Existing comment:
United States Naval Hospital:
To encourage the Navy to increase its presence in San Diego, local Congressman William Kettner offered, in the name of the city, to donate the necessary bay and park land for a Naval recruit training center and support facilities if the Navy would transfer its existing Naval Training Center from Goat Island, San Francisco, to San Diego. The Navy accepted the offer. On 3 September 1919, the city of San Diego deeded 135 acres of land to the federal government for the Naval Training Center located at Loma Portal, and 17 acres of Inspiration Point in Balboa Park for an expanded Naval Hospital. On 22 August 1922, the initial 250-bed facility of a planned hospital complex was commissioned with the Red Cross donating an additional recreation hall.
With the growing investment in naval facilities and personnel, the hospital reached its capacity rapidly. On 27 February 1926, the city deeded another 5 acres to the federal government for a planned annex. Additional buildings followed between 1928 and 1929. The last wing of the Spanish-themed plan of 1922 was completed and dedicated in December 1937. In July 1940, the city deeded an additional 33 acres of parkland, and in May 1941 a final 21 acres completed the land necessities for the Navy's hospital complex. As a result, the Navy owned all of Inspiration Point in Balboa Park. |