Serra Mesa, San Diego facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Serra Mesa, San Diego
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| Serra Mesa | |
Serra Mesa entrance at Aero Drive and Sandrock Drive
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 Serra Mesa, San Diego
Location in Northwestern San Diego
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County |  San Diego |
| City |  San Diego |
| Population | |
| • Total | 24,000 |
Serra Mesa is a friendly community located in San Diego, California. It sits between two major highways, Interstate 805 and Interstate 15. You can find it north of Friars Road and south of Aero Drive.
The community gets its name from Junípero Serra. He was a Franciscan friar from Spain. He is famous for starting the Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Nearby communities include Kearny Mesa, Tierrasanta, Mission Valley, and Linda Vista.
About 24,000 people live in Serra Mesa. There are around 8,374 homes, and most of them are single-family houses.
Contents
History of Serra Mesa
The land where Serra Mesa now stands was once part of the Mission Rancho Lands of San Diego. The King of Spain gave this land to the Catholic Church. Later, in 1834, Mexico took over the missions. The land was then given to different people. One of them was Don Santiago Argüello. He later divided and sold about 16,000 acres (65 square kilometers) of land.
Modern development in Serra Mesa started after the Korean War. In the early 1950s, the Navy built homes here. This project was called Cabrillo Heights.
The Serra Mesa area includes several neighborhoods. These are Lincoln (which used to be Cabrillo) Navy Housing, Cabrillo Village, Cabrillo Heights, Mission Village, and Birdland. Birdland is special because it has three hospitals. These include Sharp Memorial, Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women and Newborns, and Rady Children's Hospital. Two of these are trauma centers, which means they can treat very serious injuries. Rady Children's is the only hospital just for kids in the area.
Schools and Learning
Serra Mesa has several schools for children.
- Will Angier Elementary School
- Harry M. Wegeforth Elementary School
- John Paul Jones Elementary School
- Ellwood P. Cubberley Elementary School
- Benito Juarez Elementary School
- William Howard Taft Middle School
After middle school, students from Serra Mesa usually go to Kearny High School. Fletcher Elementary School serves the Birdland neighborhood. Its students then go to Montgomery Middle School and Kearny High School. All these schools are part of the San Diego Unified School District.
There are also other schools in the area. St. Columba Catholic Church has a school for grades K-8. The San Diego Hebrew Day School (K-8) is also located here. For older students, the San Diego Community College District has its North City Campus on Aero Drive.
Parks and Outdoor Fun
Serra Mesa has great places to enjoy the outdoors.
- Ruffin Canyon Open Space Preserve: This is a large natural area, about 84 acres (34 hectares). It runs almost the entire length of Serra Mesa from north to south. A local group called "Friends of Ruffin Canyon" is working to restore this canyon.
- Serra Mesa Community Center Park: This park is a fun spot for everyone. It has a ball field and two playgrounds for younger kids. There are also outdoor and indoor basketball courts. The community center offers after-school programs and seasonal activities for children. This park is close to Wegeforth Elementary School.
- Murray Ridge Park: You can find this park near Murray Ridge Road and Mission Center Road.
- Cabrillo Park: This park is located between Angier Elementary School and Highway 805. It has ball fields, large grassy areas, and a playground.
Famous People from Serra Mesa
Some well-known people have lived in Serra Mesa:
- Alan Trammell, a famous Major League Baseball player.
- Rick Harrison, a TV star.
See also
In Spanish: Serra Mesa (San Diego) para niños
