Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO) is a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

devoted to the preservation of the historic architecture and landmarks around the

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

, California, area. Founded in 1969, Save Our Heritage Organisation maintains several historic buildings including the George W. Marston House. They are directly partnered with the

National Trust for Historic Preservation The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that works in the field of historic preservation in the United States. The member-supported organization was founded in 1949 ...

. The organization's

mission statement A mission statement is a short statement of why an organization exists, what its overall goal is, the goal of its operations: what kind of product or service it provides, its primary customers or market, and its geographical region of operation ...

is: "Through education, advocacy, and stewardship SOHO's mission is to preserve, promote and support preservation of the architectural, cultural and historical links and landmarks that contribute to the community identity, depth and character of our region."

History

The organization was founded in 1969 in

San Diego, California San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

, by

Robert Miles Parker The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, praise, reno ...

. He and 35 other members the organization wrote its constitution in April of the founding year. The constitution states that, "The general purpose for which this corporation is formed is to purchase, own, move, improve, maintain, repair, display, lease and/or operate, as museums or otherwise, various homes, stores, buildings, and other structures exemplifying different types of architectural styles found in the San Diego area for the education and benefit of the public." The first project the organization undertook was the restoration and relocation of the Sherman-Gilbert house, a

Stick-Eastlake The Stick style was a late-19th-century American architectural style, transitional between the Carpenter Gothic style of the mid-19th century, and the Queen Anne style that it had evolved into by the 1890s. It is named after its use of linear " ...

Victorian that was set to be demolished. The house was eventually relocated to the

Old Town San Diego State Historic Park Old Town San Diego State Historic Park is a state protected historical park in the Old Town neighborhood of San Diego, California. The park commemorates the early days of San Diego; it includes many historic buildings from the period 1820 to 18 ...

area. In 1970, Save Our Heritage Organisation's Preservation Council was created. This council was instated to notify the organisation of any demolitions or sales of historic buildings going on in the

area. Around the same time, Save Our Heritage Organisation worked with the Historical Site Board, the A.I.A (American Institution of Architects) and the San Diego Historical Society to purchase and restore Villa Montezuma. In 2009, Save Our Heritage Organisation celebrated its 40th anniversary. This milestone was marked by an award winning hour-long documentary titled ''Four Decades of Historic Preservation in San Diego County,'' by San Diego film maker and photographer Dan Soderberg. The film received a California Governor's Award for Historic Preservation. Also in 2009, they added the Marston House, a 1905

Arts and Crafts movement The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and America. Initiat ...

home, to their list of museums.

Projects

*The Sherman-Gilbert House, a

Victorian house In Great Britain and former British colonies, a Victorian house generally means any house built during the reign of Queen Victoria. During the Industrial Revolution, successive housing booms resulted in the building of many millions of Victori ...

saved from demolition and relocated to Heritage Park in Old Town San Diego * Santa Fe Depot, a historic train depot saved from demolition *The Harfield Timberland Christian House, a Queen Anne Victorian house relocated to Heritage Park in

*San Diego Rowing Club building, restored * Villa Montezuma, restored *The Burton House, a

Classic Revival Neoclassicism, also spelled Neo-classicism, emerged as a Western cultural movement in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that drew inspiration from the art and culture of classical antiquity. Neoclassici ...

Victorian house relocated to Heritage Park in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park *The Bushyhead House, an

Italianate The Italianate style was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. Like Palladianism and Neoclassicism, the Italianate style combined its inspiration from the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century It ...

Victorian house relocated to Heritage Park in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park *Granger Music Hall, restored * Horton Plaza, restored *Senlis Cottage, a 19th-century

vernacular Vernacular is the ordinary, informal, spoken language, spoken form of language, particularly when perceptual dialectology, perceived as having lower social status or less Prestige (sociolinguistics), prestige than standard language, which is mor ...

Victorian house relocated to Heritage Park in Old Town San Diego *Cliff House, helped by Save Our Heritage Organisation's Preservation Easement Program** *The Sherman-Judson residence, helped by Save Our Heritage Organisation's Preservation Easement Program** *The Wisteria Cottage, once John Cole's Bookstore, helped by Save Our Heritage Organisation's Preservation Easement Program** *The

Senator Hotel The Senator Hotel (officially Hotel Senator) (1924–1979) was a nine-story, 400-room Italian Renaissance-style hotel in Sacramento, California located at 12th and L streets across from the California State Capitol building that served as a nex ...

, helped by Save Our Heritage Organisation's Preservation Easement Program** *The Callan Hotel, helped by Save Our Heritage Organisation's Preservation Easement Program** *The Brunswig Drug Company, helped by Save Our Heritage Organisation's Preservation Easement Program** *The Mission Brewery, helped by Save Our Heritage Organisation's Preservation Easement Program** *Greg Rogers House, a house in

Chula Vista, California Chula Vista ( ; , ) is a city in San Diego County, California, United States. It is the second-most populous city in the San Diego metropolitan area, the Largest cities in Southern California, seventh-most populous city in Southern California ...

, saved from demolition and restored *Percival Thompson House, restored *Green Dragon Colony, restored *Julia Liffreing House, restored *

Balboa Theatre Balboa Theatre is a historic movie and vaudeville theatre in downtown San Diego, California, United States. It was built in 1924. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996, Balboa Theatre was refurbished (beginning in 2005) an ...

, restored *Egyptian Revival Buildings, helped receive historic designation *Temple Beth Israel, saved from demolition, currently located in Heritage Park *Warner Ranch, saved from deterioration *San Diego Veterans war Building, saved * Canfield-Wright House, saved from demolition *Western Metal Supply Building, a building in

downtown San Diego Downtown San Diego is the central business district of San Diego, California, the eighth largest city in the United States. It houses the major local headquarters of the city, county, state, and federal governments. The area comprises seven d ...

saved by Save Our Heritage Organisation *Simon Levi Building, a building in downtown San Diego saved by Save Our Heritage Organisation *Levi Wholesale Grocery Co., saved *Showley Bros Candy Company, a building in downtown San Diego saved by Save Our Heritage Organisation *Schiefer & Sons Aeroplane Co., a building in downtown San Diego saved by Save Our Heritage Organisation *Station A, a

powerhouse saved by Save Our Heritage Organisation *Carnation Building, a building in downtown San Diego saved by Save Our Heritage Organisation *Rosario Hall, a building in downtown San Diego saved and relocated *Kidd & Krone Auto Parts Building, a building in downtown San Diego saved by Save Our Heritage Organisation *TR Produce Building, a building in downtown San Diego saved by Save Our Heritage Organisation *Art Deco Fire Station Building, a building in downtown San Diego saved by Save Our Heritage Organisation *Bledsoe Company Furniture Warehouse, a building in downtown San Diego saved by Save Our Heritage Organisation *Western Wholesale Drug Company Warehouse, a building in downtown San Diego saved by Save Our Heritage Organisation **The Preservation Easement Program provides protection for historical sites façade

Museums and other buildings

Save Our Heritage Organisation maintains multiple museums and historic buildings including: *The George and Anna Marston House Museum and Carriage House, an

Arts & Crafts movement The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the Decorative arts, decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and ...

building built in 1905 *The Warner-Carrillo Ranch House, California's first regular overland stage connection with St. Louis built in 1857.

Other activities

The group, for purposes of public education, has frequently created or sponsored historic home tours, lectures, and workshops. SOHO operates gift/book stores in two locations. The organization assembles an annual Most Endangered List, a local take on the National Trust's Eleven Most Endangered List. The group publishes a bimonthly e-newsletter and has a book publishing wing "Our Heritage Press". SOHO regularly acts as an adviser to smaller neighborhood advocacy groups.

References

External links

Save Our Heritage Organisation Website

* ttp://www.sandiegohistory.org/links/oldtown.htm#silvas San Diego Historical Society: Old Town San Diego State Historic Park- full list of sites and museums {{authority control History of San Diego Non-profit organizations based in San Diego Conservation and restoration organizations Historical societies of the United States Organizations established in 1969 1969 establishments in California