Old Mission Dam facts for kids
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Old Mission Dam
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Old Mission Dam in 2008
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 Location in San Diego County, California
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | Mission Trails Regional Park, San Diego, California |
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| Area | 0.3 acres (0.12 ha) |
| Built | 1803 |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000225 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | May 21, 1963 |
The Old Mission Dam is a very old structure that helped store water in San Diego, California. It is located in Mission Trails Regional Park. People built this dam around 1803. Its main job was to hold back water from the San Diego River. This water was then used to water the fields of Mission San Diego de Alcalá. This mission was the first Spanish mission in what is now California.
The Old Mission Dam was the first big irrigation project built by European settlers on the Pacific coast of the United States. Today, what is left of the dam is a very important historical site. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1963.
The Story of Old Mission Dam
The Old Mission Dam is about 5 miles (8 km) northeast of where Mission San Diego de Alcalá is located. It crosses the San Diego River. This river often dried up in the summer months.
The dam was built using stone and a type of cement. When it was first built, it was about 220 feet (67 meters) long. Its base was about 13 feet (4 meters) wide and it stood about 12 feet (3.7 meters) high. The dam created a pool of water behind it. When the river was dry, this stored water could be released.
A special channel made of tiles was also built. This channel carried water from the dam to the mission fields. It helped stop water from soaking into the sandy soil. Only small pieces of this channel can still be seen today.
Why the Dam Was Built
Mission San Diego de Alcalá was started in 1769 by Father Junipero Serra. It was moved to its current spot in 1774. By the year 1800, the mission was a busy place. About 1,500 Native Americans who had become Christians lived there.
From 1800 to 1802, the mission faced three years of very dry weather. This long drought probably made them decide to build the dam. The dam and its water system were likely at their biggest and best around 1817. This included the tiled water channel and other parts that are now gone.
By 1867, people reported that the dam and channel were falling apart. However, the dam was fixed in 1874. It was used again for a short time after that.
Today, the Old Mission Dam is part of Mission Trails Regional Park. This park is the biggest city park in California. The Old Mission Dam is also recognized as a state historic landmark.
See also
In Spanish: Presa Old Mission para niños
