The Committee of 100 - Balboa Park San Diego

Women in Balboa Park, Week 7

Meet Ellen Browning Scripps (1836–1932)

A journalist and philanthropist, Scripps was a major civic force who helped shape San Diego’s cultural and scientific institutions.

She was also a patron of A.R. Valentien’s wildflower paintings, which are now part of the San Diego Natural History Museum’s collection. Her legacy continues to be felt throughout Balboa Park and across San Diego.

Follow along as we continue sharing the women who shaped Balboa Park.

Women in Balboa Park, Week 6

Meet Ernestine Schumann-Heink (1861–1936)

One of the greatest contralto voices in the history of opera, Schumann-Heink was also a San Diego honorary citizen.

In 1915, the Panama-California Exposition declared March 22 “Madame Schumann-Heink Day,” where 6,000 schoolchildren sang before her at the Organ Pavilion.

Her free concert on June 27, 1915, drew 27,000 people, the largest audience ever assembled in San Diego for a musical event.

She later sang at the Exposition’s midnight closing on January 1, 1917, and donated $10,000 toward a proposed festival at the Organ Pavilion.

A bronze memorial plaque dedicated in 1938 remains at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion today.

Follow along as we continue sharing the women who shaped Balboa Park.

🚨 Paid Parking Update at Balboa Park

The City of San Diego has agreed to roll back paid parking at Balboa Park by January 1, 2027, at the latest, following months of community discussion and public feedback.

The Balboa Park Committee of 100 remains committed to supporting policies that preserve accessibility, affordability, and public access to one of San Diego’s most treasured civic and cultural spaces.

Read the full article here: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/05/20/san-diego-oks-settlement-on-trash-pickup-fees-balboa-park-paid-parking/

Women in Balboa Park, Week 5!

Meet Amy Putnam (1874–1958) and Anne Putnam (1868–1962)

Philanthropists and art collectors, the Putnam sisters collected European old masters, including works by Goya, El Greco, Van Dyck, Zurbarán, and Rembrandt, which they donated anonymously to the city.

They later established the Putnam Foundation in 1951, and their collection became the entire basis of the Timken Museum of Art, which opened in 1965 and remains San Diego’s only free fine art museum.

Together, they built one of the finest small museum collections in the United States.

Follow along as we continue sharing the women who shaped Balboa Park.

Women in Balboa Park, Week 4

Meet Belle Benchley (1882–1973)!

A native San Diegan, Benchley served as director of the San Diego Zoo from 1927 to 1953 and was the world’s first female director of a major public zoo.

During her tenure, she transformed the zoo from a small collection into a world-class institution known for pioneering naturalistic habitats.

She also became the first female president of the American Zoological Association and authored several books, including My Life in a Man-Made Jungle (1940).

Follow along as we continue sharing the women who shaped Balboa Park.

Women in Balboa Park, Week 3

Meet Anna Hyatt Huntington!

A sculptor and one of New York City’s most prominent artists of the early 20th century, Huntington created one of Balboa Park’s most iconic landmarks.

Her sculpture El Cid Campeador, installed in 1930 in the Plaza de Panama, is the park’s most prominent public artwork.

She was also the first woman to create a public monument in New York City and one of the earliest women elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Follow along as we continue sharing the women who shaped Balboa Park.

Women in Balboa Park, Week 2

Meet Alice Klauber (1871 - 1951)!

An artist and civic leader, Klauber played a pivotal role in shaping Balboa Park’s cultural future. In 1915, when women were denied a role in the Panama-California Exposition, she organized a coalition that pushed back and demanded inclusion, ultimately securing women a place in the Exposition.

Klauber went on to chair the Exposition’s Fine Arts Department, where her exhibition played a direct role in the founding of the San Diego Museum of Art.

Her leadership helped define the cultural identity of Balboa Park. Follow along as we continue sharing the women who shaped the park!

Introducing our new series: Women in Balboa Park 🌲🌟

Over the next few weeks, we will be highlighting the women who shaped Balboa Park. From early visionaries to today’s leaders, their impact can be seen across every corner of the park!

We begin with the woman who helped start it all: Kate Sessions
Known as the “Mother of Balboa Park,” Kate Sessions transformed the landscape of San Diego.

In 1892, she leased 36 acres of City Park and agreed to plant 100 trees each year. What began as a simple agreement became the foundation of the park we know today.

Follow along as we continue to share the stories of the women who built, shaped, and continue to lead Balboa Park!

Join us this Saturday, April 4th, to stand up for Balboa Park!

The Balboa Park Committee of 100 invites you to the Signature Drive Kickoff Rally to help launch a petition to repeal the City’s parking fees and trash pickup fee impacting Balboa Park.

📅 Saturday, April 4th
⏰ 9:30 AM
📍 Spreckels Organ Pavilion, Balboa Park
Let’s come together to protect access to one of San Diego’s most treasured public spaces. Your voice matters! Be part of the movement!

Learn more and get involved: https://repealthefees.com/

Balboa Park Parking Update 🚗

The City has updated its paid parking program, allowing verified San Diego residents to park for free in Tier 2 and 3 lots with registration. Residents can register their vehicle at sandiego.gov/parking/balboapark.

ADA placard holders may park for free on all park streets and in all lots.

Parking enforcement with citations was scheduled to begin March 16, operating daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in park lots and streets, and until 8 p.m. on Park Boulevard and Sixth Avenue.

Photo Credit: City of San Diego