Mission Valley, San Diego, California

Mission Valley, San Diego
Community of San Diego
Mission Valley
Central Mission Valley viewed from University Heights Park
Mission Valley, San Diego Location within Central San Diego
Coordinates: 32°46′02″N 117°08′59″W / 32.7672613°N 117.1496170°W / 32.7672613; -117.1496170
Country	United States of America
State	California
County	San Diego
City	San Diego

Mission Valley is a wide river valley trending east-west in San Diego, California, through which the San Diego River flows to the Pacific Ocean. For planning purposes the city of San Diego divides it into two neighborhoods: Mission Valley East and Mission Valley West.

Mission Valley was the site of the first Spanish settlement in California, established in 1769.

Mission Valley currently serves as an important shopping and entertainment center for San Diego. Several condominiums and apartments can also be found in the area.

The San Diego River valley was originally called La Cañada de San Diego. Cañada in Spanish means gully, ravine, or glen. The name was changed to Mission Valley in the 1860s in reference to Mission San Diego de Alcalá.

The Mission Valley area was inhabited by Kumeyaay Indians for more than 10,000 years.

The first Spanish settlement in present-day California was the Presidio of San Diego and Mission of San Diego de Alcalá, both established in 1769. The Presidio and Mission were located at the western end of Mission Valley, present day Old Town, where the valley opens out into the flood plain of the San Diego River. In 1774 the Mission was moved to its present location at the eastern end of Mission Valley because of better access to fresh water for drinking and farming.

Until the 1940s Mission Valley remained largely undeveloped, featuring dairy farms and other agricultural activities; the city of San Diego was largely confined to areas south of the valley. After World War II the city’s expansion began to encroach on the valley. The last of the valley’s dairy farms closed in the early 1960s.

Another early activity in Mission Valley was quarrying sand and gravel from its walls. A large quarry on the north side of the valley was in operation for most of the 20th century. The quarry ceased operation around 2000 and is now the site of the Civita mixed-use development.