National Historic Landmark

Old Mission Dam

San Diego, San Diego County, California
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
Structure
Period
Colonial
Ref No.
66000225

About this property

Old Mission Dam is a historic water impoundment structure in Mission Trails Regional Park in San Diego, California. It was built in 1803 to impound the San Diego River to provide water for irrigation of the fields associated with Mission San Diego de Alcalá, the first Spanish mission in what is now the US state of California. It was the first major colonial-era irrigation project on the Pacific coast of the United States. The surviving remnant of the dam was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1963.

Location

San Diego, San Diego County, California
32.83964, -117.04318

Categories

ENGINEERINGAGRICULTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Old Mission Dam

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Edgemoor Farm Dairy Barn
Industrial
4.3 mi
San Diego State College
Listed
4.6 mi
San Diego Mission Church
Colonial
5.3 mi
Lindstrom House
Industrial
6.1 mi
Bancroft, Hubert H., Ranchhouse
Early Republic
6.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Old Mission Dam listed on the National Register?

Old Mission Dam was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Old Mission Dam?

Old Mission Dam is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Old Mission Dam a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Old Mission Dam has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Old Mission Dam?

The period of significance for Old Mission Dam is recorded as the colonial era.

Can I research the history near Old Mission Dam?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Old Mission Dam will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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