I’ve been to San Diego probably more than any other city in California outside of my native area of Los Angeles. I love San Diego and there is always something to do. Prior to my visit this time I looked up Dia De Los Muertos Celebrations as I figured since San Diego is so close to the border and has a high concentration of Mexican residents that there would be some celebration.

I found it…Sherman Heights District. I had never visited this part of San Diego. This would have been a great place to visit for historical purposes but was even more special because of the Dia De Los Muertos Celebration taking place.

Sherman Heights is named after Matthew Sherman, who bought the 160 acres in 1867 soon after Alonzo Horton bought the land that would become downtown San Diego. This area up the hill had beautiful views of the San Diego Bay and Sherman built two homes in the area, first a simple farmhouse and later a large mansion after he prospered. Both of Sherman’s homes still exist. Sherman served as San Diego’s mayor from 1891-1892.

Many beautiful homes were built between the 1880s and the 1920s. The Villa Montezuma Museum at 20th and K Streets, built in 1887 for the famous spiritualist and pianist Jesse Shepard, is now owned by the City and operated by the San Diego Historical Society and supported by the Friends of the Villa Montezuma, Inc., as one of the finest Victorian house museums in the state. It has been closed for restoration since late February 2006. Through the 1940s, the mostly residential Sherman Heights thrived as a middle class neighborhood next to downtown San Diego. Highway building in the 1940s through 1960s, coupled with the lure of the suburbs, led to many residents leaving this urban neighborhood in mid-century. The highways created new boundaries for Sherman Heights (19th Street to 25th Street from west to east, and G Street to Imperial Avenue from north to south) that exist still today.

Sherman Heights has a long history of housing a variety of newcomers. At the turn of the last century, Sherman Heights had many German, Italian, and Jewish immigrants. Japanese- and Chinese-Americans called Sherman Heights home from the 1920s through 1940s. It was primarily an African-American neighborhood during the 1950s through the 1970s. Since the 1970s it has had a strongly Latino population. Like many inner city areas that were considered past their prime, the area went through a rough period during the 1970s through 1980s. Now Sherman Heights is an ethnically diverse and thriving community enjoying a period of great interest and revitalization. There is strong support for historic preservation and restoration of the many fine buildings, and the  neighborhood was declared a historic district in 1987. The current residents are multi-ethnic, with a majority being Latino, and half the residents own their own homes. Those who live here are passionate about the area.

With a high concentration of Latino’s living in this area (especially of Mexican descent) the Sherman Heights Community Center had a Dia De Los Muertos celebration which it has done now for 14 years.

More than a dozen local families  created magnificent traditional Mexican altars and ofrenda (offerings to the dead) inside the Sherman Heights Community Center

In addition, amazing outdoor altars will be in front of historic homes throughout the neighborhood and in front of the Villa Montezuma Museum.

The Sherman Heights Community Center was filled with traditional altars and selling Pan de Muerte (Bread of the dead), sugar skulls, and tamales. They provided maps for the walking tour of the historic homes with explanations of the homes and the altars found in their front yards.

Some of the owners of these homes were in the yards and happily explained who their altar was dedicated to and an explanation of the offering on the altars.

After walking around in the November heat…it was time for some food which was sold at the Community Center. Five dollars got you a soda, chicken mole, rice and beans and unlimited tortillas. The rest of the event was free.

Now this may all seem odd to our usual “trick or treat fun”. Día de los Muertos is a joyous Mexican custom which honors the memory of departed loved ones each

year at their gravesites with beautiful, colorful altars. It is traditionally observed on November 1 and 2. Neither macabre nor morbid, the holiday is spent in celebration with friends and family, and it’s a special time and opportunity to entertain the spirit and remember loved ones fondly.

The altars are adorned with offerings to the dead, which might include traditional items like candles, tamales or other foods, a glass of water to symbolically refresh the dearly departed who is weary from traveling, the abundant and uniquely scented cempasúchitl (marigolds), pan de muerto (orange- and anise-flavored bread of the dead), calaveras de azúcar (beautifully decorated sugar skulls), and papel picado (colored tissue paper with elaborate cutout motifs). Outside, the altars might be less traditional but totally in

keeping with the spirit of Día de los Muertos. Artists, organizations, and residents will honor departed loved ones and important causes to pay tribute to people and ideas that have shaped their lives.

There was one altar where the public was invited to place the name of a loved one and burn a candle and give an offering which I did for my father. To many this may seem macabre, but I find it fascinating and bittersweet to keep the memories alive of those who have gone before and to celebrate their life and life in general. It is also a reminder that all things live and pass on like the cycles of the season. There was a sign on one of the altars written in Spanish which translated into “I have not died, I have only passed”.

Traditionally, Día de los Muertos is commemorated at the departed

loved one’s gravesite. In Sherman Heights they say, “in Mexico they decorate the graveyard, but in Sherman Heights we decorate the neighborhood.”

This was the end of my Halloween get away and what a memorable one!