This week I went back in time through my dad’s slides to find the photo(s) I was seeking to use for Monday Portrait. It is of a Chihuahua-Dachshund mix we had when I was in junior & senior high school in San Diego.
Our Chihuahua-Dachshund
My dad with my niece, Sherry and our Chihuahua-Dachshund.
The plans to build the San Diego California Temple of the Church of Latter-day Saints was first announced in April of 1984. The LDS membership in the San Diego area at the time had exceeded 39,000 people. A Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Temple was held in February of 1988. The Temple building was completed in 1993 with approximately 720,000 touring it during its six-week open house.
San Diego California Temple Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Temple was closed in 2023 for extensive three-year renovation. The renovations to the San Diego California Temple focused on resolving heat damage, upgrading old infrastructure, and refreshing both the exterior and interior to improve the overall visitor experience.
The Structural and Exterior upgrades included the facilitation of glass repair to aging art glass windows which had suffered heat damage and were cracking. Installation of new modern insulated glass units which were redesigned and strategically positioned to Prevent Heat Buildup. To Restore the Facade the exterior “marble-crete” was carefully power washed to remove decades of car exhaust from I-5 and bio-growth in order to restore its bright, iconic sparkle. Crews fully upgraded the roof and completely replaced the internal heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems during their overhaul of its external infrastructure.
I could go on and on regarding the renovation process and accomplishments, but I won’t. You get the gist of the extensive repairs that had to be done and why it took so long to complete.
The San Diego California Temple opened up to visitors during an Open House which was held June 18, 2026 through July 11, 2026. It was expected that there would be greater than 350,000 visitors (according to local news reports) attending the Open House. Final counts have not been released as yet as the Open House recently closed on the 11th.
The Rededication of the San Diego California Temple will take place on August 23, 2026.
Scott Memorial Baptist Church Taken in February 14, 1976 San Diego, California
This image was brought up in my memories. It was taken at my friend’s wedding at the church we grew up in many years ago. Her and her husband have now been married for Fifty (50) years. Quite remarkable in this day and age. The church holds many memories for me, but the memories that are precious to me are the friendships that we made, the places we camped, the fellowships at Mission Beach & Mission Bay playing Volleyball. Those friendships have stood the test of time.
The Plunge in San Diego, California was originally called The Natatorium. It was constructed in 1925 as the centrepiece of Belmont Park, along with the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster.
Closeup of The Plunge’s Front Door
Belmont Park is located at Mission Beach. It was once the world’s largest saltwater pool. In 1940, The Plunge’s pool was converted from a saltwater pool to a freshwater pool. After the conversion, it became Southern California’s largest heated indoor pool. However, in the 1970’s, the pool and the rest of Belmont Park fell into disrepair. [It was during the 70’s when I was able to spend many days, especially in the summer, at Mission Beach enjoying the rides, the ocean, and the pool within The Plunge.]
In 2014, The Plunge was closed due to structural issues. After undergoing a major restoration, it reopened in 2019 as a completely modern, heated facility with a retractable roof and new amenities including floor-to-ceiling windows, while still maintaining its historical character.
The Plunge Belmont Park San Diego. California
The renovation was done in coordination with San Diego’s Historical Resources Board and the Save Our Heritage Organization. Great efforts were made to restore and replicate historic architectural features, including the original-style archways and decorative tilework.
During the mid-twentieth century, The Plunge served as a community gathering spot for swim lessons, school meets, and summer outings. The Plunge has been and continues to be a beloved landmark for Mission Beach residents and the entire city of San Diego.
For this week’s challenge by Dan’s CFFCI decided to search through my archives to see what I could select for his challenge of Wide and Narrow. I believe these from my time in San Diego will work nicely.
El Cortez
The El Cortez was built from 1926-1927. At the time it was built, it was the tallest building in San Diego. It is located on top of a hill at the north end of San Diego.
When it first opened in 1927 and on through the 1950’s it was a renowned apartment-hotel. The large “El Cortez” sign (which is illuminated at night) was added in 1937 and could be seen for miles.
When I was in high school, several groups like the Kiwanis Club of San Diego would hold luncheons with guest speakers at the El Cortez. My American Government teacher allowed a few students during various weeks to attend the Kiwanis luncheon. He had one requirement for those who attended, that was to give a report regarding the speaker messages to the class the next class session. I was fortunate enough to have been given the privilege of attending of the Kiwanis Club luncheons at the El Cortez Hotel.
View of San Diego High-rises from across San Diego Bay. The Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel is one of several High-Rises located near Seaport Village.
The Manchester Grand Hyatt consists of two towers, the 40-story Harbor Tower built in 1992 and the 33-story Seaport Tower which was added in 2003. The taller of the two towers stands as the highest waterfront building on the West Coast. It has 40 floors and 1,628 rooms. It is also considered the largest hotel in Southern California.
