Atwood’s Map of San Diego, California

Self-promotional map and souvenir of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

This self-contained overview of the city of the San Diego was published locally by Frank Atwood and is dated 1914. His timing was intentional, as the city was set to host the Panama-Pacific International Exposition the following year to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal.

The event was to be held in the newly renovated Balboa Park, located in the heart of the city and labeled on the map. Street car lines stretching to each corner of the city, and through the park, are shown in black. The exposition was also designed to highlight San Diego’s position as the “Gibraltar of the Pacific” in a world clouded by global war. Ongoing updates to the pierhead and bulkhead lines are shown in the bay, but the primary Marine Base and Naval Training Center wouldn’t open until the 1920’s.

The map also focuses heavily on local real estate; labeling individual additions and neighborhoods with bright red ink. Surrounding the map are numerous indices and accompanying instructions to aid in the identification of streets and house numbers. Places of interest are listed on the inside of the front cover – under Real Estate and Investments reads “Talk with Frank E. Atwood, 224 Granger Block.” American self-promotion at its finest!