The Gaslamp Quarter

The Gaslamp Quarter is the historic heart of San Diego.  It is  16 1/2 blocks of historical neighborhoods in downtown San Diego and is the center of downtown nightlife.  The Quarter is home to many events and festivals, especially for St. Patrick's Day.  It includes 94 historic buildings most of which were constructed during the Victorian period and are still in use today for housing, restaurants, shops and nightclubs.  The Gaslamp Quarter was once known as New Town when Alonzo Horton was developing a new city center closer to the bay and chose 5th Avenune as its main street.  The development of New Town, Gaslamp Quarter, began in the 1860's when people flocked to the area due to trade and new businesses being established.  However, the Gaslamp Quarter has had many names and lives.  In the 1880's - 1900's the area was referred to as the "Stingaree" and was the home to saloons, gambling halls and bordellos.  Wyatt Earp and his wife Josie came to San Diego and invested in real estate and saloons.  They resided at the Grand Hotel during this time.  It became an area where crime was so high that if you were in the area, espcially after dark, you would become a crime victim.  In the 1950's - 1970's the area became known as "Sailor's Entertainment" with ADULT theaters, bookstores and massage parlors.  In 1976 the city decided to save the historic buildings in the Quarter and adopted an urban renewal plan.  In 1982 the city began the redevelopment of the area that has now become the Gaslamp Quarter.  It no longer has a bad reputation and with the great restaurants and shops is the place to be for fun!