San Diego Veterans' War Memorial Building--Balboa Park
historic place
The San Diego Veterans' War Memorial Building, located in Balboa Park, was completed in 1950. This structure was conceived as a "Living Memorial Building," a public space dedicated to San Diegans who served and died in World War II. It was influenced by a nationwide movement in the mid to late 1940s to create places where veteran and civic groups could gather, recreate, and socialize. The building features twin decorative memorial bronze plaques. Architecturally, it is an early example of the Contemporary Modern style in San Diego. Noted San Diego architects Samuel W. Hamill and John S. Siebert designed the building, with Francis E. Young as the builder. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. This site historically matters as a functional memorial and an example of post-war architectural design in San Diego.