California Quadrangle facts for kids

California Quadrangle
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark District Contributing Property
California Quadrangle in 1915, with Cabrillo Bridge in the foreground, Administration Building (with red awnings), California Building (with dome and tower), Fine Arts Building (with yellow roof), St. Francis Chapel (far right)
Location in San Diego Show map of San Diego Location in California Show map of California Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	1350 El Prado, San Diego, California
Built	1911–1915
Architect	Bertram G. Goodhue, Carleton Winslow, Irving Gill
Architectural style	Spanish-Colonial Revival
Part of	Balboa Park (ID77000331)
NRHP reference No.	74000548
Quick facts for kids Significant dates
Added to NRHP	May 17, 1974
Designated NHLDCP	December 22, 1977

The California Quadrangle, California Building, and California Tower are important old buildings in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. They were built for a big event called the Panama-California Exposition in 1915-1916. These buildings were the main entrance to the Expo.

The famous architect Bertram Goodhue designed the buildings and the open area between them. These structures were added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 17, 1974. Today, they are home to the Museum of Us.

Entrance to the Plaza de California, 1916

The Quadrangle includes the California Building and Tower on one side. On the other side are Evernham Hall and the St. Francis Chapel. In the middle is an open space called the Plaza de California. This plaza is connected by archways and big gates.

The original Balboa Park Administration Building is just outside the Quadrangle. Unlike most buildings at the Expo, the Quadrangle buildings were meant to last forever.

The Plaza de California is the main way to enter Balboa Park. You reach it by crossing the Cabrillo Bridge. This entrance is currently a road for cars. There were plans to make the Plaza de California a walking-only area again. This would have been great for the 2015 celebration of the Exposition's 100th birthday. However, a judge stopped this plan in 2013.

California Building and Tower: San Diego's Icon

The California Building and its tall, beautiful California Tower are famous landmarks in San Diego. The building has a fancy front and a blue-and-gold dome. These buildings are now part of the Museum of Us.

California Building and California Tower

The design of the building and tower mixes many old styles. It looks like a grand Spanish Colonial church. The dome's design was inspired by a church in Taxco, Mexico. Around the dome, there's a Latin message about a "land of wheat, and barley, and vines." It also has California's motto, "Eureka."

The building's front has stone decorations and sculptures. These sculptures show important people from California, England, Mexico, and Spain. Some of these figures include Junípero Serra, Philip III of Spain, and Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo. The front also shows the shields of the United States, California, and Mexico.

The California Tower is about 198 feet (60 meters) tall. You can take tours to the top of the tower! The tower's design is Spanish, but its details and colors are Mexican. It has three parts that change shape as they go up.

Inside the tower is a special set of bells called a carillon. It was first put there in 1946. The carillon plays the Westminster Chimes every 15 minutes. A musician plays three songs at noon every day. You can hear the beautiful music all over the park. Many people call the tower "San Diego's Icon" because it's so well-known and often photographed.

The State of California paid $250,000 to build the California Building and Tower for the 1915 Exposition. Even though California owned it, the building was given to San Diego in 1926. During the Expo, the California Building showed an exhibit about "The Story of Man through the Ages." After the Expo, this exhibit grew and became the Museum of Us.

Fine Arts Building: Evernham Hall

On the south side of the Quadrangle is the original Fine Arts Building from the fair. This building is also used by the Museum of Us today. It has a large room called Evernham Hall, which is used for events. It also hosts temporary exhibits.

St. Francis Chapel: A Quiet Place

The St. Francis Chapel is a small chapel built in the Mission style. It was added to the Expo to bring a religious feeling. The inside of the chapel is simple, but it has a beautifully decorated Spanish-style altar.

On the altar, there is a statue of Our Lady and Child. To the right, there is a figure of San Diego de Alcala, who the city is named after. The chapel is usually not open to the public. However, people can rent it for private events like weddings. During World War II, it was used as a military chapel.

Administration Building: Gill's Design

Just outside the California Quadrangle, to the west, is the Administration Building. This is one of the first buildings you see when you cross the Cabrillo Bridge into the El Prado Complex. It was finished in 1911 and designed by Irving Gill for the Panama-California Exposition.

Gill designed the building in his unique style. Later, more Spanish Colonial decorations were added to match the other buildings at the Expo. This building had many offices and an auditorium. It was the main office for planning the 1915-1916 Exposition. It was also used for international parties.

During World War II, the building became a military hospital. After the war, it was empty for many years. The city even thought about tearing it down in 1978. But it was fixed up in the 1990s and given to the Museum of Us. Today, it's called the Gill Administration Building. It holds the offices for the Museum of Us. It is the only building in Balboa Park that still shows Irving Gill's special design style.

Map of the Exposition

This map shows the Panama-California Exposition in 1916. The California Quadrangle is the blue area on the left side of the map.

See also

In Spanish: California Quadrangle para niños