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The Gaslamp Musuem, which occupies the oldest standing house in downtown San Diego faces closure as it becomes yet another victim of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The tourist attraction, which preserves memorabilia from the birth of downtown, was forced to close in March 2020, yet operators still paid for full monthly rent to the city, building upkeep and salaries.
It’s in the Davis-Horton House, an 1850-built state-designated historic site at 410 Island Ave. originally owned by San Diego visionary developer William Heath Davis and, in 1867- 68, by Alonzo Horton.
This is the only remaining San Diego home lived in by Horton, recognized as the founding father of San Diego. He resided there while constructing a larger home and pursuing his dream of developing the downtown area as the heart of San Diego. The museum contains a plot map made of cloth on which Horton laid out his New Town.