The Cabrillo National Monument memorializes the landing of Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo at San Diego Bay in 1542. Part of the National Park Service and located the southern tip of the Point Loma Peninsula in San Diego, California, the site features a visitor center, a statue of Cabrillo overlooking the bay, the Old Point Loma Lighthouse and stunning views of San Diego’s harbor and skyline. This combination allows visitors to experience the past and present of the area in a profound manner.
A Monument to a Voyage of Discovery
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo led the first European expedition to explore what is now the west coast of the United States. He left the port of Navidad, Mexico, on June 27, 1542. Three months later he arrived at an enclosed port, which is known today as San Diego Bay to become the first European to set foot on what is now the west coast of the United States. In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson memorialized Cabrillo by creating Cabrillo National Monument.
The Cabrillo statue looks out over the bay that he sailed into when he first arrived. The original statue at the site by Portuguese sculptor Alvaro DeBree was created for the 1939 World’s Fair in San Francisco and was late brought to the site but suffered great damage from the marine air. In the 1980s, the National Park Service hired Portuguese sculptor Joas Chartes Almeida to carve an exact replica of the original statue out of a more resistant stone.
The Old Point Loma Lighthouse is the highest point in the park and has been a San Diego icon since it was built in 1855. Fog and low clouds often obscured the light, so in 1891, the lighthouse was replaced by the New Point Loma lighthouse at a lower elevation. Said to be the highest lighthouse in the United States, the site became popular with tourists, even though there were plans to tear down the Old Lighthouse. During World War II it was utilized by the military, but was eventually given the National Park Service to ensure it’s survival.
Much of this history is showcased across the site and in the Visitor Center that was built in 1965, followed by additions and improvements to numerous facilities. However, there are multiple other experiences and attractions at the Cabrillo National Monument.
Above and Across San Diego
Residing hundreds of feet above the water, the view of San Diego’s harbor and skyline from the Cabrillo National Monument is stunning. On clear days, a wide expanse of the Pacific Ocean, Tijuana, and Mexico’s Coronado Islands are also visible. The Kelp Forest Overlook provides visitors with an incredible look at the Kelp forest off the coast of Cabrillo and is also a perfect whale watching location.
At the Visitor Center, the film “In Search of Cabrillo” and an exhibit hall present Cabrillo’s life and times. Numerous artifacts and other pieces of history are on display as part of numerous interpretive exhibits. Ranger-led programs about Cabrillo are usually available on weekends and on many weekdays during summer months.
The Old Point Loma Lighthouse also displays numerous pieces of history associated with the lighthouse and the location. During the 1980s it was restored and filled with period furnishings to resemble its appearance in the 1870s.
These experiences have driven numerous activities that take place at Cabrillo National Monument throughout the year and have also opened up powerful economic opportunities for various organizations.
Revenue, Events and Community
The Cabrillo National Monument has different fees associated with vehicle types, providing the park with an important source of direct revenue. The park also welcomes commercial tour groups with plenty of bus parking available to facilitate large groups.
The non-profit Cabrillo National Monument Foundation operates the Bookstore inside the Visitor Center at Cabrillo National Monument. It features a wide variety of items like books about Cabrillo’s explorations, children’s books detailing the tasks of park rangers, posters and commemorative coins.
Numerous events take place throughout the year at Cabrillo National Monument. The annual Cabrillo Festival Open House commemorates Cabrillo with a reenactment of his landing at Ballast Point, in San Diego Bay. Numerous singing and dancing events that include booths with period and regional food also take place throughout the year.
Cabrillo 5K Fun Runs & Walks allow participants to walk with family and friends around Cabrillo National Monument’s historic landmarks while enjoying San Diego’s pristine ocean views. This event is supported by the Cabrillo National Monument Foundation, which since 1956 has helped the National Park Service by supporting numerous educational and scientific activities at Cabrillo National Monument.
The Cabrillo National Monument is also an important element of the community as it appears on maps and guides that compel visitors to come to the area. The revenue, events and sense of community that Cabrillo National Monument has enabled highlights how monuments can define the legacy of an area that is connected to both the past and future of an entire region and country.
The Legacy of the West Coast of North America
Cabrillo National Monument allows visitors to experience the history and natural beauty that is associated with the legacy of the discovery of the west coast of North America. The heroic statue of Cabrillo has provided the monument with an important icon that is utilized in numerous ways to give it an identity.
Like other sites and monuments that combine multiple elements and utilize such distinct identities, Cabrillo National Monument has been able to provide San Diego with an attraction that appeals to both residents and visitors. In doing so, the legacy it celebrates has created value for stakeholders and audiences across the eras.
