page_title: California Quadrangle
hierarchical_section_title: California Quadrangle
caption_attribution_description: California Quadrangle, the East or State Gateway of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, Balboa Park, San Diego, California. Spanish Colonial Revival style architecture. As the west gateway of the California Quadrangle is a part of the city-built Fine Arts BUilding, so in like manner the east gateway is designed to be the formal entrance for the California State Building. This is clearly indicated by the conventionalized coat-of-arms of the State over the arch, executed, as is all the decorative work excepting the spandrels, in modeled stone. The spandrels over the arch are filled with high-glazed colored tile representing, or rather commemorating, on one side the commencement of the Spanish occupation of California, and on the other that of the American government, two important dates in the history of the State. These historical events are represented by the coat-of-arms and motto of Spain and the date, 1769, that of Junipero Serra's arrival in Sand Diego; and by the seal of the United States with the data 1846, that of the State Constitutional Convention at Monterey.
context_page_description: The California Quadrangle, California Building, and California Tower are historic structures located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. They were built for the 1915–16 Panama-California Exposition and served as the grand entry to the Expo. The buildings and courtyard were designed by architect Bertram Goodhue. They were added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 17, 1974. They now house the Museum of Us.
  The Quadrangle includes the California Building and Tower on the north side, and Evernham Hall and the St. Francis Chapel on the south side. Between them is an open space linked by arcaded passageways and massive arched gateways to form the Plaza de California. The original Balboa Park Administration Building lies just outside the Quadrangle, adjacent to and west of the California Building. Unlike most of the exhibits at the Expo, the Quadrangle buildings were intended to be permanent.
  The Plaza de California is the main entryway to Balboa Park, approached over the Cabrillo Bridge. That entry is currently a two-lane road providing vehicle access to the park.
context_section_description: The California Quadrangle, California Building, and California Tower are historic structures located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. They were built for the 1915–16 Panama-California Exposition and served as the grand entry to the Expo. The buildings and courtyard were designed by architect Bertram Goodhue. They were added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 17, 1974. They now house the Museum of Us.
  The Quadrangle includes the California Building and Tower on the north side, and Evernham Hall and the St. Francis Chapel on the south side. Between them is an open space linked by arcaded passageways and massive arched gateways to form the Plaza de California. The original Balboa Park Administration Building (now the Gill Administration Building) lies just outside the Quadrangle, adjacent to and west of the California Building. Unlike most of the exhibits at the Expo, the Quadrangle buildings were intended to be permanent.
  The Plaza de California is the main entryway to Balboa Park, approached over the Cabrillo Bridge. That entry is currently a two-lane road providing vehicle access to the park. The city approved plans to divert vehicle traffic away from the Plaza de California and restore it as a pedestrian-only promenade, hoping to complete the project in time to celebrate the 2015 centennial of the Exposition. However, the plan was challenged in court and was overturned by a judge on February 4, 2013, on the grounds that the city had not followed its own Municipal Code requirements in approving it.
caption: Entrance to the Plaza de California, 1916
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