Normal Heights, San Diego

The "Normal" part of "Normal Heights" refers to the State Normal School (teachers college), the predecessor to San Diego State University; the normal school was located in the adjacent University Heights neighborhood and founded in 1899.{{cite book |last=Fetzer |first=Leland |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/San_Diego_County_Place_Names_A_to_Z/AOVyQyWDyqUC?hl=en |title=San Diego County Place Names A to Z |publisher=Sunbelt Publications, Inc. |year=2005 |isbn=978-0-932653-73-4 |location=San Diego |page=101}}

At the time of the founding of San Diego, the area that is now Normal Heights was largely covered with brush and populated only by rabbits. Later it had a few farms, but development was limited by lack of water. Speculators became interested in the area during the San Diego land boom of the 1880s, and several land development companies were actively working in the area by the 1900s. Around 1905 a reservoir was built in University Heights; partly, as a result, the number of buildings in Normal Heights increased from one in January 1906 to 43 in December of the same year.{{cite journal |last=Fredrich |first=Barbara E. |date=Winter 1989 |title=The Cobblestone Connection in San Diego's Architectural History |url=http://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/89winter/cobblestone.htm |url-status=dead |journal=Journal of San Diego History |volume=35 |issue=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070317051819/http://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/89winter/cobblestone.htm |archive-date=2007-03-17}} The community was officially founded in 1906, when a syndicate led by D. C. Collier and George M. Hawley filed a subdivision map with the county. At that time it was an independent community, not part of the city of San Diego. It became one of San Diego's first "streetcar suburbs" with the development of an electric trolley route along Adams Avenue, part of the San Diego Electric Railway system. A trolley barn was built in Normal Heights in 1913; the Adams Avenue Operating Division was established in 1915.

A group of residents organized the Normal Heights Improvement Association in 1911, establishing a county public library and other improvements. Normal Heights Central School was established in 1912. The county began paving the roads and establishing gutters and sidewalks in 1913. A commercial business district developed in the 1920s, centered on Adams Avenue between 37th Street (now Felton Street) and 38th Street (now 34th Street); the area is now considered a potential historic district, referred to as the Carteri Center after local resident Benjamin J. Carteri, who spurred business and residential development in the 1920s.{{cite web|url=http://www.sandiego.gov/planning/community/profiles/normalheights/|title=Community Profiles: Normal Heights|work=Planning, Neighborhoods & Economic Development Department|publisher=City of San Diego|access-date=15 January 2014}} The community was annexed to the city of San Diego in 1925.

In June 1985 a wildfire burned into Normal Heights from the Mission Valley slope just north of the community. The blaze damaged or destroyed "expensive bluff-top buildings with views of the valley and Mission Bay" as well as "modest bungalows built when the Normal Heights community was first started in 1906."{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-07-02-me-616-story.html|title=Normal Heights Gearing Up for Task of Rebuilding|last=Ray|first=Nancy|date=July 2, 1985|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=15 January 2014}} The fire destroyed 69 homes. Later that year Normal Heights was a finalist for the title of All America City; the designation was based in part on neighborhood support for the victims of the fire, as well as a neighborhood campaign for a city park and density-decreasing community plan.{{cite news |last=Gorman |first=Tom |date=October 22, 1985 |title=Tiny Normal Heights Edges Out San Diego |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-10-22-me-12351-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308035837/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-10-22-me-12351-story.html |archive-date=2021-03-08 |access-date=15 January 2014 |work=Los Angeles Times}}

Normal Heights is centrally located in the city of San Diego, on a mesa just south of Mission Valley. Its borders are defined by Interstate 805 to the west, Interstate 8 to the north, State Route 15 to the east, and El Cajon Boulevard to the south.

A notable building in the community is a bungalow court on Adams Avenue designed by Louis L. Gill, originally named El Sueño and now known as Santa Rosa Court. Another is a Carmelite monastery on Hawley Blvd. designed by Frank L. Hope, Sr.{{cite web|url=https://www.sandiegohistory.org/calendar/HistoricPlaces/FrankHope|title=Historic Places: Celebrating the architecture of Frank Hope with architectural historian Keith York|work=San Diego History Center|access-date=15 January 2014}} Located behind A P Trey 5

A 2001 study found the neighborhood to have a median age of 31 and an ethnic breakdown of 53% white, 25% Hispanic, 13% African American, and 9% Asian American.{{cite journal |last=Ledeboer |first=Suzanne |date=Winter–Spring 2006 |title=San Diego's Normal Heights: The Growth of a Suburban Neighborhood, 1886–1926 |url=http://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/v52-1/pdf/2006-1_normal.pdf |url-status=live |journal=The Journal of San Diego History |volume=52 |issue=1 & 2 |pages=18–43 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250214083508/https://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/v52-1/pdf/2006-1_normal.pdf |archive-date=2025-02-14}} Normal Heights was reported by The San Diego Union-Tribune to be the only neighborhood to perfectly reflect the ethnic diversity of San Diego.{{Cite web |title=Normal Heights Diversity |url=http://www.utsandiego.com/video/play/71450/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111005631/http://www.utsandiego.com/video/play/71450/ |archive-date=2014-11-11 |access-date=2014-11-10 |website=utsandiego.com}}{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable (WP:NOTRS). Archived link is 404.|date=February 2025}}

Like other urban mesa neighborhoods north of Balboa Park, Normal Heights has a high rate of pedestrian activity. The stretch of Adams Avenue between Texas Street on the west and Ohio Street on the east is sometimes referred to as Antique Row, due to its numerous antique stores.{{Cite web |last=Clemetson |first=Jeff |date=2016-01-22 |title=The real Antique Row |url=https://sdnews.com/the-real-antique-row/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250214101613/https://sdnews.com/the-real-antique-row/ |archive-date=2025-02-14 |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=SDNews.com |language=en-US}} A landmark neon sign over Adams Avenue at Felton Street identifies the neighborhood.

Neighborhood events that take place in Normal Heights include the Adams Avenue Street Fair, a free music festival typically held the last weekend in September. Founded in 1986, featured performers include Floyd Dixon, Fattburger, The Five Blind Boys of Alabama, Lisa Haley, Wanda Jackson, No Doubt, the Paladins, Ann Peebles, Mick Taylor and many others.{{Cite web |last=D’agostino |first=John |date=1992-09-02 |title=Adams Avenue Jumps Lustily Into Street Fair |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-09-02-ca-6224-story.html |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Varga |first=George |date=2011-09-22 |title=Adams Ave. Street Fair turns 30 with a bang |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2011/09/22/adams-ave-street-fair-turns-30-with-a-bang/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Buckman |first=Cami |date=2016-09-28 |title=Adams Avenue street fair returns to Normal Heights |url=https://thedailyaztec.com/78853/artsandlifestyle/adams-avenue-street-fair-returns-to-normal-heights/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=The Daily Aztec}}

Adams Avenue Unplugged, formerly the Adams Avenue Roots Festival, another free music festival, is held the last weekend of April.{{cite web |title=About the AABA |url=https://www.adamsavenuebusiness.com/about-us-adams-avenue-business-association/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250214103023/https://www.adamsavenuebusiness.com/about-us-adams-avenue-business-association/ |archive-date=2025-02-14 |access-date=15 January 2014 |work=Adams Avenue Business Association}} Art Around Adams is a local community art event where uinside and outside businesses and spaces along Adams Avenue.{{Cite web |title=Art Around Adams |url=https://www.artaroundadams.org/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402094252/http://www.artaroundadams.org/ |archive-date=2019-04-02 |access-date=2 February 2022 |website=Artaroundadams.org}}

The [https://normalheightscpg.org Normal Heights Community Planning Group] (NHCPG) advises the city on neighborhood land-use issues, particularly local historical properties, zoning, traffic-calming, and neighborhood facilities such as parks and libraries. The Normal Heights Recreation Council advises the city on local park and recreation issue. The Adams Avenue Business Association operates the local business improvement district and sponsors major local festivals. Other community groups include the Normal Heights Community Association, the Normal Heights Cultural Council, the Normal Heights Community Development Corp., and the Friends of Normal Heights Canyons.{{cite web|url=http://www.sandiego.gov/citycouncil/cd3/communities/normalhts.shtml|title=Normal Heights|work=City Council District 3|publisher=City of San Diego|access-date=15 January 2014}}

The community contains three public elementary schools, Adams Elementary School and Normal Heights Elementary School, run by the San Diego Unified School District. The public charter school San Diego Global Vision Academy opened in 2010.{{Cite web |last=Reed |first=Jennifer |date=2010-08-20 |title=Charter school opens near Adams Avenue |url=https://sdnews.com/charter-school-opens-near-adams-avenue/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250214102623/https://sdnews.com/charter-school-opens-near-adams-avenue/ |archive-date=2025-02-14 |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=SDNews.com |language=en-US}} The neighborhood also houses St. Didacus Catholic School.{{Cite web |last=Anastas |first=Katie |date=2025-01-03 |title=Low enrollment, lack of funding puts Catholic school in danger of closing |url=https://www.kpbs.org/news/education/2025/01/02/low-enrollment-lack-funding-san-diego-catholic-school-danger-closing |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=KPBS Public Media |language=en}}

Normal Heights is a Mid-City Community and is part of City Council District 9, currently represented by Sean Elo-Rivera. The area is covered under the City of San Diego's Mid-City Communities Plan {{Cite web |url=http://www.sandiego.gov/planning/community/profiles/pdf/cp/cpmcfull.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-11-10 |archive-date=2014-11-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111010119/http://www.sandiego.gov/planning/community/profiles/pdf/cp/cpmcfull.pdf |url-status=dead }} and is a part of the Mid-City Public Facilities Financing Plan.{{cite web |url=http://www.sandiego.gov/facilitiesfinancing/plans/midcity.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130506014454/http://www.sandiego.gov/facilitiesfinancing/plans/midcity.shtml |archive-date=2013-05-06 |title=Mid-City {{!}} Facilities Financing}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.normalheights.org/ Normal Heights Neighborhood web site]
• [https://www.adamsavenuebusiness.com/ Adams Avenue Business Association web site]
• [http://www.artaroundadams.org/ Art Around Adams]

{{Neighborhoods of San Diego}}

{{coord|32|45|48.09|N|117|07|08.00|W|region:US-CA_type:city_source:dewiki|display=title}}

Category:Neighborhoods in San Diego

Category:Urban communities in San Diego