Rolando is a neighborhood of the Mid-City region of

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. Rolando is mostly residential with the exception of

El Cajon Boulevard El Cajon Boulevard is a major east–west thoroughfare through San Diego, La Mesa and El Cajon, California. Before the creation of Interstate 8 it was the principal automobile route from San Diego to El Cajon, the Imperial Valley, and points ...

, which features the Campus Plaza shopping center. Rolando is divided by University Avenue into two sections: Rolando Village to the north, and Rolando Park to the south.

Geography

Rolando Village's borders are defined by College Avenue to the West,

to the North, and University Avenue to the South. The eastern border with La Mesa, and is defined by several residential streets which lie between 67th and 73rd streets. Rolando Park's borders are defined by College Avenue to the West, University Avenue to the north, the 94 freeway to the south, and the City of La Mesa boundary to the east. Eight decorative public walkways known as "Catwalks" for pedestrians and joggers to travel between neighborhood streets are spread throughout Rolando. They are: * Paseo de los Agaves * Paseo del Colibrí * Paseo de los Coyotes * Paseo de los Halcón * Paseo de las Naranjas * Paseo de las Palmas * Paseo de los Papagayos * Paseo de los Pinos

History

The area known as Rolando, San Diego was designated as ranch land for

Mission San Diego de Alcalá Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá (, lit. The Mission of Saint Didacus of Acalá) was the second Franciscan founded mission in the Californias (after San Fernando de Velicata), a province of New Spain. Located in present-day San Diego, C ...

by the Spanish provincial administration. In 1846, following the secularization of the mission system by the Mexican government, Don Santiago Argüello was granted the Rolando area. However, due to confusion over land titling arising from the

Mexican-American War Mexican Americans are Americans of full or partial Mexican descent. In 2022, Mexican Americans comprised 11.2% of the US population and 58.9% of all Hispanic and Latino Americans. In 2019, 71% of Mexican Americans were born in the United State ...

, the area remained unpartitioned for sale until 1885. Amidst California's rapid growth in the mid-1920s, Rolando gained attention as prime real estate when the city announced the paving of University Avenue from Euclid Avenue to La Mesa. In 1949, the Rolando Village Company, later renamed the Lincoln Homes Company, partnered with local contractor/developer Chris Cosgrove to commence development in the area. Rolando Park tract homes were swiftly constructed to meet the soaring demand for housing in Post-War San Diego. The 1950s brought forth concerns regarding school districts, infrastructure, and annexation. Rolando Park Elementary was established in 1951 and later sold to

San Diego Unified School District San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) is a public school district based in 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 ...

in 1955. In 1951, Robert O. Peterson opened the first

Jack in the Box Jack in the Box, Inc. is an American fast food restaurant chain founded on February 21, 1951, by Robert O. Peterson in San Diego, California, where it is headquartered. The chain has over 2,200 locations, primarily serving the West Coast of t ...

at 63rd Street and

, pioneering the concept of a drive-thru restaurant with a two-way intercom. Residents of the former unincorporated area of Rolando Park voted to join the City of San Diego instead of La Mesa, leading to annexation in 1954 along with the sister community of Rolando. In December 2022, the Andrew Jackson Post Office in Rolando was renamed to former U.S. Representative Susan A. Davis Post Office following a petition sent to Davis's successor

Sara Jacobs Sara Josephine Jacobs (born February 1, 1989) is an American politician and heiress who has been the U.S. representative for since 2023, previously representing the 53rd congressional district from 2021 to 2023. Her district includes central an ...

inspired by an international effort after the

murder of George Floyd On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black American man, was murdered in Minneapolis by Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old White police officer. Floyd had been arrested after a store clerk reported that he made a purchase using a c ...

to rename monuments named after historical figures with a history of

slavery Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

and indigenous oppression. In 2024, Henry Clay Elementary School and Clay Neighborhood Park in Rolando were renamed for similar reasons.

Education

Rolando hosts two public elementary schools, one in Rolando Village and one in Rolando Park, both part of the

: * Dr. Bertha O. Pendleton Elementary School (formerly Henry Clay Elementary School) * Rolando Park Elementary School Pendelton Elementary shares fields with Clay Neighborhood Park in a joint-use agreement between San Diego Unified and San Diego Parks & Recreation.

References

{{Reflist Neighborhoods in San Diego