La Mesa, San Diego County, CA...Genealogy Trails

La Mesa
San Diego County, CA

The La Mesa of today had its beginning in the spring of 1906, when C. C. Park and S. C. Grable, forming the organization known as Park, Grable & Co., obtained about 200 acres of land then known as La Mesa Springs and cut it into about 1,000 town lots; the property had previously been held by a few fruit growers. In 1906, according to estimates made at about that time, La Mesa had only about 100 residents. Three years later it had about 800 and was a thriving little town, full of promise which has been fully realized in more recent years. In 1909 it had a bank, three stores, two hotels, two newspapers and two churches, Methodist Episcopal and Congregational.

Now La Mesa is one of the most attractive and best equipped cities of the county. The churches include the Methodist, Congregational and Baptist, each of which has a fine church building, the Catholics, who recently have organized a new parish, and the Christian Scientists.

Among the fraternal orders represented in La Mesa are the Masonic order, the Odd Fellows, Modern Woodmen, Knights and Ladies of Security, the Eastern Star and Royal Neighbors. The oldest of these lodges is that of the Modern Woodmen, with the Knights and Ladies of Security, Mason and Odd Fellows following in the order named.

The Chamber of Commerce of La Mesa has been active in building up the town and promoting its progress. La Mesa for several years has had an active branch of the San Diego Chapter of the American Red Cross. The La Mesa Woman's Club was organized in 1902 and several years ago built at East Third Street and Lemon Avenue a fine clubhouse.

For several years La Mesa has had a volunteer fire department which has given service satisfactory to the residents. It is one of the first of the towns suburban to San Diego to receive gas and electric service, this being supplied by the San Diego Consolidated Electric and Gas Company.

In and about La Mesa are many fruit groves and small ranches, comprising one of the most beautiful groups of that kind in all Southern California. The citrus fruit growers keep packing houses busy all the time.

The Methodist Episcopal Church was the first church organized in La Mesa. This was about 1895. For seven years the Rev. H. A. McKinney presided over the congregation. In 1908 the present church edifice was erected, being ready for occupancy on December 9 of that year. The Rev. F. C. Buck was then the pastor. In 1910 the Rev. F. C. Edwards became the leader of this church. He served for five years, and greatly increased the church in membership. The Rev. E. E. Marshall followed Mr. Edwards, and served the church for two years. Mr. E. B. Cole, Mr. A. C. Laizure, and Mr. D. D. Campbell followed as pastors., in the order named, each serving one year.

In 1919 Mr. H. I. Rasmus, Jr., became pastor of the church. The old church structure had for years been inadequate, and in 1921 the cornerstone was laid for a new $30,000 church which is now nearly completed.

The Central Congregational Church of La Mesa had its beginning in the Congregational Church which was started at La Mesa Heights (the original La Mesa) in 1895 and whose church building still stands and is used for Sunday school exercises. Dr. Walter Rittenhouse is the moving spirit of its present activities. When the present La Mesa grew to consequence, largely as a result of the establishment there of the railroad station on the Cuyamaca Railroad, now part of the San Diego & Arizona, many of the old congregation removed to the newer town and for a time worshiped with the Methodists. In 1(X)8 the Congregationalists formed a church of their own and called it the Central Church because it was midway between the La Mesa Heights Church and the Congregational Church at Spring Valley, now discontinued. The first pastor of the new church was the Rev. John W. Doane, whose death ended his pastorate after about a year. He was succeeded in 1910 by the Rev. C. W. Hill, the present pastor. In the second year of Mr. Hill's pastorate the congregation built a chapel for worship and a Sunday school room on the church property on Third Street. The congregation hopes to build a church on the corner lot of that property. The congregation now numbers about 100; the Sunday school has about the same number of members.

The First Baptist Church of La Mesa was organized in June. 1911. The church has a fine home on Lookout Avenue. The first pastor was the Rev. Mr. Simonds, who served as stated supply for about nine months, being succeeded by the Rev. Clarence Minard. The present pastor is the Rev. Roy Y. Whealy. who has been in charge for about a year. There are about seventy-five in the congregation and the church is in a flourishing condition.

Another church was added to La Mesa's places of worship on November 14, 1921, when the cornerstone of the Church of Our Lady of Mercy was laid, with impressive ceremonies, the Right Rev. John J. Cantwell, bishop of the Catholic diocese of Monterey and Los Angeles, giving the address; many Catholic clergymen from San Diego County and neighboring sections attended the exercises. The site for the new church is at Normal and Lookout avenues. A parish house and parish hall will be built adjoining the church, of which the pastor is the Rev. Father M. McCormack.

At Grossmont in the last few years there has been built up quite a colony, a number of homes and homesites there being owned by notables. The tract was developed by Col. Ed. Fletcher and \V. B. Gross, from whom the big hill took its name. Madame Ernestine Schumann-Heink was one of the first to buy land there, purchasing an orange grove and a homesite on which she built a fine home. Others who have built homes here are John Vance Cheney, poet and librarian ; Carrie Jacobs Bond, the song writer and publisher; Charles W. Clark, the noted baritone, and teacher; W. Havrah Hubbard, music critic and lecturer, and Edmund Schneider, the pianist. Lillian Russell is said to be the first woman to reach the summit of Grossmont in an automobile, having made the trip for the wonderful view when in San Diego on a theatrical engagement.

the noted baritone, and teacher; W. Havrah Hubbard, music critic and lecturer, and Edmund Schneider, the pianist. Lillian Russell is said to be the first woman to reach the summit of Grossmont in an automobile, having made the trip for the wonderful view when in San Diego on a theatrical engagement.

Source: McGrew, Clarence Alan, City of San Diego and San Diego County, Vol. I, 1922
Transcribed by Candi H. 2009