San Diego County, California

San Diego County is situated at the extreme southern end of the state, adjoining Lower California and extending from the Pacific Ocean to Arizona. Its area is 14,968 square miles. The population, given in the United States census of 1880 as 8,618, has leaped in the last five years to 55,000. San Diego, the county seat, had no railroad connection with the outside world in 1886, but today it has through connection with several lines of railroad, has spent $1,500,000 in improvements, and has a population of 30,000. On Coronado beach, directly opposite San Diego, $1,000,000 has been spent on a great hotel and its grounds. Both San Diego and its suburbs have the electric light, motor railroads and all city conveniences, with a system of sewerage that insures good health. All these expenditures have been made on the strength of its advantages as a health resort, the climate being very equable and the water suitable for bathing the most of the year. Other important towns are San Jacinto, Banning and Elsinore. All fruits grow luxuriantly in the county, but the chief drawback has been lack of water. This is now being developed by artesian wells and storage reservoirs in the mountains. The leading products are citrus fruits, raisins, olives and nuts. The assessed valuation in 1889 was $29,560,918, against $9,961,282 for 1886.

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Source: California State Gazetteer and Business Directory 1890, Volume II, R. L. Polk & Company, 1890.

©California American History and Genealogy Project 2011 - 2016
Created December 2, 2015 by Judy White