Transcription
San Diego is one of the most visited cities in the world, attracting millions every year with its sunny beaches, scenic parks, and vibrant neighborhoods. But what most people don't realize is that hidden within the hills, canyons, and riverbeds of this modern metropolis lies traces of something much older. Ancient villages, some dating back thousands of years, hidden in plain sight, right beneath your feet. Where are they, and what do they look like now?
Using historic maps and Google Earth, I set out to find the locations of these lost villages to show you where they are and what they look like today. The locations I found are just as surprising as they are awe-inspiring. Welcome back to Voyager. My name's Armando. In today's episode, we're looking for hidden ancient village sites scattered across modern San Diego. We'll visit locations in modern-day Oldtown, Pacific Beach, Poway, Mission Bay, and Rose Canyon. Along the way, we'll explore how these ancient people thrived for thousands of years, hunting, fishing, and mastering the seasonal cycles with a deep knowledge of the land and the heavens above. What remains of these sites today? Who lived here? And what was life like in these settlements? Let's find out.
Most people know Oldtown for its Mexican food, historic sites, and colorful shops. But long before it became a tourist attraction and a state park, it was home to a thriving village called Casoy. It means "the drying out place," and it was perfectly located along the original slope of the San Diego River. Where we're standing was the location of the river before it was diverted towards Mission Bay in the 1800s. At the time, these were the shores along the river with nothing but open land all the way to the ocean. The village had everything it needed, from freshwater springs to wetlands and hillsides full of useful plants. Around 30 to 40 families lived here, building their homes in dome-shaped huts called awas. The people were experts at working with the land, managing controlled burns to keep plants healthy, and they stored acorns in graineries so they always had food, even in tough seasons.
This spot is also tied to the beginning of California's colonial history. Back in 1769, a group of Spanish explorers stumbled into the area, sick and depleted after a rough journey. They were given food, water, and even medicine. The same people living here for thousands of years saved the newcomers who would eventually build their first settlement right above the village, called the Presidio. And just like that, Casoy became the birthplace of what we now know as modern California.
So, this is the location of the first Spanish presidio here. The soldiers used to stay out here. Without these trees here, you could see all the way down to San Diego Bay, past Point Loma, out towards the Pacific Ocean. Over here is Mission Bay. Uh, but eventually, they got tired of moving the water uphill. They decided to move down towards Oldtown. If you're in Oldtown, there are still hints of this village's story here. Here you can see the Kumi Park with a garden full of native plants, and there's even a market nearby that sells Kumi-made products. It's not something you hear about on most tours, but it's an incredible place full of history, right in plain sight. You just have to know where to look.
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Next, we're heading into Mission Valley, an area most people know today for the malls, football stadium, and bumper-to-bumper traffic. But long before that existed, this land was home to a village called Nippawaii, right where the Mission San Diego de Alcalá stands today. Nippawaii was positioned at a key intersection, a kind of ancient highway hub between other major villages.
The real turning point in Nippawaii's history came in 1775 when the Kumeyaay made it clear they were done with the Spanish missionaries trying to take their land and enslave their people. When the Spanish arrived, they built their missions on sacred land and forced villagers to work the fields and construct their buildings. Soldiers routinely assaulted Kumeyaay women and men. Even Father Junípero Serra acknowledged that these attacks had pushed the Kumeyaay to the brink. So, they devised a plan. In 1775, warriors from at least 15 villages began visiting the mission under the pretense of getting baptized. But they were secretly gathering intel. Over several months, they stockpiled weapons and scouted the mission's defenses. Then, on the night of November 4th, over 600 warriors from villages across the region surrounded the mission. They set fire to the church and fired arrows at anyone who tried to resist. Father Vicente Fuster escaped, pressing himself against the guardhouse wall as arrows flew past him. But Father Luis Jayme wasn't so lucky. The Kumeyaay quickly eliminated him and two other Spaniards, making it one of the largest uprisings against missions in California. Later, the Spanish did rebuild the mission right next to Nippawaii, but things were never the same. The people refused to trust the missionaries again, and the mission struggled to attract new converts. It became a symbol of resistance, showing that the Kumeyaay were willing to unite and fight against the injustices and violence inflicted on their people. The village of Nippawaii existed until about 1910 when its people dispersed after the land was purchased by American ranchers and farmers. Today, the area around Nippawaii is still considered highly sensitive for cultural resources. If you were to dig in the right spot, even within a half a mile of the mission, you'd probably uncover ancient artifacts. So, the next time you pass the old mission, take a second to think about what happened here. You're passing through a place with a lot more history than it seems.
This next place is something truly special. Sacred land that deserves our respect and protection. It's known for the painted rocks adorned with intricate, maze-like designs that seem to hold ancient secrets. This unique style, called the Rancho Bernardo Rectilinear style, exists only in this region, making it a rare and invaluable cultural treasure. The Kumeyaay expressed their deep connection to nature here through ceremonial art. And it's believed the site was used for spiritual ceremonies and possibly astronomical observations. Throughout the area, you can still find traces of pictographs, paintings made with natural pigments, and petroglyphs, images etched directly into the stone. What makes the rock art here so unique is the distinct rectilinear patterns, intricate geometric designs that interlock like hypnotic mazes. It's thought that these images were designed by shamans. Pigments were created from natural elements like ochre, clay, and charcoal, and they mixed them with oils from wild seeds and cactus juice to ensure the art would endure. The site is believed to be between 500 to 1,000 years old, though time and weather have faded the designs so much that today, special equipment is needed to envision the art pieces in their original form. The pictograph site itself is no longer open to the public because of vandalism. You can see some areas where they had to clean graffiti. Today, it's monitored by closed-circuit cameras, and fines are enforced for those entering the protected area without permission. But you can still hike on the trail and see the designs from afar.
Continuing on the trail offers another chance to connect with the ancient world. Along the way, interpretive plaques share how the Kumeyaay used the local plants and wildlife. Of all the places we've explored, this one feels the most unchanged, as if the past still remains beneath the surface. As you walk the trail, it's easy to feel the presence of those who lived here long ago. Their art and stories, a part of the land, waiting for those who slow down and take the time to listen.
A short drive away is a village that once thrived for thousands of years. It's easy to drive through these streets and not realize you're passing right over one of the oldest inhabited areas in San Diego County. Archaeological evidence shows the people living here 3,400 years ago established permanent villages along what is now Poway Creek. The village stretched across 30 acres and was home to about 20 families. These families built shelters, and they had a sophisticated approach to agriculture and water management. They built dams, created watersheds, and stored groundwater for dry periods. The village also became known for basket weaving and pottery making. And even though the Spanish changed the name to Rancho Peñasquitos, the history of the people who've lived here hasn't been lost. Today, their descendants are part of the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians, and they carry on those traditions. If you're ever in the area, I highly recommend checking out the Kumeyaay-Ipai Interpretive Center right here in Poway. They're open every third Saturday from 10 to 1, and it's a great way to learn more about how this land shaped and was shaped by the people who called it home.
Just beyond the village, watching over the landscape, is what they called the "mountain of moonlit rocks," what we call Mount Woodson today. The sacred mountain was believed to be where the moon came to sleep. There's even a story about a mythical rabbit associated with these rocks. These legends had a deep meaning for the people living here. There's another story about a spirit giant named Toyopai who left his footprint on the southern slope of the mountain while traveling to the coast. We think of Mount Woodson as a hiking destination, home to the famous Potato Chip Rock. But for the Kumeyaay, it was a place of power, filled with meaning and mythology.
Following the San Diego River, connecting Mission Valley to Santee, is Mission Trails Regional Park, one of the largest urban parks in the country. And near the Mission Dam along the San Diego River is what used to be the village of Senuche, a Kumeyaay settlement established over a thousand years ago. It might not look like much today, since most of the original site lies under the Carlton Oaks Golf Course, but this area is full of hidden history, if you know where to look. The Kumeyaay lived here for centuries, long before ranchers and settlers arrived in the 1900s. And even after the land was taken, some of them had no option but to work as farmhands. The Senuche villagers played a crucial role in the construction of one of the park's most significant landmarks, the Old Mission Dam. They were recruited, more likely coerced, by the Spanish missionaries to help build this thing, hauling stones and maintaining waterways to ensure it all ran smoothly. This settlement was a place where people thrived off the land. They gathered acorns, grass seeds, and river clay. They used reeds and willow to craft baskets and tools. They even conducted controlled burns under these oak trees to manage the vegetation. What's interesting is that some of the same resources they relied on still grow here today, if you know what to look for. Next time you're walking through this park, take a second to look closer at the landscape. The reeds by the water, the granite grinding stones scattered along the trails, even the oak trees. They're the same elements that the Kumeyaay used to build their lives here. And though the villages might be gone, the story of the Senuche is still etched into the land.
Heading west along the San Diego River toward the coast, there's another ancient site in Mission Valley, hidden in plain sight, near a crossroads that many of us use today. Along the river, not far from the Snapdragon Stadium, where the 805 and the 8 freeway cross, are the remnants of another thriving village. If you stop for a minute and look beyond the highways, stadiums, and apartments, you'll see how the people built their community near strategic geographic intersections. It sat right along a well-established trail following the river. The ancient routes eventually became the path of the 8 freeway, traveling from the beach to the desert. It follows the same trails that the Kumeyaay used for trade, hunting, and travel. And because of that, we still find traces of their villages all along the route. These trails were so important that the 8 freeway is now known as the Kumeyaay Highway. Spanish, Mexican, and American travelers all adopted the routes throughout time. It's incredible to think that the freeway that we all use was once a well-worn path used by native people for thousands of years.
Next, we're stopping by a spot you've probably driven by without a second thought. The area around Rose Creek in Pacific Beach. These days, most people come here for the burgers at the In-N-Out, or they might remember the site of the old Pacific Beach Drive-In Theater right by the freeway. But before the food restaurants and movie screens, this was home to a thriving village. They settled right on the banks of Rose Creek, where it flows out of Rose Canyon into Mission Bay. Back then, the creek flowed through the canyon, and it was an ideal location for hunting, fishing, and gathering. The area was full of resources, including freshwater streams, oaks, and willows. They traveled with the seasons, camping near water holes, gathering acorns, and weaving baskets from the willow branches. But over time, things started to change. In 1769, the Portolá expedition arrived, marking the beginning of European exploration in San Diego. By the 1820s, much of the land in San Diego had become Mexican ranchos. Today, the village site is mostly beneath apartments, roads, and parking lots. But if you look around and imagine the Rose Creek emerging from the canyon, flowing into the bay, you'll get a sense of how ideal this location was. And next time you're grabbing a burger or heading to the beach, take a minute to look around you. You might be on ground that's been home to people for thousands of years.
About a mile north in Rose Canyon is where the village of Onap once stood. It sits in the shadow of Mount Soledad, where the 5 and 52 freeway now meet. If you think about it, it's also where two major canyons, the San Clemente Canyon and Rose Canyon, meet. Back then, water holes, streams, and oak woodlands made this spot ideal for seasonal camping and hunting. The Kumeyaay lived here along these trails. Onap was part of a larger network of villages spread across the area, with people moving between the coast and inland throughout the year. They tracked seasons and understood the movement of the sun and stars and knew exactly where to be to harvest food and make the most of the local resources. An ancient wisdom shared across generations. And in 1853, a businessman named Lewis Rose purchased 650 acres here. And that area would later become known as Rose Canyon. Today, Rose Canyon Open Space Park and Marian Bear Memorial Park help preserve a little piece of that world. So, if you're hiking through the area here or driving by, take a second to think about the generations of people who once called this canyon their home.
These are just a few of hundreds of village sites across California. So, I encourage you to get out and explore. You never know what you'll find. Thank you for joining me on this journey. If you enjoyed the video, make sure to like, subscribe, and share it with others. And next time you find yourself walking through a park, driving down the freeway, or standing by the water, take a moment to wonder what came before. There's always more to discover just beneath the surface. Thanks for watching. See you next time. [Music]