San Diego State College
Also known as: San Diego State Teachers College; San Diego State University
Why it's listed
The historic core of San Diego State University is a campus district planned in the late 1920s and built from 1930, when the college moved to a new mesa-top site overlooking Alvarado Canyon. Architect Howard Spencer Hazen designed the original buildings in Spanish Colonial Revival style with Moorish and Mission Revival details, grouping them around quadrangles like a Spanish monastery. The Academic Building's southern entry, with round towers, a rusticated arch and a bell tower, is the best-known feature. Land was donated by Alphonzo Bell's company, and Mark Daniels contributed landscape planning. Works Progress Administration labor added buildings, an arcade, benches and Donal Hord's Aztec statue during the 1930s and early 1940s. The district was recognized for its link to President Edward Hardy's holistic vision of education, continued by Walter Hepner, for its architecture, and for its WPA work. Despite later alterations and the loss of most of Aztec Bowl, the core retains its original character and remains in use.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to represent an evolving twentieth-century philosophy of education, shaped by presidents Edward L. Hardy and Walter R. Hepner, who envisioned the campus as a 'monastery of education.' It is also a notable example of Southern California Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and reflects significant accomplishments of the Works Progress Administration.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 97000924, listed September 4, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5300 Campanile Dr., San Diego |
|---|---|
| County | San Diego County |
| Listed | September 4, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000924 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1930-1947 |
| Architect / builder | Howard Spencer Hazen, architect; Mark Daniels, landscape architect/urban planner; Alphonzo E. Bell, real estate developer |
| Architectural style | Late nineteenth- and twentieth-century revivals / Spanish Colonial Revival (with strong Mission Revival and Moorish elements) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History, Education |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Historic core remains in educational use as part of the university; many buildings have had utilities upgrades and interior changes, Aztec Bowl was largely demolished and excluded, and Scripps Cottage and the Montezuma statue were relocated. |
| Acreage | 10 |
| Coordinates | 32.77671, -117.07185 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 97000924.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q11703521
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.