North Park is a historic neighborhood that is located northeast of Balboa Park in the city of San Diego. The neighborhood is bounded to the east by Interstate 805, from Interstate 8 to a few blocks shy of State Highway 94. The "North Park" sign, located at the corner of 30th Street and University Avenue, serves as a prominent landmark for this community and it also serves to identify the heart of the neighborhood to residents and passersby.
North Park evolved from a lemon grove owned by James Monroe Hartley during the 1890s. As the city of San Diego expanded, Hartley's family proceeded to develop the parcel from open land into a residential neighborhood. This neighborhood was also one of the many that was once served by an extensive streetcar network until 1939.
North Park features plenty of homes built in a wide variety of architectural styles throughout the decades. For example, the Dryden Historic District features a number of historical homes designed and built as Craftsman and California bungalows by renowned architect David Owen Dryden during the 1920s and 1930s. There are also plenty of homes for sale within the neighborhood that were built in the Spanish Colonial Revival style.
A fair number of these homes remain in their original state with occasional improvements made to include modern appliances and other conveniences. Much of the real estate in this area is considered valuable due to the historical significance of this neighborhood.