Mission Valley

Mission Valley Interesting Facts ... 

Until the 1940s Mission Valley remained largely undeveloped, featuring dairy farms and other agricultural activities; the city of San Diego was largely confined to areas south of the valley. After World War II the city's expansion began to encroach on the valley The last of the valley's dairy farms closed in the early 1960s.

Another early activity in Mission Valley was quarrying sand and gravel from its walls. A large quarry on the north side of the valley was in operation for most of the 20th century. The quarry ceased operation around 2000 and is now the site of the Civita.

The development of Mission Valley began in 1953 when the first hotel was built in what is now Hotel Circle. In 1958, the city council rezoned 90 acres (36 ha) of the river valley to allow construction of San Diego's first regional shopping center. The Mission Valley Center (now Westfield Mission Valley) opened in 1961 and was followed by several other large regional shopping malls.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the U.S. 80 freeway (Interstate 8 today) was constructed through Mission Valley, further opening the area up for development.