Golden Hill is a neighborhood of San Diego, California. It is located south of Balboa Park, north of Sherman Heights/Highway 94 (M. L. King, Jr. Freeway), and east of Downtown.
Golden Hill is one of San Diego’s most historic and architecturally eclectic zones, with many pre-1900 homes and apartments. In the 1910s, it became one of the many San Diego neighborhoods connected by the Class 1 streetcars and an extensive San Diego public transit system that was spurred by the Panama-California Exposition of 1915 and built by John D. Spreckels. These streetcars became a fixture of this neighborhood until their retirement in 1939. Street cars, the number 2 line operated until the mid-1950s.
This neighborhood is also in walking distance of Downtown, City College and much of Balboa Park. Auto access is direct from freeways 5 and 94, The major through streets and bus routes are Broadway (East and West), and 25th Street and 30th Street (North and South). The Zip code is a portion of 92102. Pedestrianism, like in other urban mesa neighborhoods surrounding Balboa Park, is high relative to the rest of San Diego.
The now wealthier community of South Park is occasionally but incorrectly considered to be part of Golden Hill, but the South Park community
name dates back to 1870.
Artists and musicians have long favored the area more so since being priced out of areas like Little Italy, Eastern Downtown and Hillcrest. Golden Hill is home to Black Box Recording Studios, The Habitat Recording Studios, Los Reyes Mexican Food, Influx Cafe, Turf Supper Club, Krakatoa & Pizzeria Luigi (which was featured on the Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives).
Golden Hill is also host to two outdoor concerts a year, the Golden Hill Block Party and Kate Sessions Fest. The Golden Hill Block Party happens the last Saturday prior to Halloween. In 2006, the Kate Sessions Fest made its debut in Golden Hill Park. Both outdoor concerts are free, all-ages events, organized by local artists and musicians, featuring local bands.
Golden Hill is also home to the Women’s History Museum and Educational Center, which recently celebrated its 25th year as one of the only comprehensive women’s history museums in the country. Located at 23rd and Broadway, the museum offers a wide range of current and historical artifacts, and information about the contributions women of all cultures and experiences have made to the world and the San Diego region. Portions of the area now know as Golden Hills were originally known as Brooklyn Heights. This area included the area from Fern and 28th street on the South to Fern and Grape street on the north, and from 30th Street on the west, east to the canyons. The school at 30th and Beech was originally called Brooklyn School. The Presbyterian Church at 30th and Fir was originally called Brooklyn Heights Presbyterian Church. this name went out of usage in the early 1960s.