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A−History
History · National City

National City dates to 1800, and 4 of its places are on the National Register

More historic than 76% of U.S. towns · #40 of 847 in California. What drives it

Most of National City was built recently: 8% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1969. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1887 on, and the census since 1880.

1800founded
4on the National Register
8%homes built before 1940
1old photo or paper
16famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From National City’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How National City began

When was National City founded?

1800

National City dates its founding to 1800 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1880.

First census: 248 in 18802020 census: 56,173226 years

How historic is National City?

A−

More historic than 76% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1869.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives National City’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, National City is more historic than 76% of U.S. towns, #40 of 847 in California. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of National City’s overall grade.
Founding era1800, from Wikidata: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 19408.0% of homes (±1.3) · typical CA town 3.4% · U.S. 8.4%C+National Register4 listings, 13 historic buildings, 2.2 per 10,000 residents · typical CA town 0.0 · U.S. 2.4A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 76%
NewerOlder
California towns of 2,500+ (847)Ahead of 95%

Few California towns list much on the Register (a typical California town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so National City’s 2.2 sits above most of its state (81% of California towns have fewer) while its 13 historic buildings outnumber those of 77% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1800.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A−. The pre-1940 share (±1.3 points) is firm at this size.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about National City’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 1 old photo is in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Mapped building by building6 fire insurance maps, 1887 to 1911, drew every building in National City.On the map since 19047 editions of the USGS map, 1904 to 1996. Watch National City change.Deep rootsEstablished in 1800: 226 years of National City.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start National City’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how National City’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Date a photo1 archive item has no date. Guess the decade.+2Retake an old viewAerial view of Repair Base looking east…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Every building

National City, building by building, 1887–1911

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.

National City fire insurance map, 1887, sheet 11887Sheet 1 of 1
Edition
Sheets
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

On the map

National City on the map, 1904 to 1996

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of National City. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

National City on the 1904 USGS mapNational City on the 1930 USGS mapNational City on the 1944 USGS mapNational City on the 1953 USGS mapNational City on the 1967 USGS mapNational City on the 1975 USGS mapNational City on the 1996 USGS map1904San Diego sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of National City.

The story

How National City came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of National City.

Read it all →

Human presence within the modern National City may have begun as early as 130,000 years ago, as allegedly evidenced at the Cerutti Mastodon site. Archaic period sites have been found along Sweetwater River which runs through the city limits of modern-day National City. Before the arrival of Spaniards, the area which modern day National City occupies was part of the territory of the Diegueño tribe, also known as Kamia, and later Kumeyaay. Later in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century there was a Kumeyaay village, north of the modern National City boundaries, on Chollas Creek.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

National City, 1800 to 1961

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1800
    FoundingNational City is established
  3. 1869Post officeThe National City post office opens
  4. 1882BuiltStation and General Office, California Southern Railroad is built
  5. 20th century
  6. 1904On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  7. 1911Born hereRaphael M. Robinson is born here
  8. 1931Born hereJohn Baldessari is born here
  9. 1937Born hereCharles Rogers is born here
  10. 1961Born hereJuan Vargas is born here
By decade

National City, decade by decade

Date unknown1 to date
Aerial view of Repair Base looking east, San Diego, California. Altitude 3500 feetDate?Aerial view of Repair Base looking east, San Diego, C…
Today9 recent
Aerial view of San Diego, CA looking toward the bay from near Legacy Walk2026Aerial view of San Diego, CA looking toward the bay f…Aerial view of San Diego, CA looking southwest toward National City and the bay2026Aerial view of San Diego, CA looking southwest toward…Aerial view of San Diego, CA looking SSW toward Paradise Valley and Paradise Hills2026Aerial view of San Diego, CA looking SSW toward Parad…Chollas Creek Park Entrance2025Chollas Creek Park EntranceHolly Sharer 012016Holly Sharer 01Paradise marsh surrounded by urban development2011Paradise marsh surrounded by urban developmentEgret hunts within the marsh, coexisting with human industrialization nearby2011Egret hunts within the marsh, coexisting with human i…Yoram Neumann2010Yoram NeumannUSMC-065942008USMC-06594
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Aerial view of Repair Base looking east, San Diego, California. Altitude 3500 feet
Retake this viewAerial view of Repair Base looking east, San Diego, California. Altitude 3500 feet

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on National City’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

4 historic places in National City

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
4
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
13
each building in a district counts
first listed
1973
Brick Row
Brick RowSt. Matthew's Episcopal ChurchGranger HallStation and General Office, California Southern Railroad, built 1882
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Victorian1
Gothic1
Italianate1
Brick RowVictorian
St. Matthew's Episcopal ChurchGothic
Granger HallBuilding
Station and General Office, California Southern RailroadItalianate · Built 1882

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

National City, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,00030,00035,00040,00045,00050,00055,00060,00065,00018801900192019401960198020002020Peak: 58,582

Between 248 and 58,582 people in every census since 1880.

15 censuses, 1880–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on National City’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

16 famous people were born in National City

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
John BaldessariAmerican artist · b. 1931
Juan VargasAmerican politician · b. 1961
R
Raphael M. RobinsonAmerican mathematician · b. 1911
C
Charles RogersAmerican competitive sailor · b. 1937
Lilian Jeannette RiceAmerican architect · b. 1889
Rachel FlowersAmerican multi-instrumentalist and composer · b. 1993
Places that used to be

Old corners and places now gone

National City’s post office has been open since 1869.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Shelltown
Gone or out of use
Elwyn SanitariumhospitalFirst Christian Churchchurch

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

San Diego92 historic placesAChula VistaIts storyC−BonitaIts storyC−

Questions about National City’s history

What year was National City founded?

In 1800, according to Wikidata. National City’s post office opened in 1869, and the census of 1880 counted 248 people here.

How does National City rank for history?

National City is more historic than 76% of U.S. towns, #40 of 847 in California. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in National City?

4 listings: 4 buildings, among them the Brick Row (listed 1973, the first). 13 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in National City?

8% of National City’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.3 points), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1969.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (10), Wikidata (4), the National Register of Historic Places (4), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.