The history of Bird Rock: How did it get its name?
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — If you are looking to avoid the crowds and stroll through a cute, peaceful neighborhood, look no further than the Bird Rock neighborhood.
The coastal neighborhood, located within the large community of La Jolla, features extravagant homes and a main strip of stores and restaurants.
But how did the neighborhood get its unique name? Bird Rock, subdivided by pioneer developer Michael Francis Hall in 1906, is named for an offshore rock that was described as having the shape of a bird, according to the City of San Diego.
Before World War II, Bird Rock was made up of many Japanese farmers in which the population tended to the “vast strawberry, sea lavender and vegetable fields that dominated south to Pacific Beach,” the La Jolla Historical Society explained. However, that ended when the U.S. government began imprisoning Japanese Americans in internment camps in 1942.
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During World War II, Bird Rock accommodated a unit of the Coast Artillery named the Bird Rock Coastal Defense and Anti-Aircraft Training Center, per the City of San Diego.
After the war, the community grew and consisted of all-American working families, General Dynamics employees, GI’s and owners of the nearby businesses, according to the La Jolla Historical Society.
Bird Rock is home to a number of residences dating back to the 1910s, ’20s and ’30s, the historical society added.
Although now, it is considered one of the priciest areas to live in the city, according to Redfin market data, with an average home price of about $2 million.
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