning, Oceanside’s first pier, made entirely of wood, was finally
finished. It extended more than 1,200 feet out to sea. [Ref 1.III.35]
1891 – (January) Oceanside was dealt a blow when the winter storm
destroyed all but 300 feet of the pier. [Ref 2.2.48]
1904 – Pacific Telephone and Telegraph opened an office in
The pier shown here was built in 1903. Located at
the end of Third Street (Pier View Way), it was
Oceanside’s third pier. It was known as the “iron
wharf” for the four-inch iron pipe used for piling.
Ref 2.35 San Diego Historical Society Ticor Collection
Oceanside. It might have come sooner had it not been for Cave Couts, Jr.,
who in 1903, refused to have telephone poles installed across his property.
The office was located on Second Street (now Mission Avenue). Miss
Sarah Clewett was the chief operator, a position she held until she retired in
1923. [Ref 1.IV.66]
El San Luis Rey Hotel was built in 1904 near Third Street (Pier
View Way) and Pacific Streets. It was built facing the ocean and would
change names twice, to Beach Hotel, then the Colonial Inn. It has fallen
into disrepair by the mid-1950s and declared an eyesore. It was finally
demolished in 1966. [Ref 2.3.37]
The El San Luis Rey Hotel
Built in 1904, it filled Oceanside’s need for a resort hotel
after the South Pacific burned down in 1896.The hotel
would later be known as the Beach Hotel and then the
Colonial Inn Oceanside Historical Society
Traffic light at the corner of
Second Street and Hill
(Coast Highway). The First
National Bank is located in
the northwest corner of
Second Street (Mission
Avenue). ca. 1890s.
San Diego Historical Society/
Oceanside Historical Society
Electrification was another great boon to Oceanside. It happened
when the bathhouse below the bluff was torn down and in its place a
plunge and electric plant was built. The Oceanside Electric Light Plant and
Bathhouse provided electricity for the town and the plunge provided heated
seawater for swimming. With electricity, a modern hotel, heated pool, and
a new pier, Oceanside’s resort status was restored. By 1905 Oceanside
Electric was providing power to downtown residences and stores. It also
made possible electric streetlights and incandescent lamps at major
intersections in town. [Ref 2.3.44]
Reference 1
Reference 2
Hawthorne, Kristi (2000) Oceanside:Where Life is
Living, The Donning Company Publishers,
ISBN 1-57864-126-8.
Sully, Langdon & Bigelow, Taryn (1988) Oceanside:
Crest of the Wave, Windsor Publications, Inc.
ISBN 0-89781-282-4
28
1906 – Ten outlaying school districts were joined to form the
Oceanside-Carlsbad High School, ca. 1907
Oceanside Historical Society photo
Oceanside-Carlsbad High School. Classes were held in the two-story
school on Horne and Second Street (Mission Avenue); grammar
school was on the first floor, high school classes on the second floor.
In 1909 five young women made up the first graduating class,
receiving their diplomas in ceremonies held at the Mildred Opera
House, situated on the east side of Tremont Street. A new building
was erected in 1913 to house four class rooms, a study hall, a
ground floor office and a Home Economics room in the
basement. There were 55 students, a principal and 3 teachers.
[Ref 2.3. 45]
1913 – Oceanside’s Hill Street (Coast Highway) became part of
The paving of Hill Street (Coast Highway) and its
integration into Highway 101, ca. 1919
Oceanside Historical Society
Highway 101 from Oregon to the Mexican Border. The coming of
automobiles and improved roads contributed to the growth that Oceanside
was experiencing as the town became more easily accessible. [Ref 1.V.75]
Oceanside’s third 1400-foot pier, built in 1903 on steel pilings and
second-hand railway steel, proved no match to the ravages of nature and
will be heavily damaged by the 1916 storm. The remaining undamaged
section would played a crucial role for the survival of Oceanside during
one of its desperate moments.
1916 – (January) Oceanside experienced it most devastating
catastrophe when almost 11 inches of rain fell on the city. Close to 10 inch
fell between the 14th and 30th of January. Torrential rains caused severe
flooding, and loss of lives. Of 22 deaths in San Diego County, three are
from the San Luis Rey Valley. Water inundated the entire valley from hill
to hill, extending for a mile and a half and covering an area of over 1,000
acres. [Ref 2.4.55]
Herbert Crouch (right) is seen crossing the
San Luis Rey River after the flood of 1916.
The exact location where the photo was
taken is not specified.
Oceanside Historical Society
Reference 1
Reference 2
Hawthorne, Kristi (2000) Oceanside:Where Life is
Living, The Donning Company Publishers,
ISBN 1-57864-126-8.
Sully, Langdon & Bigelow, Taryn (1988) Oceanside:
Crest of the Wave, Windsor Publications, Inc.
ISBN 0-89781-282-4
29
The first storm surge destroyed the Highway 101 bridge over the San
Luis Rey River. The swollen river displaced or wiped out railway tracks
and trestles up and down the coast. Oceanside was completely isolated.
[Ref 1.V.74]
Oceanside’s third pier, with only 800 of its former 1,400 remaining,
became a center of activity as boats dropped off emergency supplies, and
construction materials to sustain the rebuilding efforts that soon followed
and will continue through 1918. [Ref 1.V.75]
The bridge over the San Luis Rey River was wiped out
during the flood of 1916 (The exact location is not
specified) McCallum Photo/ Oceanside Historical Society
Oceanside-Carlsbad High School, ca. 1921
Oceanside High School Alumni Foundation photo
The Wackerman family crosses the San Luis
Rey River after the 1916 flood. Furniture they
managed to salvaged is on the bank (left).
The barn at the right of the photo still stands
today near the intersection of Highway 76 and
Douglas Drive. McCallum Photo/ Oceanside
McCallum Photo/ Oceanside Historical Society
Historical Society
1921 – A new building for the Oceanside-Carlsbad Union High
School was built to replace the old 2-story wood frame structure.
1924 – Oceanside’s first improved subdivision, a 12-block housing
project, was laid out was out east of Ditmar Street and north of Short Street
(present day Oceanside Boulevard). The subdivision was called Plumosa
Heights, named after the Cocos Plumosa palm. It can still be recognized
today from its concrete pavements and ornamental street lights. Deeds for
the lots stipulated that sales will be to white buyers only. [Ref 2.4.64]
Oceanside Train Depot, ca. 1920s
Oceanside Historical Society
Reference 1
Reference 2
Hawthorne, Kristi (2000) Oceanside:Where Life is
Living, The Donning Company Publishers,
ISBN 1-57864-126-8.
Sully, Langdon & Bigelow, Taryn (1988) Oceanside:
Crest of the Wave, Windsor Publications, Inc.
ISBN 0-89781-282-4
30
1927 – (January) Work commenced on the fourth pier. The U-shaped
concrete approach still stands today The 1, 274-feet long structure was
dedicated on July 4, 1927. Three days of festivities leading up to the
official opening brought between 15,000 to 20,000 visitors to Oceanside.
[Ref 2.4.66]
1928 – Construction of a swank settlement of exclusive homes, Saint
Malo, began in an unincorporated area south of Oceanside. In 1955 the 27acre subdivision will be annexed to the city. [Ref 1.V. 86]
Brothers Paul and Harold Beck arrived in Oceanside in 1929
Grand opening of Oceanside’s fourth pier.
Oceanside Historical Society
from Iowa. The Beck family purchased the local newspapers, the
Oceanside News and merged it with a weekly publication, the Oceanside
News, creating the Oceanside Daily Blade Tribune. This daily
publication served as a chronicler for many of Oceanside’s achievements
and some of its “bad news” as well. [Ref 1.V.65]
1930s-1940s – From the end of World War I and the Great
Depression, Oceanside enjoyed one of its greatest period of growth. From
1920 to 1930 the population had grown from 1,161 to 3,508, a gain of
more than 200 percent. The number of square miles in the incorporated
area grew 2.6 to 8.6, an increase of more than 300 percent. This is due
largely to promotional efforts and improvements on the infrastructure. The
decades between 1930 and the 1940s will be known as Oceanside’s “years
of innocence.” [Ref 1 & 2]
The First National Bank was built in 1927 on the
northeast corner of Second and Hill streets
(Mission and Coast Highway). It replaced the
ornate Bank of Oceanside building which was
demolished in January of that year. This building
still stands today and now houses King’s Men
Clothing Store. Oceanside Historical Society
February 14, 1933 - in the darkest days of the Depression, the 27year old First National Bank in Oceanside went under. According to
newspaperman Paul Beck, “it was a bitter Valentine’s Day present that took
down a number of wealthy residents.” [Ref 2.4.64]
Reference 1
Reference 2
Hawthorne, Kristi (2000) Oceanside:Where Life is
Living, The Donning Company Publishers,
ISBN 1-57864-126-8.
Sully, Langdon & Bigelow, Taryn (1988) Oceanside:
Crest of the Wave, Windsor Publications, Inc.
ISBN 0-89781-282-4
31
32
John Landes, a native of Bavaria, came to Oceanside in 1922. he
Aerial view of Oceanside in 1918. View shows the
intersection of Second and Hill Streets (Mission
and Coast Highway). Oceanside Historical Society
served as Oceanside’s city clerk for over thirty years and retired in 1956.
Landes was acclaimed for having kept the city in the black during
the Depression and instrumental in conserving money, which was used to
build the first city hall in 1934 without raising taxes. The building, which
still stands today, is located on Third Street (Pier View Way). John Landes
Park is named in his honor. [Ref 1.V.77]
John F. Martin came to Oceanside around 1900. He served
several terms on the City Council, the Oceanside School Board and the
Chamber of Commerce. He was Oceanside’s Mayor from 1931-1934.
(Ref 1.V.65]
The City Hall and Public Library built in 1934. It
is now the home of Oceanside’s Museum of Art
and Oceanside Historical Society.
Oceanside Historical Society
Ernest Addison Taylor came to Oceanside with his parents in 1926
from Colorado. On August 9, 1926 “Ernie”, as he was widely known, went
to work for Ruel L. Loucks, city engineer, as a chain carrier and soon
worked his way up into drafting. In 1938 Taylor was street superintendent.
He went on to become director of planning until 1962 when he was
replaced by Larry Bagley, who will become mayor in the latter part of
1970 and 1980s. (Mayor Bagley was the guest of honor during the first
inaugural and induction of Fil-Am officers in 1977). [Ref 1.V.83]
By the end of 1930 federal census showed that Oceanside had a
population of 4,651. Within 10 years the still growing little city would be
bursting at the seams. To the city fathers and citizens of Oceanside, there
will be no looking back. In Europe, the aggressive actions of one country’s
leader towards neighboring countries, is beginning to escalate into another
World War. [Ref 2.4.70]
Oceanside’s Fire and Police Leaders, 1940
Left to right: Fire Chief Walt Johnson, Police
Captain Harold Davis, and Police Chief
William Coyle. Oceanside Historical Society
Reference 1
Reference 2
Hawthorne, Kristi (2000) Oceanside:Where Life is
Living, The Donning Company Publishers,
ISBN 1-57864-126-8.
Sully, Langdon & Bigelow, Taryn (1988) Oceanside:
Crest of the Wave, Windsor Publications, Inc.
ISBN 0-89781-282-4
1942 – (August) Joseph “Buddy” Todd became one of Oceanside’s
first residents to die in WWII when his ship, the USS Astoria, was sunk in
waters off the Solomon Islands. Buddy Todd Park on Mesa Street was
named in his honor. [Ref 1.VI.126]
September 25 - Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton was
Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton Main Gate, ca.
1950s. The gate shown here is on Vandergrift Road
near the present commissary.
Oceanside Historical Society
The 101 Café at the corner of Wisconsin and Hill (Cost
Highway Built in 1943, it is oldest of Oceanside’s restaurants
still operating. Oceanside Historical Society
dedicated. President Franklin D. Roosevelt attended the ceremonies. At
125,000 acres, Camp Pendleton was the largest Marine Corps installation
in the world, until 1957, when Twentynine Palms, at 720,000 acres became
an independent Marine Base. [Ref 1.VI.127 & Ref 2.4.70]
With the sudden influx of civilian workers and military families,
housing created a serious housing shortage in Oceanside. Sterling Homes
was built in response to the housing demand. It will be the only military
housing to be built with the city limits. Sterling Homes, located off Mission
Avenue, was demolished in 1988. An apartment complex now stands in the
same site. [Ref 1.VI.128]
John Balderrama was killed in action in Belgium, October 13, 1944.
Balderrama Park was named in his honor. [Ref 1.VI.128] (The Fil-Am
Association was founded at Balderrama Community Center in 1976)
In the period between 1941 and 1946, Ray Wilcox and Ted Holden,
respectively were the city’s mayors. [Ref 1.VII.136]
1953 – (November) The Carlsbad-Oceanside Freeway, eventually
to become part of Interstate 5, was opened. This alleviated the heavy,
bumper-to-bumper traffic on the 101 Highway that ran through Hill Street.
The city will hang on to its historical past when Hill Street was renamed
Coast Highway in 1988. [Ref 1.VII.138]
In November 1951 a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held
celebrating the opening go a segment of Interstate 5 from
Buena Vista to Brooks Street near Oceanside. Note the
West Vista Way overpass. Oceanside Historical Society
Reference 1
Reference 2
Hawthorne, Kristi (2000) Oceanside:Where Life is
Living, The Donning Company Publishers,
ISBN 1-57864-126-8.
Sully, Langdon & Bigelow, Taryn (1988) Oceanside:
Crest of the Wave, Windsor Publications, Inc.
ISBN 0-89781-282-4
33
1956 – Sales tax money was used to built the Beach Community
Center. The $143,000 stucco and concrete building became venue for
many community activities. [Ref 2.5.76]
1957 - Although the Marine base dominated the forties in Oceanside,
Oceanside’s fifth pier was dedicated in July 1957.
At 1,900feet was the longest on the Pacific Coast. This pier
was heavily damaged by storms during the 1970s and was
finally replaced in September 1987. Oceanside Historical Society
once the war was over, the people once again took steps to shore up their
hold on the tourist trade. The old steel pier, dedicated in 1927, had been
damaged by storms in 1943 and 1945. It will not be until 1946 that a
$200,000-bond issue will be passed to finance the cost for a new pier.
Oceanside’s fifth pier was dedicated in June 1957.[Ref 1.VII.136-137 & Ref 2.4.66]
1958 – The Oceanside-Carlsbad Union High School on Horne Street,
with 700 students, was becoming congested. This year Carlsbad withdrew
from the school district, which eased crowding for a while.
[Ref 2.5.77]
Late 1959 - Groundbreaking ceremonies took place for Tri-City
Hospital, the first public hospital in the north coastal area serving
Oceanside, Carlsbad and Vista. [Ref 1.VIII.158]
The Tri-City Medical Center provides comprehensive
medical services for the North County. Ref 2.112
By the end of the 1950s the population of Oceanside will be just shy
of 25,000. With the growth in population the demand for housing began to
rise as well. The focus now changed from downtown to its eastern limits.
[Ref 2.5.76]
1960-1970s – The demand for higher education, which had been met
up to 1964 by the then Oceanside High School and Junior College. By
1960 there were 300 junior college students, which created a crowding
problem with the swelling high school enrollment. Construction of a new
high school (El Camino High School) began. [Ref 2.5.77]
The Colonial Inn, formerly El San Luis Rey
Hotel and Beach Hotel, as it appeared before
being demolished in 1966. Oceanside Historical
Society
Reference 1
Reference 2
Hawthorne, Kristi (2000) Oceanside:Where Life is
Living, The Donning Company Publishers,
ISBN 1-57864-126-8.
Sully, Langdon & Bigelow, Taryn (1988) Oceanside:
Crest of the Wave, Windsor Publications, Inc.
ISBN 0-89781-282-4
34
Erwin Sklar served on the city council from 1956 to 1968, during
which time he also served as Oceanside’s mayor and deputy mayor. He
was instrumental in the development of Oceanside’s small craft harbor.
[Ref 1.VII.139]
1961 – (February 6) Groundbreaking ceremonies held for the
Groundbreaking for the Villa Marina Motel at the
Oceanside Harbor, 1965. Left to right: Councilman
Jerry Jones, builder Dominic Sfregola, Mayor Erwin
Sklar, Miss Oceanside, Barbara Mandrell, and
Chamber of Commerce representative. Barbara
Mandrell was a 1967 graduate of Oceanside High
School. Randy Mitchell photo/ Oceanside Historical Society
construction of the Oceanside Harbor on land acquired from Camp
Pendleton. Present for the occasion were Mayor Erwin Sklar, a proponent
of the project, and Miss Barbara Mandrell, a 1967 graduate of Oceanside
High School. Miss Mandrell would go on to be a well-known country
western singer. The harbor was completed and dedicated formally on June
1963 by Mayor Jerome Jones. (Ref 1, Chap VIII, pg 148)
Elm Glaser and brothers May and Hy opened Oceanside’s first
shopping center, the Mission Square Shopping Center. It is located
at the former site of Colonel Daniel H. Horne’s mansion at the northeast
corner of Horne Street and present-day Mission Avenue. [Ref 1.VII.141]
1965 – Mira Costa College on Barnard Drive opened for
Colonel D.H. Horne’s residence was located where the
shopping center at Mission and Horne now stands. Horne
was buried at this site, his remains were never found when
construction of the shopping center began.
Oceanside Historical Society
enrollment. The same year, the construction of Villa Marina Motel at the
harbor began. [Ref 1.IX.156]
1966 – The Oceanside Valley Drive-In opened with one screen
with two other screens added in 1970 and 74. It ceased operations
in the 1980s and is now the site of Oceanside Swap Meet. [Ref 1.IX.156]
Howard T. Richardson became Oceanside’s first elected mayor
serving from 1968 to 1976. [Ref 1.VII.140]
An aerial view of Mira Costa College’s 121-aces hilltop
campus. Photo reproduced from Ref 2.112
Reference 1
Reference 2
Hawthorne, Kristi (2000) Oceanside:Where Life is
Living, The Donning Company Publishers,
ISBN 1-57864-126-8.
Sully, Langdon & Bigelow, Taryn (1988) Oceanside:
Crest of the Wave, Windsor Publications, Inc.
ISBN 0-89781-282-4
35
Vietnam War Period – Because of it proximity to Camp
Pendleton, which is the where troops headed for combat are trained,
Oceanside would experience a volatile time in its history. (Ref 2.5.80]
1969 – Several war protests were held in Oceanside including one
attended by Angela Davis, an outspoken UCLA professor, at the beach
band shell. Members of the militant Black Panthers were also present for
the large rally. (Ref 2.5.80]
1970s – The population of Oceanside by the beginning of the decade
1960 aerial view of Oceanside pier and beach.
(Beach Lake Trailer Park still in place before the
harbor). Photo by Bert Winford
had topped 40,000 by 1972. This time the city must face another challenge
of a different kind. The downtown area suffered from decline as the city’s
growth marched east into the San Luis Rey Valley. Many of downtown
businesses followed to take advantage of population growth there. (Ref 2.5.80]
San Luis Rey Valley, ca. 1898. The house (circled) in the foreground still stands today.
1970 aerial view of the Oceanside pier and beach
stadium.Taking place is the 1970 Miss Southern
California Beauty Contest The Colonial Inn is at
the right of Pacific Street. On Third Street (Pier
View Way) near the intersection is Pacific Holiday
Land. Oceanside Historical Society
The opening in the early 1970s of the mall at Plaza Camino Real
situated on the Carlsbad’s side of Oceanside’s southeastern limits, and the
exodus of car dealerships from Hill Street to more modern facilities of
Car County Carlsbad, may have contributed to the decline of Oceanside’s
downtown and it went into neglect. As it did, crime went up at an alarming
rate. (Ref 2.5.80 & 97]
36
37
Howard Keen, a San Diego newspaperman wrote “From the July 4, 1973 downtown riots – which
brought in swarms of deputies, California Highway Patrolmen and Carlsbad police to help Oceanside Police
subdue hundreds of belligerent Marines and civilians – to the traumatic summer of 1975, when crime at a
frightening crescendo, Oceanside suffered and identity crisis.” [Ref 2.5.97]
This deeply disturbed the people of Oceanside. Starting in 1975 city government took the lead in
getting the city back on course. Mayor Richardson made some personnel changes at city hall, installing a
new police chief and city manager. The final member of this law-and-order troika came on board in 1976
after Mayor Richardson decided to return to private life. Paul Graham, newly retired from the Marine
Corps where his last assignment was CG of Camp Pendleton, was elected as mayor. Graham was thoroughly
familiar with Oceanside’s crime problems and the role that servicemen from the base played in them. [Ref 2.5.97]
In the late 1976 Graham, Rolf Henze, the new police chief, and Dan Stone, the new city manger,
launched a concerted campaign to cleanup and revitalize the city’s downtown area. [Ref 2.5.97]
The City Council, who earlier has been given the added task of serving as the Community
Development Commission, which came up with a plan that would dramatically change the face of
downtown area over the next decade and a half. [Ref 2.5.98]
Problems continued to plague the 1946 pier and by 1978 another storm ripped off another 200 feet
from the already damaged pier. It was temporarily closed in 1975 after a storm that year caused damage
that required shortening it by another 700 feet. From 1,900 feet the pier is now reduced to just 1000 feet.
The pier was closed while the city decides how to fund the building of a replacement and how it will be
built. The pier was finally condemned and it will take nearly a decade before another will be built. [(Ref 2.5.100]
1980s – Oceanside once again regained its footing after the setbacks of the 1970s, but maybe this
time, some thought, in an uncontrolled way that concerned many of its citizens. [Ref 2.5.98]
Reference 1
Reference 2
Hawthorne, Kristi (2000) Oceanside:Where Life is
Living, The Donning Company Publishers,
ISBN 1-57864-126-8.
Sully, Langdon & Bigelow, Taryn (1988) Oceanside:
Crest of the Wave, Windsor Publications, Inc.
ISBN 0-89781-282-4
1983 – Oceanside opened up more prime downtown space when the
city’s bus and train depots were consolidated into a single complex. The
new and spacious transit center was completed in January 1982. (Ref 2.5.98]
Oceanside’s new transit center house both train
and bus transportation in the most modern
complex of its type in the state.
Ref 2.87, photo by Michelle Burgess
Even before the redevelopment program was finalized, new housing
developments began to be built in the downtown areas one of which is the
Sea Village on north Coast Highway. It was the first residential
community to be built in the downtown area in decades. The success of
the Sea Village experiment encouraged others developers to take on
another project, this time with the blessing of the redevelopment
commission. (Ref 2.5.98]
1986 – Ground was broken for the 243-unit San Miguel
condominium complex on the Strand and Sixth Street.(Ref 2.5.98]
1987 – (September) Oceanside celebrated the opening of its new $5
million, 1,600-foot pier. The one reminder of its past is the U-shaped
concrete approaches, originally built in 1927 as part of the fourth pier. This
portion was renovated by a Carlsbad company. The design of the pier is
expected to extend its life up to sixty years. .(Ref 2.5.100]
During 1987 the railroad switching yard was relocated from
downtown to the southeast corner of Camp Pendleton. Direct access to the
beach was now possible along palm-lined Mission Avenue, which was
scheduled to be extended to Pacific Street. The real bonus is the opening up
20 acres of prime downtown area for development. .(Ref 2.5.98]
Oceanside’s sixth pier dedicated September 1987.
Ref 1.174, photo by Lu DeLucy
A clear message was sent to developers during 1987 when Oceanside
voters approved Proposition A, a slow-growth mandate. The new law put
a cap on new residential construction, though it exempted industrial,
commercial, and redevelopment projects. It was the strongest indication
yet that the citizens of Oceanside were concerned about their quality of
life being eclipsed by overdevelopment. .(Ref 2.5.98]
38
39
1988 – (July 3) Oceanside celebrated its Centennial. A three-day full of galas and a parade
commemorated Oceanside’s one hundredth anniversary. During that year the slogan widely used was “
Oceanside: The Wave of Tomorrow.” That year Oceanside citizens built a float, which was entered in the
Rose Parade. It was a bottle filled with depictions of Oceanside landmarks, riding a wave. The following
year, construction began on the Civic Center. It is located on Third and Hill Streets (Pier View Way and
Coast Highway) The civic center fountain is at the same location where the city’s founder, Andrew
Jackson Myers, built his home. [(Ref 1.IX.161]
Andrew Jackson Myers,
the founder of Oceanside
Oceanside Civic Center built in 1989 on the corner of Pier View Way and Coast Highway
Press TAB key to continue.
Although Oceanside has changed dramatically from its early days, some things still remain and have stood the test of
time. The Mission San Luis Rey, surviving near ruin, after more than two hundred years of history. The railroad remains
important, bringing commuters and tourists Coaster. Hill Street, renamed Coast Highway, is still the main thoroughfare
downtown. The tradition of the pleasure pier remains and Oceanside still boasts of its beautiful beaches and mild climate.
There is a renewed appreciation for the downtown neighborhoods as families rediscover the early homes and their close
proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Descendants of those early pioneer families and Native Americans continue to make their
homes here. People from all over the country and foreign lands become the newest “settlers” and find that Oceanside is
“Where Life is Worth Living.” [Ref 1.IX.161]
Press ENTER to view images of old Oceanside
Belles of San Luis Rey, left to right: Rosaria, Tomasa, and Vaselia.
Oceanside Historical Society
Luiseños relax in front of a typical “ramada” in San Luis Rey Valley, ca.
1884. Photo from the collection of Southwest Museum,
The San Luis Rey Creamery, ca. 1880s. Seated on the single wagon, just left of center, is
Benjamin Franklin Libby, one of the pioneer settlers in the valley. Oceanside Historical Society
Martin’s Meat Market on Second Street (Mission Avenue) just below Tremont. Henry Martin with side of
beef is on the wagon. Next door at right is the Pacific Telephone Office. Oceanside Historical Society.
The Oceanside Silver Cornet Band posed for this portrait in 1888. The band marched in parades, played
on the pier, and performed in the Oceanside Opera House. The third musician from the left (standing) is
James Edward Myers, son of A.J. Myers. Ref 2.37/ Oceanside Historical Society
40
Jesse Kolb and Mel Goetz opened the
Oceanside Garage at Second (Mission) and
Tremont in 1908 Ref 1.70 Oceanside Historical Society
Bathing beauties compete in a beauty
contest at Oceanside in the 1920s.
Ref 1.105Oceanside Historical Society
The Oceanside Livery Stable. J.F. Kolb
purchased the stable in 1894. Ref1.51 Oceanside
Historical Society
Known popularly as “the cannon,” this gun was a
familiar fixture in Oceanside. Today its whereabouts
is not known. Ref 2.101 Oceanside Historical Society
The Oceanside pier was the site for the Bean Day Celebration in 1917. This
celebration was held every year after the bean harvest and attracted residents
from all around. People in attendance could sample beans cooked every way
imaginable. Ref 2.59 Oceanside Historical Society