Tierrasanta, San Diego facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tierrasanta, San Diego T Town
Community of San Diego
Tierrasanta
The Tierrasanta sign located on Santo Road
Tierrasanta, San Diego Location in Southern San Diego
Country	United States of America
State	California
County	San Diego
City	San Diego
Elevation	108 m (354 ft)
Highest elevation	240 m (780 ft)
Lowest elevation	50 m (180 ft)
Population  (2010)
• Total	30,443
Area code(s)	858, 619

Tierrasanta means "holy land" or "holy ground" in Spanish. It is a friendly community located in the city of San Diego, California. The symbol of Tierrasanta is a special cross, similar to one found near Barcelona, Spain.

Locals often call Tierrasanta "The Island in the Hills." This is because only four roads lead into the community. All of these roads end within Tierrasanta itself.

History of Tierrasanta

Tierrasanta was once part of the Mission San Diego de Alcalá ranch. This ranch was active in the late 1700s and 1800s. In 1941, the U.S. military bought the land. They used it as Camp Elliott, a training place for the Marine Corps.

The Marines moved out in 1944. The land was then given to the Navy. It was no longer used for military training by 1946. In 1961, the U.S. Government sold this area to the City of San Diego. This area included what is now Tierrasanta and part of Mission Trails Regional Park.

In 1962, a plan called the Elliott Community Plan was made. This plan helped guide how the area would be built. Tierrasanta was officially founded in 1971. The community plan for Tierrasanta was updated in 1982. It included the developed areas and much of Mission Trails Regional Park.

By 1980, about 24,000 people lived in Tierrasanta. The area called Tierrasanta Norte was still being built. By the early 1990s, most of Tierrasanta was finished. In 2010, the population was 30,443 people. About 2,300 homes in the southwest are part of the Murphy Canyon military housing. Tierrasanta was one of the first planned communities in San Diego.

Past Road Plans

The original plan for Tierrasanta included extending Clairemont Mesa Boulevard. This road would connect to Jackson Drive and Route 52. However, people worried about more fast traffic. So, this plan was stopped in 2019.

Another planned road from Tierrasanta Boulevard to Princess View Drive was never built. Also, the two parts of Santo Road were supposed to connect, but they do not.

Safety and Cleanup Efforts

Because Tierrasanta was a military training base, some old military items were left behind. These included unexploded objects, even after many cleanups. In 1983, two 8-year-old boys found an unexploded item and were sadly killed.

The military has done more cleanups, as recently as 1994. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers still checks the area every five years. They do this under a program for formerly used defense sites.

Wildfires and Community Response

In October 2003, Tierrasanta was affected by large wildfires. These fires were known as "Firestorm 2003." Many fires joined together in Southern California. People in Tierrasanta had to leave their homes for safety. Sadly, almost a dozen homes were lost to the fire.

After this, in 2004, the Tierrasanta Community Emergency Response Team (T-CERT) was formed. This group helps the community respond quickly to natural disasters. In 2007, there was another wildfire scare. Residents were not asked to leave that time.

Geography and Nature

Tierrasanta is like an island because no other communities directly border it. It has many canyons and rises from west to east. To the north is the Mount Soledad (52) Freeway. Also north are the large southern fields of MCAS Miramar.

To the east is the huge Mission Trails Regional Park. This park is about 8,000 acres (32 km2). It has many trails for hiking and mountain biking. To the west are slopes overlooking the Interstate 15 corridor. To the south are homes looking over the Admiral Baker Golf Course and the San Diego River.

Community Facilities

Community life often centers around the Tierrasanta Recreation Center. This center has:

• Lighted sports fields
• A large swimming pool
• Tennis courts managed by the Tierrasanta Tennis Club
• A gymnasium
• Meeting rooms

Many green areas with walking paths run through the canyons. A group called Friends of the Tierrasanta Canyons helps take care of these paths. There are also several ways to enter Mission Trails Regional Park. One entrance with parking is at the eastern end of Clairemont Mesa Boulevard.

Local Plants and Animals

Like most coastal areas in Southern California, Tierrasanta has specific natural habitats. The canyons and undeveloped areas, along with parts of MCAS Miramar and Mission Trails Regional Park, are home to:

• Coastal sage scrub
• Chaparral

Tierrasanta is a community with different types of homes. It has single-family houses, condominiums, and apartments. There are also three shopping centers and a branch of the San Diego Public Library. A research park is also located here. The community has several elementary and middle schools. Canyon Hills High School is also in Tierrasanta. These schools are part of the San Diego Unified School District.

Fun Things to Do

Tierrasanta offers many activities and clubs for its residents.

• There is a local library branch.
• You can find trails for jogging and mountain biking.
• The community has baseball and soccer teams.
• Many different clubs meet here.

The Tierra Times is a community newspaper. It has been published since 1971. This newspaper is delivered for free to all residents several times a year.

An Armed Services YMCA is located in the Murphy Canyon area. The Admiral Baker Golf Club is on the southern edge of Tierrasanta. It has two golf courses. Active duty and retired military members get priority, but civilians from nearby communities like Tierrasanta can also play.

Famous People from Tierrasanta

• Tony Hawk, a professional skateboarder
• Chris Horner, a bicycle racer
• Sara Ramirez, an actor, singer, and songwriter
• Erik Wahl, a graffiti artist and author
• Avalon Young, a finalist on American Idol (Season 15)
• Mundell Lowe, a jazz guitarist

See also

In Spanish: Tierrasanta (San Diego) para niños