This Month in History: Glimpses into Pacific Beach’s past

Isabel Frisk with granddaughter Judith Tyndall at Jack-in-the-Box on Pacific Beach Drive and Mission Boulevard around 1952.

By JOHN FRY

Dec. 1, 2022 6:31 AM PT

This Month in History is a feature in PB Monthly highlighting local happenings from yesteryear. John Fry is a writer, publisher, historian plus co-founder and president of the Pacific Beach Historical Society. He also is the author of “Images of America: Pacific Beach” and “Pacific Beach Through Time.” He can be reached at mail@johnfry.com.

125 years ago

December 1897

Miss Mabel Rowe sued the San Diego, Old Town and Pacific Beach Railroad for $5,000, blaming them for an accident that occurred on Dec. 7, 1895. On that date she was thrown from a buggy when her horse became frightened by a deep excavation. She was thrown onto the railroad tracks and suffered serious injuries.

100 years ago

December 1922

Tiger, a 22-year old cat belonging to Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Richert, passed away on the last day of 1922. He was perfectly healthy days before his death. Mrs. Richert said she believes Tiger did himself in by “eating too much Christmas dinner.”

Young adults in Pacific Beach remembered Tiger as a kitten when they were little. He was a special favorite of cadets from the nearby Army & Navy Academy.

75 years ago

December 1947

A 5-year-old boy who wanted to get his mom a new dress for Christmas was captured as a burglar as he entered Dorothea’s Dress Shop, 1428 Garnet Ave., before opening hours on Dec. 17.

The 3-foot, 4-inch youngster told Patrolman Robert Kilpatrick he had not saved enough money to buy his mother a present, so he was going to steal one for her. The boy had also broken into a barber shop and a gun shop, but said he didn’t find anything he thought his mom would like.

50 years ago

December 1972

An ad in the North Shores Sentinel advertised Christmas Brunch at Vacation Village for $2.95. Christmas Dinner was priced at $4.25.

Jack-in-the-Box said it would throw in a free cup of coffee to anyone who purchased a 49¢ Breakfast Jack at any of its three beach area locations — Garnet and Lamont, Mission Boulevard and Pacific Beach Drive, or Mission Boulevard and West Mission Bay Drive.