Kate Sessions Memorial Park

Coordinates: 32°48′40″N 117°14′17″W / 32.811°N 117.238°W / 32.811; -117.238
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Kate Sessions Memorial Park
Kate Sessions Memorial Park is located in San Diego
Kate Sessions Memorial Park
Location
TypeUrban park
LocationSan Diego, California, U.S.
Coordinates32°48′40″N 117°14′17″W / 32.811°N 117.238°W / 32.811; -117.238
Area79-acre park
Owned byCity of San Diego[1]
Kate Sessions, San Diego's botanist, park's namesake

Kate Sessions Memorial Park is local public park situated at the base of Mount Soledad, in the City of San Diego, California. It hosts walking trails, picnic tables, BBQs, natural habitat, rest rooms, a seasonal creek, playground and dog friendly spaces. On clear days, it provides astonishing panoramic views of Mission Bay, the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, Ocean Beach, downtown San Diego and glimpses of San Diego Bay and Coronado.

The park is dedicated to Kate Sessions, a botanist, horticulturalist, and landscape architect who lived and worked in San Diego from 1884-1940. Sessions started as school teacher and worked in a flower shop before becoming one of San Diego's leading botanists and the "Mother of Balboa Park".[2]

In 1933, Sessions and local residents submitted a petition to the City of San Diego that requested a two acre local park be established in Pacific Beach named "Color Park" for the bright colored flowers planned at the site. The petition was approved by the city and the park was established with white matilija poppies, red bougainvillea, and ever-blooming blue plumagos, along with native oak trees and evergreen shrubs. Sessions passed away in 1940 and the park was expanded and re-named "Soledad Terrace Park" in 1948 after nearby lots and parcels were combined with the original site. In 1957, the park was formally renamed "Kate Sessions Memorial Park" in celebration of the 100th anniversary of her birthday. .[3]

The address of the park is 5115 Soledad Road, San Diego, California.[4]

Not to far from the park, there is a California Historical Landmark No. 764 (listed on April 28, 1961) at the corner of Garnet Avenue and Pico Street, where Sessions ran her plant nursery.[5]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Kate Sessions Neighborhood Park". City of San Diego Official Website. July 17, 2019.
  2. ^ Sessions biography (San Diego Historical Society).
  3. ^ "Kate Sessions Park, Kate Sessions Park San Diego | Welcome to San Diego". welcometosandiego.com. December 4, 2009.
  4. ^ "Kate Sessions Park | Hidden San Diego".
  5. ^ "Sessions Nursery Site Marker #764". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved 2012-10-07.