San Diego real estate blog - Peter Toner

This April will mark the 100 year anniversary of the U.S. Navy’s presence in San Diego. It was during the second term of Teddy Roosevelt when 16 battleships, named the Great White Fleet, were sent on a world wide cruise. Stopping at many ports around the world, the fleet of ships ported off of Baja California to refuel and perform gunnery exercises.

San Diego’s economy was not booming as it is now and it was continually struggling to gain commercial strength on the West Coast. The arrival of the fleet to Baja provided them the perfect solution. A local businessman John Spreckels and a group of officials from San Diego’s Chamber of Commerce agreed that if they could convince the U.S. government to bring the Navy to the San Diego ports, their economy would surely grow.

After a meeting between John Spreckels, the Chamber officials and Admiral Robley Evans, it was agreed that the Navy would come to San Diego for a 4 day visit. It is estimated that almost 20,000 San Diegans were there to welcome the Great White Fleet upon their arrival to San Diego bay. The officers and enlisted men were in awe of the enthusiasm the San Diegans displayed. During the visit there were many dances, galas and parties for the Navy fleets to enjoy. The nation’s attention was focused on San Diego as a flood of journalists arrived to report the incredible potential that the town had to become a commercial strength and a possible U.S. Navy Port.

The hard work of the Chamber of Commerce and its supporters paid off. San Diego today is now an economically strong U.S. Navy port which currently is home to more active duty military personnel than any other city in the U.S.!