San Diego County was one of the original counties when California was admitted to the Union in 1850. The City of San Diego, the county seat, has played a pivotal role in the growth and development of the county and state since Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo landed in San Diego Bay in 1542. The county's position as a gateway to the West, its rich cultural heritage, its economic contributions, its engagement in social and political movements and its stunning natural environment have all woven San Diego County into the very fabric of California's identity, making it a region of undeniable significance in the state's past, present and future.
SoCal Landmarks featured landmarks in San Diego County in its online posts on each day in January 2024 as a visual sampling of the county's history and diversity.
SoCal Landmarks is an ongoing project to document the myriad sites, buildings, structures, monuments, and other natural and historical points of interest and/or importance that are considered locally, regionally and/or nationally as landmarks in the ten counties - Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Kern and San Luis Obispo - stretching from the Colorado River to the Pacific Ocean and from the Mexican border to 35¡ 47' 28" North latitude, the northern border of San Luis Obispo, Kern, and San Bernardino counties.