Program of the 124th Annual Meeting

General Information

For a list of sessions and events see the complete Program online.

 

General Information

The 124th annual meeting of the Association will be held January 7–10, 2010, in San Diego, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego and the San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina. Many of the profession’s most distinguished members will be present to deliver papers and more than 1,700 scholars will participate in the four-day meeting. In addition, 46 specialized societies and organizations will meet in conjunction with the AHA. Each society will hold its own sessions, luncheons, or meetings, as well as some joint sessions with the Association. Laurel Thatcher Ulrich of Harvard University will deliver the presidential address the evening of January 8, and the Association’s book awards, Awards for Scholarly Distinction, the Eugene Asher Distinguished Teaching Award, the Beveridge Family Teaching Prize, the Feis Award, the William Gilbert Award, the John E. O’Connor Film Award, the Nancy Lyman Roelker Mentorship Award, and the 2009 Honorary Foreign Member will be announced.

Noted below are the locations of various events:

AHA Sessions and Events

Affiliated Society Sessions and Events

AHA Headquarters/Staff Office

Press Room

Local Arrangements Committee Office

Job Center

Exhibit Hall

AHA Meeting Registration, Meal Ticket Cashiers, and Information Booth

Meal Ticket Cashiers  

Messaging and Internet Center

Wireless Internet Café

 

Manchester Grand Hyatt and San Diego Marriott

Manchester Grand Hyatt and San Diego Marriott

Hyatt, Show Room II

Hyatt, Betsy C

Hyatt, Betsy A/B

Marriott, Marriott Hall

Hyatt, Douglas Pavilion

Hyatt, Douglas Pavilion A


Hyatt, Douglas Pavilion Hall A

Marriott, Marriott Hall

Hyatt, Worthington Foyer

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Accommodations

The AHA has reserved substantial blocks of rooms at the Manchester Grand Hyatt and the San Diego Marriott, with smaller blocks at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront and the Embassy Suites San Diego Downtown. The hotels are located on San Diego Bay, adjacent to the Gaslamp Quarter, a historical neighborhood that is San Diego’s dining, entertainment, and urban shopping district.

The Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego (www.manchestergrand.hyatt.com; 619-232-1234), located at 1 Market Place, will serve as headquarters and will house AHA exhibits, meeting registration, a wireless café, and AHA and affiliate sessions/events. The San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina (www.sandiegomarriotthotelandmarina.com; 619-234-1500), at 333 West Harbor Drive, will serve as co-headquarters and accommodate the Job Center, the Messaging and Internet Center, and AHA and affiliate sessions/events. The Hilton San Diego Bayfront (www.hilton.com; 619-564-3333), located at 1 Park Boulevard, has a block of 400 rooms. The Embassy Suites San Diego Bay Downtown (www.EmbassySuites.Hilton.com; 619-239-2400), 601 Pacific Highway, will provide additional suite inventory for individuals or institutions who prefer this type accommodation, particularly those interviewing job candidates during the annual meeting.

Rates at the Hyatt and Marriott are $129 single and $168 double, the additional person charge is $30.  The rate at the Hilton is $125 single and $155 double and $30 for each additional person. The rate at Embassy Suites is $159 single and double with an additional person charge of $30. It is a full-service all-suite hotel, and suites set aside in the AHA block have a private bedroom with either a king or two double beds, and a living room with sofa and chairs. All are equipped with two televisions, a full-size refrigerator, microwave oven, sink, coffee maker, three telephones, and large moveable desks with electrical and data port outlets. Each suite has high-speed Internet access with full wireless and “print now” capabilities. The hotel also has a 24-hour automated, self-service, fully equipped business center.

All rooms are subject to city and state occupancy taxes of 12.50 percent plus $0.23 assessment per room, per night. Rates are in effect three days before and after the January 7–10 meeting dates, and are for a limited number of rooms only at each property.

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Making a Hotel Reservation

Once preregistered for the annual meeting, attendees can make hotel reservations through the San Diego Convention Center Corporation’s convention housing reservation service, referred to as San Diego… accommodating YOU. Each preregistrant will receive a confirmation of their registration that will include information on how to make a standard room or suite reservation. Attendees will be able to make a standard room reservation via the Internet or via San Diego… accommodating YOU toll-free number. There will also be a direct-dial number for international attendees to call.  Suite reservations for the Hyatt, Marriott, and Hilton can only be made by completing a suite reservation form, available through the meeting registration confirmation. Suite reservations for these three properties cannot be made via the Internet or directly with hotels. Embassy Suite reservations can be made in the same manner as standard room reservations—toll-free number or via the Internet.  Reservation office hours for phone transactions are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Central Time.  Internet and incoming fax services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Throughout the fall members can consult the AHA’s web site (www.historians.org/annual) for complete details of each property’s suite types and rates.  The site will be updated frequently with availability information.

Acknowledgement

Acknowledgements are available via e-mail, fax, or mail. Acknowledgements will be e-mailed when e-mail addresses are provided unless otherwise indicated. All processing deadlines and cancellation policies are noted on acknowledgements. The hotel will not send a separate confirmation. A reservation ID number will be provided on the acknowledgement. This number is for referencing reservations with San Diego…accommodating YOU housing only. Attendees can contact hotels directly a week prior to arrival for the hotel’s confirmation number.

Guarantee

Major credit cards (MasterCard, Diners Club, Visa, American Express, and Discover) are accepted.

Early Departure Fee

Some hotels have an early departure fee. Guests wishing to avoid an early checkout fee should advise the hotel at or before check-in of any change in planned length of stay. Hotels will inform attendees of this potential charge upon check-in.

Cutoff Date

The cutoff date for the AHA’s official block at all hotels is December 7, 2009.  After this date, remaining inventory in each hotel’s block will be released and rooms will be available at the AHA’s convention rates on a space-available basis at the time of reservation. Frequent updates on availability will be posted on the AHA’s web site. If all hotels sell out, the AHA will secure additional hotel rooms and post details on the AHA web site.

Changes, Cancellations, and New Reservations

Meeting attendees can continue to make and modify (depending on availability) or cancel reservations from September 15 through December 7, 2009.  Between December 8 and 15, the housing service will transfer reservation information to individual hotels, and guests must wait until December 15 to contact individual hotels with changes to reservations and/or cancelations. Attendees must cancel at least 72 hours prior to reserved arrival date or one night’s room and taxes will be charged.

If a reservation is not cancelled and the individual is a “no show,” the hotels will charge one night’s room and taxes as a penalty.

 

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Maps

Map of the area around hotels. Click on the map for a larger view.

Map of Hotels in San Diego

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Information and Accommodations for Persons with Disabilities

General Information

San Diego is one of the most accessible cities in the world for visitors with disabilities. Here are a few resources:

Accessible San Diego (AccessSanDiego.org; 858-279-0704) has an access guide ($5), Access in San Diego, published each year. The guide gives brief descriptions of hotels, restaurants, amusement parks, and the area’s many other tourist attractions, and has reliable information about their access features, locations, and contact numbers. It also lists accessible public transportation providers, community service agencies, and a host of other resources including wheelchair repair.

To obtain a copy of  A Wheelchair User’s Guide to Getting around San Diego, contact 619-233-3004. For the hearing impaired TTY/TTD call 619-234-5005.

At San Diego International Airport numerous accessibility services are available, such as TDD telephones, visual paging monitors, and a courtesy cart operated by the Volunteer Airport Ambassadors. Travelers may request personal assistance at any time by calling Airport Paging from any courtesy phone or TDD phone location. Once connected, advise the Airport Operator that accessibility services are required. The Red Bus provides complementary wheelchair-accessible transportation between the airport’s terminals. Buses run at intervals not to exceed 10 minutes. Designated Red Bus stops are located curbside at all three terminals. For ADA passengers, each shuttle company is required by the airport to have within their fleet ADA-compatible vehicles.  San Diego’s public transit provides full accessibility on all trolleys and buses. It also offers MTS Access Service, which provides point-to-point paratransit service for $3.50 each way, exact change required. To use it, you must be ADA-paratransit-certified in your hometown or in San Diego. MTS Access can make same-day pickups, but recommends making reservations two days in advance. To schedule a ride, call 888-517-9627 any day between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (TTY/TDD: 1-800-568-7097). Reservations are accepted from two days in advance up to 5:00 p.m. the day before travel. That means if you want to travel on a Monday, you can call to schedule your trip from 8:00 a.m. on Saturday up to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Be ready to provide your name, pick-up address, when you would like to travel, destination address, and if/when you would like to book a return trip.

Wheelchair rentals are available through Wheelchair Source (www.wheelchairsource.com; 619-234-9505; info@mobility-source.com). Rental prices include pick-up and delivery to hotels.

Scooter rentals are available by contacting ScootAround Inc., toll-free at 888-441-7575, by e-mail at info@scootaround.com, online at www.scootaround.com, or by fax at 204-478-1172.

A general resource is Barrier-Free Travels: A Nuts and Bolts Guide for Wheelers and Slow Walkers (2009, 3rd edition). It contains detailed information about the logistics of planning accessible travel—whether by plane, train, or bus. The book includes important details about accessible air travel, traveling with oxygen, accessible ground transportation, choosing a travel agent, online booking, accessible recreation, and budget travel. It is available in bookstores, or online at www.barrierfreetravel.net.

Information about Hotels

The information that follows is provided to assist AHA annual meeting attendees with disabilities in obtaining the reasonable accommodations they require. Please refer to this information when making hotel reservations or arrangements to participate in program sessions and other events. In particular, guests should advise the selected hotel about specific needs when making room reservations.

All hotels have accessible lobbies; several have autoslide doors. Thresholds and doormats are in compliance with American with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations and door-service personnel are available at most properties. Lobbies have marble floors and/or low-pile area carpeting. All hotels have accessible registration desks or provide clipboards to guests to complete registration documentation. Elevators connect all levels of each hotel. Each elevator has a wheelchair-accessible keypad, Braille numerals beside each control button, and audible direction. Restrooms in lobbies and on meeting room floors are wheelchair accessible and have tactile signage.

All hotels have accessible guest rooms. The number of such rooms at each property is noted in the listing below. Among other amenities, these rooms feature wheelchair-accessible doors, lever/lever door handles, security peepholes, ample room space, grab bars in restrooms, low sinks with insulated pipes, accessible towel racks, and accessible mirrors. The following auxiliary aids are available at most properties: flashing fire alarm, doorbell, and telephone; vibrating alarm clock; closed-caption decoders; Braille signage; and TDD telephones.

Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego

Entrance: All hotel entrances are accessible, including the main entrance on Market Place. The garage entrance is also accessible, as is the entrance from Seaport Courtyard/Village and Kettner Boulevard.

Parking: The hotel’s garage has 20 accessible spaces, and elevators serve every floor to the lobby level.

Guestrooms: The hotel has 46 accessible rooms.

Meeting rooms: All meeting rooms levels are accessible.

Restaurants: All hotel outlets are accessible: Lobby Bar, Lael’s, Ann Marie’s, Sally’s, Redfields, and Top of the Hyatt.

San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina

Entrances The following locations have autodoors: North Tower first floor (Molly’s entrance), Marriott Hall (by Chicago), main lobby (by the bellstand), and South Tower first floor (Santa Rosa and Laguna entrances).  The following have ramps: North Tower lobby level (Columbia and Torrey exit and the Marriott Hall entrance), South Tower first floor (Solana), and Bayside Pavilion (by South Tower catwalk).

Parking: North Tower parking facility has eight accessible spaces, three are van accessible and the South Tower facility has 12 accessible spaces, four are van accessible.

Guestrooms: The North Tower has 22 accessible rooms, 11 with roll-in showers and the South Tower has 21 rooms, two with roll-in showers.

Meeting rooms: All meeting room levels are served by elevators.

Restaurants: The hotel’s three restaurants are accessible: LC’s (breakfast), Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine (lunch and dinner), and DW’s Restaurant (lunch and dinner).

Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Entrance: The main lobby and the promenade entrances on Gull Street are both accessible; the back entrance of the hotel, which is located near the pool and boardwalk, is also accessible.

Parking: The hotel has accessible parking spots available, with entrances from the self-parking facility including two elevators and a ramp located from the parking garage to the main lobby level of the hotel.

Guestrooms: The hotel has 31 guest rooms that meet standard ADA requirements.

Meeting rooms:  All meeting rooms are accessible by elevator or escalator.

Restaurants:  All food and beverage outlets—Starbucks, Vela, and Odysea—are accessible.

Embassy Suites San Diego Bay Downtown

Entrance: The hotel’s main entrance on the Pacific Coast Highway is accessible.

Parking:  The hotel’s parking garage provides a number of accessible spaces, and can accommodate vans.

Guestrooms: The hotel has 16 suites that are accessible.

Restaurants:The hotel’s restaurant, PFC Bar and Grill, is accessible.

 

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Transportation to San Diego

Association Travel Concepts (ATC) is the official travel agency for the annual meeting.  As such, ATC has negotiated discounts with American Airlines, United Airlines, Amtrak, and Hertz Rent-a-Car to bring attendees special air, rail, and car rental rates that are lower than those available to the public.  To take advantage of these rates and benefits, e-mail reservations@atcmeetings.com.  ATC is available for reservations from 8:30 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.  A link is also available through the AHA annual meeting web page, www.historians.org/annual or directly from ATC’s web site at www.atcmeetings.com/aha.

Airfares:  By contacting ATC, attendees traveling on American (ID Number A6210AH) will save up to 5 percent. Some restrictions may apply and service fees will vary.  Travelers on United (ID Number 510CK) will receive up to 15 percent off tickets purchased more than 30 days prior to the meeting.  Discounts apply for travel Monday, January 4 through Thursday, January 14, 2010, for service into San Diego International Airport (SAN). Attendees may also contact airlines directly, noting ID numbers—United at 800-521-4041 and American at 800-433-1790; the discount ID cannot be used on airline web sites.

ATC will also search for the lowest available fare on any airline serving San Diego International Airport.  ATC is a full-service travel agency that provides personalized service, advance seat assignments, special meal requests, frequent flier programs updates, electronic ticketing, e-mail access for convenient booking of your tickets, and more.

Train fares:  Amtrak offers a 10 percent discount on the lowest available fare to San Diego between January 4 and January 13, 2010.  To book, call Amtrak at 800-872-7245 and refer to Convention Fare Code X92Y-967. Please note that this discount cannot be booked via Amtrak’s web site—you must call Amtrak or your travel agent directly and mention the fare code. The offer is not valid on Auto Train and Acela Service but is valid with Sleepers, Business Class, or First Class seats with payment of the full applicable accommodation charges.

Car rental:  Attendees can also arrange to rent a car through Hertz Rent-a-Car, with discounted rates effective from January 4 through January 14, 2010.  Contact Hertz at 800-654-3131, noting ID number CV#031C0014.  International callers, 800-654-3001 and hearing impaired (TDD) 800-654-2280.

Ground Transportation from Airport

Located three miles northwest of downtown San Diego, San Diego International Airport—sometimes called Lindbergh Field—(SAN) (www.san.org) hosts 25 carriers in three terminals (Commuter, Terminal 1, and Terminal 2). Carriers include all the major airlines, including American, Continental, Delta, JetBlue, Northwest, Southwest (the largest in terms of carriers with 33 percent of the volume), United, and USAirways. Departures are not allowed from the San Diego airport between 11:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. The airport’s Red Bus offers free transportation services from terminal-to-terminal, running about every 10 minutes. There are curbside Red Bus stops at each of the three terminals. For the convenience of people with disabilities, the Red Bus vehicles are all wheelchair accessible.

Alternative to San Diego International Airport: LAX

Travelers will have greater access to additional carriers and flight options (including less expensive “red eye” flights) flying into Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Travelers can catch FlyAway, an express bus service that goes directly from LAX to Amtrak’s Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. The FlyAway fare is $3 for adults, $2 for children.  The bus departs to and from Union Station every half hour between 5:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. and every hour between 1:00 and 5:00 a.m.  Passengers will arrive at Amtrak’s Santa Fe Depot in downtown San Diego, and are within short walking distance to the hotels.  The train from LAX to San Diego costs $29 one way.

Transportation Services at the Airport

Shuttle, bus, and taxi service are available at the Transportation Plazas across from Terminals 1 and 2 and curbside at the Commuter Terminal.  Passengers must use the skybridge to cross the street.  Transportation coordinators assist passengers in finding their preferred method of traveling to their hotel. A cab ride to the downtown Gaslamp District ranges from $12 to $15. Rates for pay shuttles vary widely, based on destination, persons per van, and number of stops.  Generally, however, service from the airport to the downtown hotels range from $7 to $14 per person.

Public Transit at the Airport

The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) public bus, Flyer Route No. 992, is available to the downtown area for a fare of $2.25. The fare for a senior or disabled rider is $1. Exact fare is required, as the drivers cannot make change. Buses depart the airport for downtown approximately every 10 to 15 minutes. Buses travel downtown between 6:00 a.m. and midnight. Day Tripper Passes are also available for $5 per day, $9 for two consecutive days, $12 for three consecutive days, and $15 for four consecutive days. Riders can purchase from ticket vending machines as bus stops and from bus drivers.

Car Rental

All car rental agencies are located off-site, so there are no service counters at the San Diego airport. Travelers can, however, use the car rental reservations boards and courtesy phones located near the baggage claim areas in Terminals 1 and 2. Free shuttles operate every few minutes from the airport’s Transportation Plazas to off-site rental offices for most major companies (Avis, Alamo, Hertz, Enterprise, Thrifty, etc.).

Ground Transportation from Santa Fe Depot (Amtrak)

Amtrak’s Santa Fe Depot is located in the Centre City area (downtown) San Diego at 1050 Kettner Blvd. The station is open daily from 5:15 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Although within walking distance to the meeting hotels, unfamiliar travelers with luggage will find it easier to take the short cab ride (approximately $5) to their hotels. Amtrak at Santa Fe Depot station offers rail service from San Diego with 11 round trips to Los Angeles, continuing to Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. Also available at the Santa Fe Depot station is access to the Coaster, local commuter train service, and the San Diego Trolley.

A Note about Taxicabs in San Diego

Taxicab stands are located at the airport and the hotels. The fare will display on a meter and includes a flag drop charge plus a per-mile and/or a per-hour charge. Current taxi rates of fare are $2.20 first one-tenth mile, $2.30 each additional mile, and $19 per hour waiting time.

 

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Getting around in San Diego

Finding your way around downtown San Diego by car is fairly straightforward. But, as in any city, be prepared to navigate a few tricky one-way streets, and, once you get where you’re going, you’ll have to find a place to park or hire a valet service to find one for you. The best advice is to know before you go—figure out where you’re going, plan out your day, and map out your route. Make advance reservations for prime dining hours at popular restaurants. Carry cash and coin for the many self-pay lots and parking meters around town. There are also several large parking structures serving areas nearby meeting hotels in the Gaslamp District and the Convention Center.

Perhaps the best way to visit downtown is by taxi or by public transportation. San Diego is served by an excellent trolley and bus network that will take you virtually anywhere you want to go (619-685-3004; www.sdcommute.com). There’s also horse-drawn carriages and bicycle-powered rickshaws called pedi-cabs around the Gaslamp Quarter. With a decent sense of direction and a little common street sense, it’s relatively safe and easy to make your way around downtown San Diego on foot.

The San Diego Trolley (www.sdmts.com/Trolley/Trolley.asp) is a trolley-style light rail public transportation system serving greater San Diego and consists of three lines, Blue, Orange, and Green. It is distinguished by its 134 bright red, electric powered trains. The trolley’s three routes cover 50 miles and serve 53 station stops. On all lines, the Trolleys run every 15 minutes, seven days a week. They run every 30 minutes late night and on weekend mornings and evenings. In addition, the Blue line runs every 7 minutes during weekday rush hours. Fares to ride the Trolley are self-serve, meaning you buy your tickets from kiosks. One-way adult fare is $2.50, there is no round-trip fare. Instead, single day trip fares are $5 for unlimited rides. There are no gates or turnstiles to board the Trolleys, but transit police do patrol for random fare inspection, so make sure you have valid tickets or you will be asked to leave at the next stop.  Trolleys are accessible; older cars have wheelchair lifts and newer cars, primarily on the Green Line, have ground level ramps.

None of San Diego’s big attractions—its famous beaches, museums, zoos, and amusement parks—are located downtown, so a visitor will need to rent a car or utilize public transportation.  For example, the San Diego Trolley reaches many neighborhoods and areas with popular attractions and landmarks, such as Old Town, Mission Valley, and Fashion Valley.

 

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Parking

Hotels

All hotels have parking available. Current published rates for each 24-hour period are: Manchester Grand Hyatt: $22 self service, valet $32; San Diego Marriott: $22 self service, valet $32; Hilton San Diego Bayfront: $21 self service, valet $32; Embassy Guest Suites San Diego Bay Downtown: no self service, valet $29.

Additional Parking Options

Parking zones throughout San Diego feature color coordinated curbs and/or signs to help drivers quickly identify parking rules for the area. A red curb means “no stopping any time.” When signs are used in place of a red curb, the prohibition is in effect on the days and times specified on the sign. White curbs indicate a passenger loading zone, and vehicles are allowed to stop for the purpose of loading or unloading passengers. The time limit is three minutes, or ten minutes in front of a hotel. Yellow curbs designate a commerical loading zone with vehicles permitted to stop for 20 minutes to load or unload goods. These zones are in effect from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Sundays excepted. Blue curbs signify disabled persons parking zones, and vehicles displaying a distinguishing placard or license plate issued to a disable person by California may park in the zone. Out-of-state placards are also honored. Green curbs denote a short-term time limit parking zone, and parking is limited to the time period stenciled on the curb or posted on a sign.  In most cases, the time limit is either 15 or 30 minutes. Short-term time limit parking zones are in effect from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Sundays excepted.

Downtown San Diego has more than 55,000 parking spaces, many in large parking facilities. As the meeting hotels are near the convention center, there are several possibilities.  There is a 2,000-space structure on the corner of Harbor and Eighth Avenue. There are additional lots within blocks of the hotels. As they are individually owned and operated, prices will vary according to location.

 

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Meeting Registration

Intending participants are urged to preregister at the reduced rates of $152 members, $173 nonmembers, $74 student members, $84 student nonmembers, $74 retired and unemployed, and $37 precollegiate teacher (evidence of employment is required for the precollegiate teachers’ rate). The AHA also offers special preregistration rates of $50 for middle and high school teachers and $100 for undergraduate teachers each leading groups of up to five students. A preregistration form is included as an insert in the program and is available through the AHA headquarters office. Attendees can also preregister online via a link on the AHA’s web site (www.historians.org/annual). Please note that preregistration for the 2010 meeting will be handled by a processing service and forms should be sent to the address on the form and not to the AHA office. Preregistrants will receive confirmation within four to six weeks.

Advance registration must be received by Friday, December 18, 2009, midnight. Thereafter, onsite rates will be charged. Registration materials, including badges, will be distributed at the meeting during the regular business hours noted below. Individuals who have preregistered should go to booths designated for preregistrants in the Hyatt’s ground level.

Fees for registering at the meeting will be $179 members, $200 nonmembers, $79 student members, $89 student nonmembers, $79 retired and unemployed, and $42 precollegiate teachers (evidence of employment is required for the precollegiate teachers’ rate). The special group rate mentioned above is not available on site.

The registration desks will be located in the Hyatt’s Douglas Pavilion A and will be open during the following hours:

Thursday, January 7

Friday, January 8

Saturday, January 9        

12:00–7:00 p.m.

8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Admission to all sessions, exhibits, the Job Center, and the Messaging/Internet Center requires a Registration Badge.

Refund Policy

Advance registrants who are unable to attend the meeting may request a refund of their registration fee. A written request accompanied by the meeting badge must be postmarked by December 18, 2009, and should include a copy of the preregistration form that was submitted.  All refunds are subject to a $20 processing fee. No refunds will be issued for requests postmarked after December 18, 2009. Refunds will not be given for no-shows. Cancellations and refund requests should be submitted to the American Historical Association, Business Office, 400 A Street SE, Washington, DC 20003 or e-mailed to ssobelman@historians.org. Faxed refund requests will not be accepted. Proof of payment—copies of front and back of cancelled check or copy of credit card statement—may also be required.

 

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Sign Interpreting

In order to make the necessary arrangements, hearing-impaired members who will need sign-interpreting service at the AHA annual meeting must notify the Headquarters Office and register for the meeting by December 1, 2008. After reviewing the program, but not later than December 1, members who have made such requests should inform Headquarters of the sessions they plan to attend. Headquarters will then, with the assistance of the Local Arrangements Committee and the Registry of Interpreters, secure the services of appropriate interpreters. The AHA will assume the cost for up to nine hours of interpreting service or a maximum of $400 per member, whichever is less.

An American Sign Language interpreter will be provided for the General Meeting (Friday, January 8, 8:30 p.m.) and the Annual Business Meeting (Saturday, January 9, 4:45 p.m.). Please contact Sharon K. Tune, Convention Director, AHA, 400 A Street SE, Washington, DC 20003, by December 2.

 

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Messaging and Internet Center

The AHA will employ an electronic two-way messaging system to allow everyone registered for the meeting to communicate with each other. The system will be accessible via a link on the AHA annual meeting page (www.historians.org/annual). Meeting attendees are encouraged to use the Internet services provided in their hotel rooms and other public locations. Extensive information about the availability and price of Internet services, including free Wi-Fi options, is posted on the web site (www.historians.org/annual). A limited number of Internet terminals will also be available in the Marriott’s Marriott Hall during Job Center hours.  The system will be the designated form of communication for those using the Job Center, and interviewers and interviewees can use it to schedule and confirm interviews. AHA staff answering the phones at the meeting will be able to post messages for attendees directly into the system.

There will be a Wireless Café in the Hyatt’s Worthington’s Foyer on the second level, open 24 hours a day, from 12 noon on Friday, January 7 through 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 10.

Attendees will be able to sign up to receive an SMS/cell phone text message or an e-mail alert when they have a new message. Persons with messages waiting will be able to use any Internet-connected computer to log in using a password that will be printed on their badges. More information will be e-mailed to those who register for the meeting.

 

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Childcare

The AHA provides the names of the following childcare suppliers as a service to members who may be interested, but the AHA assumes no responsibility for their performance, licensing, insurance, and so on. Companies note that they are fully insured, licensed, and bonded, and they will make arrangements to provide childcare in the client’s hotel room or elsewhere. Pay rates are generally based on a caregiver’s training and experience and the requirements of the particular engagement. Typical rates are $15 to $25 per hour. If plans must be made closer to the meeting dates, attendees can also call their selected hotel’s concierge desk for a list of childcare providers maintained by the hotel.

Care4hire.com

Address: P.O. Box 2202, Norfolk, NE 68702

Phone: 402-379-7811

E-mail: submission from web site’s “Contact Us”

A free preview of available babysitters is available through the site’s local neighborhood mapping technology. Once a registered member, individuals will be given immediate access to babysitters through text messaging, e-mail, and phone.

Panda’s Domestic Agency

Address: 1761 Hotel Circle South, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92108

Phone: 619-295-3800

Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.and Saturday, 9:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m. PST

E-mail: pandadomestic@yahoo.com

Provides hotel in-room babysitting services at starting rate of $18 an hour, with a four-hour minimum.

Sittercity

Address 213 W. Institute Place, Suite 504, Chicago IL 60610

Phone: 888-748-2489

Hours Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. CST

Web: www.sittercity.com

E-mail: submission from web site’s “Help and Contact Us”

One of the largest online sources for child care, with babysitters in every city nationwide, including San Diego. They offer a four-step screening process, background checks, sitter reviews, detailed profiles, and more.

 

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Business Meeting

The AHA Council, divisions, and committees will report to the Association at the annual business meeting. Reports are subject to discussion and appropriate motions relating to them. Resolutions on other matters for the business meeting will be handled as follows: (1) resolutions signed by 50 members of the Association will be accepted until November 1, 2009, and (2) must be no more than 300 words in length. Resolutions should be sent to the Executive Director at the AHA headquarters, with a copy to the Parliamentarian, Michael Les Benedict, Department of History, Ohio State University, 230 West 17th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210.

Voting Cards

Voting cards will be distributed to members at the meeting.

 

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Affiliated Societies

Elizabeth Foyer on the Hyatt’s second level has been reserved from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Friday, January 8, for affiliated societies to display materials and to meet with members of the profession.

 

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Exhibit Hall

The exhibits are located in the Hyatt’s Douglas Pavilion and will be open during the following hours:

Thursday, January 7

Friday, January 8

Saturday, January 9

Sunday, January 10

3:00–7:00 p.m.

9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Admission to the Exhibit Hall requires an AHA registration badge.

 

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Job Center

The Job Center, located in the Marriott’s Marriott Hall, will be open during the following hours:

Thursday, January 7

Friday, January 8

Saturday, January 9

Sunday, January 10

12:30–6:00 p.m.

9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Admission to the Job Center requires an AHA registration badge.

 

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Meal Meetings

After clearance of room allocation with the convention director, all other arrangements for meal meetings must be conducted directly between the organization and the hotel.

Breakfasts are scheduled as indicated. All luncheons are scheduled for 12:15 p.m.Tickets for breakfasts and luncheons (except those sponsored by organizations that sell their own tickets) will be available from the meal ticket cashiers in the AHA registration area, located in the Hyatt’s second floor promenade. All payments must be made in U.S. currency, by cash or traveler’s check.

Schedule for Breakfast Meeting

Saturday, January 9 (p. 71)

Schedule of Luncheon Meetings

Friday, January 8 (p. 56-57)

Saturday, January 9 (p. 89)

 

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Two-Year College Faculty

History faculty from two-year colleges are invited to a special cash-bar reception on Friday, January 8 from 5:30–7:00 p.m. in Elizabeth Ballroom A of the Manchester Grand Hyatt. Members of the AHA Council, divisions, and committees will host this opportunity to become better acquainted and to discuss informally how the Association might better serve this constituency’s needs. An open forum starting at 5:45 p.m. will be devoted to to sharing ideas on how the AHA can better serve two-year faculty.

 

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Committee on Minority Historians

The Committee on Minority Historians invites minority graduate students and first-year faculty to a complimentary continental breakfast on Friday, January 8, from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. Please join the committee in a discussion of life in the profession. If you are interested in attending, please e-mail Noralee Frankel, by December 11, 2009, to register. Individuals who wish to participate in the discussion only are invited to arrive at 8:00 a.m.

 

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Graduate and Early Career Committee

The Graduate and Early Career Committee either sponsors the following events or recommends them to graduate students.

Friday, January 8

Saturday, January 9

 

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Teaching

The AHA Teaching Division encourages those meeting registrants with a special interest in history teaching to attend the following sessions and activities. This roster of sessions reflects the combined efforts of the division, the Program Committee, the National History Education Clearinghouse, affiliated societies, and other groups.

In addition, commentators on all sessions are encouraged to address the implications of the papers being given not only for research but also for teaching.

Thursday, January 7

Friday, January 8

Saturday, January 9

Sunday, January 10

 

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Events of the AHA Working Group for Historical Perspectives on Same- Sex Marriage

The passage of Proposition 8 in California in November 2008 prompted the submission of a resolution at the AHA Business Meeting in January 2009. To implement the resolution passed by the AHA Council, a working group was formed to create a threaded miniconference at the 2010 meeting to explore historical perspectives on same-sex marriage. Working group members are Kristin Hoganson (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) representing the 2010 Program Committee, Leisa Meyer (College of William and Mary) as co-chair of the AHA’s LGBTQ Historians Task Force, and James Green (Brown University), as well as the AHA vice presidents—Karen Halttunen (University of Southern California) of the Teaching Division, who also chairs the group; David Weber (Southern Methodist University) of the Professional Division; and Iris Berger (University of Albany, SUNY) of the Research Division. As charged by the Council and AHA President Laurel Ulrich, the group developed special events and sessions on the subjects of marriage, sexuality, and the social constructions of domestic unions.

The working group’s goal was to include histories of marriage and sexuality that range across historical time, geographic space, and thematic focus. There has been a significant expansion of historical scholarship in recent times on the subjects of marriage, sexuality, and the social constructions of domestic unions. The following sessions and events were developed to feature some of this cutting-edge scholarship that illuminates our understanding of these complex and historically contingent institutions and practices.

Thursday, January 7

Friday, January 8

Saturday, January 9

Sunday, January 10

 

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Local Arrangements: Historians and San Diego

For the 124th Annual Meeting, members of the Local Arrangements Committee (LAC) will provide Association members with detailed information to make their San Diego visit thoroughly enjoyable. Chair Robert Edelman, University of California, San Diego; co-chair Elizabeth Cobbs Hoffman, San Diego State University; and LAC members have prepared articles on the city and the region for the fall issues of Perspectives on History, including guides to museums, points of interests, and restaurants in the area. An annual meeting supplement will be distributed at the meeting and posted on the AHA’s web site.

Tours Organized by the Local Arrangements Committee

Preregistration is highly recommended. Tour tickets are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged. Those who care to review the annual meeting Program (published in October) before purchasing tickets may call 508-743-0510 to add tickets to an existing registration. Tour participants must be registered for the AHA meeting.

Tours will meet at the locations specified below. Please arrive approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time.

If you have questions about accessibility for tours, please contact aha@historians.org by December 1 and someone will contact you to determine specific needs.

SOLD OUT - Tour 1: Sailing on the Tall Ship Californian (Maritime Museum of San Diego)

Date, time: Friday, January 8, 10:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Meeting site: Meet in the Hyatt’s George Bush Room at 10:30 a.m. for a walk to the museum.

Tour Leaders: Docents from the Maritime Museum of San Diego

Description:The Maritime Museum of San Diego’s collection of historic vessels includes the Californian, an authentic replica of a Gold Rush-era revenue cutter. A topsail schooner built for speed, Californian carries 7,000 square feet of canvas, measures 145 feet in length, and is armed with four replica mid-nineteenth-century guns. Californian is the official tall ship of the State of California. The tour will give participants a memorable cruise on San Diego Bay with spectacular views of Coronado, the city shore line, and Point Loma. Passengers will not only view a piece of living history but also participate in her sailing by being invited to haul on a line and take the helm if they wish. The voyage will end with a cannon salute. Participants should wear comfortable clothing and be sure to bring a jacket. The price of the ticket also includes admission to the Maritime Museum of San Diego.

Limit: 50 people 

Fee: $30. Participants must register by Dec. 15

Tour 2: Gaslamp District Walking Tour

Date, time: Friday, January 8, 2:00–4:00 p.m.

Meeting site: Meet in the Hyatt’s George Bush Room at 2:00 p.m.

Tour Leaders: Staff of the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation

Description: The tour vividly recreates the late 1800s when the city near the waterfront fell into disrepair and the Stingaree district flourished. Learn about the marketing secrets of the naughty ladies of the Stingaree and discover the haunts of famous former resident Wyatt Earp. The tour also highlights many of the best Victorian-style commercial buildings constructed in San Diego during the years between the Civil War and World War I. The last twenty minutes of the tour is devoted to the William Heath Davis Historic House Museum, the district’s oldest surviving structure, a saltbox style home shipped around Cape Horn and assembled in San Diego in 1850. The museum has been home to many fascinating people, including pre-Civil War soldiers, a German spy, and Alonzo Horton, founder of San Diego. Each room represents a historic period of the home and is filled with fascinating and amusing stories about the former inhabitants.

Limit: 40 people

Fee: $15

Tour 3: Point Loma Theosophical Colony Site and Cabrillo National Monument

Date, time: Friday, January 8, 2:00–5:00 p.m.

Meeting site: Meet in the Hyatt’s George Bush Room at 2:00 p.m. for a bus tour

Tour Leader: Rick Kennedy, Point Loma Nazarene University

Description: This tour will travel by bus to the site of the Universal Brotherhood and Theosophical Society that is now the campus of Point Loma Nazarene University. In 1897 Katherine Tingley founded a multifaceted combination of Theosophical University, uplifting tourist resort, arts and crafts colony, elementary school, and international peace organization on 330 acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean. In the hope of responsible historic preservation, Point Loma Nazarene University has maintained several distinctive Theosophical buildings along with the first Greek Theater built in the United States. After a walking tour of Theosophical history, the tour will proceed three miles further out to the Cabrillo National Monument. This national historic site interprets the role of Cabrillo, light houses, and WWII coastal defenses in California history. Point Loma is not only one of the most historically significant geographical features on the Southern California coast, it also offers amazingly beautiful views out to the Pacific and back toward San Diego Bay.

Limit: 49 people

Fee: $15

SOLD OUT - Tour 4: Harlem of the West

Date, time: Saturday, January 9, 10:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Meeting site: Meet in the Hyatt’s George Bush Room at 10:45 a.m.

Tour Leader:Staff of the Black Historical Society of San Diego

Description: Presented by the Black Historical Society of San Diego, this 45-minute walking tour of the Gaslamp District explores San Diego’s role in the history of African American musical culture from 1880 to 1970. Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, and many others played and stayed in downtown San Diego. This tour will revisit the clubs, hotels, hangouts, and businesses that made this community a thriving part of black history.

Limit:  30 people

Fee: $10

SOLD OUT - Tour 5: Walking Tour of the Asia Pacific Historical District

Date, time: Saturday, January 9, 10:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Meeting site: Meet in the Hyatt’s George Bush Room at 10:45 a.m.

Tour Leader: Staff of the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum

Description: Presented by the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum, this walking tour of the Gaslamp District explores the long-standing Asian presence in San Diego. Along with the Chinese Historical Museum, the sites of businesses, houses of worship, and places of recreation will be covered.

Limit: 30 people

Fee: $10

Tour 6: Balboa Park-Prado Walking Tour

Date, time: Saturday, January 9, 2:00–4:00 p.m.

Meeting site: Meet in the Hyatt’s George Bush Room at 2:00 p.m. to take a city bus to the park

Tour Leader: Jonathan Bechtol, California State University, San Marcos

Description: A walking tour of Balboa Park’s buildings and grounds. It begins at the site of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition (listed in the National Register of Historic Places) and traces the transformation of the park to its current use as a recreational and cultural center. Deeded to the city of San Diego in the late 1860s, Balboa Park saw no major development until the early 1900s. The first permanent park buildings were for a regional exposition celebrating the opening of the Panama Canal. The tour will also feature buildings from the 1935 California-Pacific Exposition, the Naval Hospital, and selected gardens from both expositions. The tour will discuss how the park is remembered and how social and cultural issues have shaped it during the past one-hundred years. Recurring issues also discussed include cultural diversity, land management, and maintenance of the aging buildings. Participants will travel by city bus; roundtrip fare is $5, exact change is required. (Roundtrip fare is $2.50 for seniors, the disabled, and Medicare recipients.)

Limit: 30 people

Fee: $10

Tour 7: San Diego Presidio and Mission Tour

Date, time: Saturday, January 9, 2:00–5:00 p.m.

Meeting site: Meet in the Hyatt’s George Bush Room at 2:00 p.m. for a bus to Presidio Hill

Tour Leader: Iris Engstrand, University of San Diego

Description: Find out where the American state of California actually began. Join a bus tour that will visit the Serra Museum atop Presidio Hill, where in 1769 Franciscan Father Junípero Serra and Spanish military leaders founded Mission San Diego de Alcalá—first in California—and established an encampment that would turn into a Presidio (royal fortress) a few years later. It is today the only museum devoted to the Spanish colonial period, and is usually closed to the public. The mission itself was moved to a more appropriate site six miles inland—second stop on our tour—where it has been fully restored. The church is a perfect example of simple mission frontier architecture. The mission was attacked by Indians, rebuilt, secularized, used as U.S. Army headquarters during the U.S.-Mexican War, and is today a parish church. The quiet, peaceful valley is no more—but you can imagine what it was like during the eighteenth century.

Limit: 48 people

Fee:  $15

 

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What San Diego Has to Offer

San Diego is California’s second largest city, bordered by Mexico, the Pacific Ocean, the Anza-Borrego Desert, and the Laguna Mountains. San Diego County’s 4,200 square miles offer numerous options for the first-time—or return—visitor.  First-time San Diego visitors may want to start out with an Old Town Trolley tour. It is a great way to see and learn about San Diego and find out what you’re most interested in seeing. Balboa Park (www.balboapark.org) is also a must-see because it has something for everyone with its beautiful gardened walks, numerous museums, a science center with IMAX, restaurants, the San Diego Zoo, and a playground.

Downtown San Diego is neatly packed into a single square-mile grid between the 5 freeway and the Harbor.  It has skyscrapers, old turn-of-the-century buildings, and peaceful parks. Visitors can enjoy dining in Little Italy, shopping at Horton Plaza, taking in an opera at the Civic Center, exploring an aircraft carrier at the Harbor, and dancing in the Gaslamp Quarter, all in the space of a few dozen city blocks. Close to the international airport, cruise ship terminal, Balboa Park museums, and world-renowned San Diego Zoo, downtown San Diego where the meeting hotels are located is a good starting point.

Highlighting San Diego Points of Interest

Balboa Park Veterans Museum & Memorial Center, 2115 Park Blvd., San Diego; 619-239-2300; www.veteranmuseum.org. open Tuesday–Sunday 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; free admission, donations appreciated. Located in the historic Old Naval Hospital Chapel, the museum preserves and honors the memories of men and women of the Armed Forces, Coast Guard, and Wartime Merchant Marine.

Barona Cultural Center & Museum, 1095 Barona Road, Lakeside; 619-443-7003; www.baronamuseum.org; open Tuesday–Friday 12:00–5:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., closed Sunday and Monday. Dedicated to preserving the Native American history of San Diego County.

California Center for the Arts, Escondido Museum, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido; 760-839-4120; www.artcenter.org. A 9,000 square-foot, multi-gallery exhibition space, the museum is part of a twelve-acre arts campus that includes two theaters, art, and dance studios.

Coronado Historical Association and Museum of History and Art, 1100 Orange Ave., Coronado; 619-435-7242; www.coronadohistory.org; open Monday–Friday 9:00 a.m. –5:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. –5:00 p.m., and Sunday 11:00 a.m. –4:00 p.m. Four galleries explore Coronado’s early history, the Navy and Army’s role in Coronado, the Hotel del Coronado, and Tent City.

Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, Marine Corp Air Station Miramar, San Diego, directly across from 8604 Miramar Road; 858-693-1723; www.flyingleathernecks.org; open Tuesday–Sunday 9:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. The only official Marine Corps Aviation Museum in the western United States; includes more than thirty aircraft and the History of Woman Marines exhibit.

Heritage of the Americas Museum, 12110 Cuyamaca College Drive West, El Cajon; 619-670-5194; www.cuyamaca.edu/museum/; open Tuesday–Friday 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. and Saturday 12:00–4:00 p.m. A cultural and educational facility located on the campus of Cuyamaca College featuring the prehistoric and historical art, culture, and natural history of the Americas.

Lux Art Institute, 1550 South El Camino Real, Encinitas; 760-436-6611; www.luxartinstitute.org; open Thursday and Friday 1:00–5:00 p.m. and Saturday 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. The institute’s goals are to redefine the museum experience and make art more accessible and personally meaningful and to provide an opportunity to see not only finished works of art but also the artistic process.

Maritime Museum of San Diego, 1492 North Harbor Drive, San Diego; 619-234-9153; www.sdmaritime.org; open daily 9:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. One of the world’s finest collections of historic ships including the Star of India, offers bay discovery excursions aboard Pilot and adventure sails aboard the Californian.

Marston House & Gardens, 3525 Seventh Avenue, Balboa Park; 619-298-3142; www.marstonhouse.org; open Friday–Sunday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Designed by noted architect Irving Gill in the Craftsman style, the house, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was constructed in 1905.  The formal garden was designed and installed in 1927, and is planted with a collection of roses and seasonal flowers.

Mingei International Museum, 155 West Grand Ave., Escondido; 760-735-3355; www.mingei.org; open Tuesday–Saturday 1:00–4:00 p.m. The museum features art from all cultures of the world—historical and contemporary folk art, craft, and design.

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, Downtown, 1100 & 1001 Kettner Blvd., San Diego and Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, La Jolla, 700 Prospect St., La Jolla; 858-454-3541; www.mcasd.org; open Thursday–Tuesday 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., closed Wednesday. MCASD is a renowned art museum with two locations—in downtown San Diego and in La Jolla. The museum collects, exhibits, and interprets the art of our time and offers a range of interactive programming for all ages.

Museum of Photographic Arts, 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park; 619-238-7559; www.mopa.org; open daily 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. and Thursday 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. One of the few museums in the country dedicated exclusively to the photographic arts and film, presenting works of some of the world’s most celebrated photographers and cinematographers.

New Children’s Museum. 211 Maple Street, San Diego; 619-233-8796; www.thinkplaycreate.org; open Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., Thursday 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., Sunday 12:00–4:00 p.m., Wednesday closed. The New Children’s Museum is a dynamic new model of a museum that celebrates children and the visual arts. The museum empowers children to think, play, and create with participatory exhibitions, hands-on studio opportunities, and in-depth classroom experiences.

San Diego Air and Space Museum, 2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park; 619-234-8291; www.sandiegoairandspace.org; open daily 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Offers a dynamic presentation of aerospace history, from Da Vinci’s ornithopter to the only GPS satellite on display in the world plus interactive exhibits, and 68 other aircraft and space vehicles.

San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum (USS Midway), 910 North Harbor Drive, San Diego; 619-544-9600; www.midway.org; open daily 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Naval aviation museum featuring self-guided audio tours, exhibits, and restored aircraft aboard the longest-serving U.S. Navy aircraft carrier.

San Diego Automotive Museum, 2080 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park; 619-231-2886; www.sdautomuseum.org; open daily 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Rotating exhibitions plus a regular collection that includes a 1948 Tucker and Louie Mattar’s Fabulous $75,000 Car, as well as a large collection of motorcycles and memorabilia.

San Diego Chinese Historical Museum, 404 Third Ave., San Diego; 619-388-9888; www.sdchm.org; open Tuesday–Saturday 10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Sunday 12–4:00 p.m., and closed on Mondays. Opened in 1996, the musuem collects, preserves, and shares the Chinese American experience and Chinese history, culture, and art to educate the community and its visitors.

San Diego Historical Society operates the Museum of San Diego History and the Junipero Serra Museum, 619-232-6203; www.sandiegohistory.org. The Musem of San Diego History, 1649 El Prado, Suite 3, is open Tuesday–Sunday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. The museum’s exhibits chronicle San Diego’s diverse history and its research library is home to over 45 million pieces of paper and 2.5 million images that document the people, places,  and events of San Diego’s past. The Serra Museum, 2727 Presidio Drive, is not open for regular visiting hours for the public but is available for school tours by appointment Tuesdays through Fridays. The museum is one of the most familiar landmarks in San Diego, standing atop the hill recognized as the site where California began. In 1769, Spanish Franciscan missionary Father Junípero Serra established Alta California’s first mission and presidio (fort).

San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park; 619-232-7931; www.sdmart.org; open Tuesday–Sunday 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., Thursday 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. The county’s oldest and largest art museum houses outstanding collections of Asian, European, American, and contemporary art and features major traveling exhibitions.

San Diego Museum of Man, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park; 619-239-2001; www.museumofman.org; open daily 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. San Diego’s only museum of anthropology, showcases exhibitions on ancient Egyptian and Maya cultures, local Kumeyaay culture, and human evolution.

San Diego Natural History Museum, 1788 El Prado, Balboa Park; 619-232-3821; www.sdnhm.org; open daily 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Features fascinating exhibits and giant-screen films with focus on earth science. Children can join Scholastic’s Ms. Frizzle™ for hands-on science activities every Sunday.

The Women’s History Museum and Educational Center, 2323 Broadway, Suite 107, San Diego; 619-233-7963; www.whmec.org; open Tuesday–Saturday 12:00–4:00 p.m. The country’s only women’s history museum that offers a physical space for educational programs, films, community events, presentations, research archives, library with recorded oral histories, Speaker’s Bureau, and the home of the San Diego County Women’s Hall of Fame.

Timken Museum of Art, 1500 El Prado, Balboa Park; 619-239-5548; www.timkenmuseum.org; open Tuesday–Saturday 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. and Sunday 1:30–4:30 p.m. One of the nation’s finest small museums, the Timken houses an outstanding collection of European Old Master paintings, American paintings, and Russian icons.

Whaley House Museum, 2476 San Diego Avenue, San Diego; 619-297-7511; www.whaleyhouse.org; open Sunday–Tuesday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Thursday–Saturday 10:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m., and Wednesday closed. Built by San Diego pioneer Thomas Whaley, this 1857 Greek Revival building served as the Whaley family home, San Diego’s first commercial theater, an early County Courthouse, and a general store, and has been called “America’s Most Haunted House.”

 

Other San Diego Attractions

Birch Aquarium at Scripps, 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla; 858-534-FISH; www.aquarium.ucsd.edu; open daily 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Located at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, visitors enter the world of sharks, living coral reefs, seahorses, and can explore interactive exhibitions showcasing cutting-edge discoveries.

Cabrillo National Monument, 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive, San Diego; 619-222-8211; www.nps.gov/cabr; open daily 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. San Diego’s National Park commemorates Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo’s 1542–43 West Coast exploration, Point Loma’s nineteenth-century lighthouses, and San Diego’s WWII coast defenses.

California Missions. Visit www.californiamissions.com for information on California’s twenty-one missions and on locations of missions in the San Diego area.

Old Town San Diego Historic State Park, 4002 Wallace Street, San Diego; 619-220-5422; www.parks.ca.gov; open daily 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Old Town is the site of many California historical landmarks and pays tribute to California’s cultural influences. Restored and reconstructed buildings in central San Diego are now museums, shops, and restaurants that capture Old Town between 1821 and 1872.

San Diego Hall of Champions, 2131 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park; 619-234-2544; www.sdhoc.com; open Monday–Sunday 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Experience the nation’s largest, multi-sport museum. Complete with interactive media center and exhibits, the hall spotlights San Diego’s all-time greatest athletes and teams.

San Diego Zoo, 2920 Zoo Drive, Balboa Park; 619-234-3153; www.sandiegozoo.org; Open daily 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Located on 100 acres of parkland, the San Diego Zoo is one of the largest and most progressive zoos in the world with over 4,000 animals of more than 800 species. It is also one of the few zoos in the world that houses the giant panda; the most recent panda cub was born on August 5, 2009.

 

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Last Updated: December 10, 2009 2:26 PM