Botanical Building
Built 1868 by Katherine Olivia Sessions. Added to the National Register in 1977, and a National Historic Landmark.
The record
| Property type | Building |
| Address | CA Quadrangle 41, San Diego vicinity, CA |
| County | San Diego County |
| Listed | Dec 22, 1977 |
| Listed for | Landscape architecture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Reference number | 77000331 |
| Built | 1868 · more from the 1860s |
| Architect | Katherine Olivia Sessions |
| Type of place | park |
| Style | Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, Mediterranean Revival architecture |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark, list of San Diego Historic Landmarks |
| Contributing resources | 10 buildings, 5 structures |
| Standing | Yes |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | CA Quadrangle 41, San Diego, CA |
| Website | balboapark.org ↗ |
| Coordinates | 32.7325° N, 117.1491° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in San Diego | 89 listed places in San Diego → |
| Nearest national park unit | Cabrillo National Monument · 7 miles · on Park Atlas |
| Federal campgrounds nearby | Corral Canyon Campground 34 miles · Bobcat Meadow Campground 34 miles · Boulder Oaks Eqst 39 miles |
Explore
Drawings & photographs
Measured drawings and photographs from the Library of Congress. Public domain. All 1 record ↗
Map
Nearby in San Diego County
Local history books for San Diego
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- San Diego LowridersAlberto López Pulido & Rigoberto "Rigo" Reyes, 2017Find at Bookshop.org
Guidebooks to historic places in California
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Botanical Building listed on the National Register?
Dec 22, 1977. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
When was Botanical Building built?
1868, designed by Katherine Olivia Sessions, in the Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and Mediterranean Revival architecture style.
Source: Wikidata
Can I visit Botanical Building?
Probably. Places of this type are usually open to the public, but the record lists no hours; the official website will have them.
Source: Official website
Where is Botanical Building?
CA Quadrangle 41, San Diego vicinity, San Diego County, California. The nearest national park unit is Cabrillo National Monument, 7 miles away.
Source: Cabrillo National Monument
What does the Botanical Building listing include?
The listing counts 15 contributing resources. Those are 10 buildings and 5 structures. A contributing resource is a part of the listed property that carries its historic significance.
Source: National Park Service
Are there historic photographs or drawings of Botanical Building?
Yes. The Historic American Buildings Survey at the Library of Congress has drawings or photographs of it.
Source: Library of Congress
Where is the nomination form for Botanical Building?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Are there campgrounds near Botanical Building?
Three federal campgrounds are within reach. The closest is Corral Canyon Campground, 34 miles away. Bobcat Meadow Campground is 34 miles away, and Boulder Oaks Eqst is 39 miles away.
Source: Campsite Atlas
Is there cell service at Botanical Building?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Is there a wildfire near Botanical Building right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-10-17, nearest Henderson, 45 miles away.
Source: Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 77000331. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. Drawings and photographs are Historic American Buildings Survey records at the Library of Congress, public domain.