Written and photographed by Mary L. Peachin
Vol. 12 No. 2
The Stingeree, an area featuring bars, strip joints, and houses of prostitution were places where sailors use to carouse when they were off duty. Bartender Peter Cassidy, who excelled at “stinging”, would get sailors drunk then sell them as labor to ship captains who were headed to exotic ports unknown. That’s how the area got its name.
The Acme saloon attracted customers by displaying live animals. That ended when a black bear bit the nose off a customer. In the 1940s, the area now known as the Gaslamp Quarter, was the original location of San Diego’s zoo. Dr. Henry Wegeforth kept animals in the basement of the Granger Building during the time a permanent zoo was being built in Balboa Park.
In the mid-1800s, William Heath Davis and Alonzo Horton founded modern day San Diego. Wanting to establish a town on San Diego’s waterfront, San Franciscan William Heath Davis began developing land near what is now the foot of Market street. He built a pre-framed lumber “salt box” house, which became one of the first residences in town. When his venture failed, his town becomes known as Rabbitville.
A little more than a decade later, Alonzo Horton, also from San Francisco, agreed that the best place for the city to develop was along the waterfront. Building where Davis failed, Horton purchased 800 acres of waterfront land for approximately 33 cents an acre. Future occupants of the Davis/Horton home maintained its authenticity by living without electricity until 1981.
One block of businesses, owned primarily by Japanese emigrants, changed hands when the U. S. government interred residents from 1910 to 1940. A Caucasian family took over one of the resident’s business, grew it substantially, then return it to its original owner after World War II.
One building formerly housed the pharmacy where actor Gregory Peck delivered drugs for his dad. They prospered by selling live leeches to sailors. After a fist fight, an application of leeches reduced the swelling of blackened eyes.
The Neesmith building, later named after Adolphus Greeley, was owned by Henrietta Neesmith, the wife of Greeley, and her father. During the Greeley Arctic expedition, Adolphus was lost for four years. Henrietta insisted that a reward be offered for the lost party of 25 men. Search parties finally found six survivors, including Greeley.
In the late 1800s, Woolworths opened with their signature curved windows. San Diego Hardware later moved into the Woolworth space operating it for 120 years before moving to a location that offered parking for their clients.
A colorful Elk Lodge stained-glass dome remains as an eclectic, colorful rooftop centerpiece at the Hard Rock Cafe. Wyatt Earp hung out in the Stingeree. Wyatt Earp hung out in the Stingeree operating gambling halls and frequenting The Oyster Bar.
During the heyday of the Stingeree, there were more than 120 brothels. In 1912, a purity league was created to clean up the area. The league, met with resistance from civic leaders, decided to make a raid. They started a distance away at the Yuma building because they thought word of their action would spread to the police and fire chiefs, who were cavorting at the Canary cottage brothel, a few blocks away. They successfully rounded up and arrested 138 women. The prostitutes were given the choice of reforming or taking the next train to Los Angeles. Only two women decided to change their ways, 136 took the train ticket.
Isadore Louis’ Bank of Commerce loaned money to small business while operating as both a saloon and house of prostitution. On the ground floor of his building was a nice establishment called The Oyster Bar and Masion Doree, an ice cream parlor. It is alleged that Isadore’s brothel operated during the same hours and into the night on the upper floors.
Today, much of the original architecture of the Gaslamp has been preserved. Hotels, nightclubs and restaurants have been renovated, and the area is bristling with activity. The Gaslamp has gentrified and offered a new lifestyle to downtown San Diego.
For further information: www.gaslamp.org