The William Heath Davis House is the oldest surviving structure in the Gaslamp Quarter, and its wild west past has caused some beauty blunders. The Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation recently made some improvements in an effort to rejuvenate the house and conjoining park.

On Feb. 26, the San Diego City Council unanimously voted to grant the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation $9000 towards renovations to the house and park.

Both Council President Todd Gloria and Councilmember Kevin Faulconer contributed $4500 towards the project. In addition, the historical foundation used $5,000 from its own reserve, said Bob Marinaccio, executive director of the William Heath Davis House.

“I knew we were getting the grant,” said Marinaccio.

According to Marinaccio, Gloria and Faulconer told him the City Council would approve the grant.

During the City Council meeting, Gloria said he was happy to work with Faulconer on the project because the renovations will help make the historic home look better for those visiting the Gaslamp.

Originally, the home belonged to William Heath Davis. Davis wanted to create a “New Town” close to the San Diego bay, so he decided to establish a residency in what is now known as downtown. In 1850, Davis built the home with the help of a few other men.

After Davis lost the home to debt it was used for other purposes including the housing of military officers, a county hospital, and home to the “Father of San Diego” Alonzo Horton. In the early 1900s, it was headquarters to a World War I German spy and finally bought by the city in 1984.

Now, the 163-year-old building houses the Gaslamp Historical Museum serving to educate visitors on the Gaslamp’s past. Every year, around 10,000 people visit the home for tours, events and lectures.

The funds from the City Council renovated the home to enhance visitors’ experiences by replacing worn down flooring, expanding the museum’s exhibit space, cultivating landscaping in the park, and providing outdoor lighting and electricity. The project, which started mid-2012, is the first major work done to the house in 30 years. (link)

The renovations cleaned the house up considerably, said Marinaccio.

The foundation put in the request for the grant in the belief that improvements to the home would enhance the property’s looks, create additional security and allow groups to utilize the space more efficiently.

One group that will utilize the space and the new improvements is the San Diego Railroad Museum. Every year the San Diego Model Railroad Museum lays train tracks for the kids to play with outside but always had difficulties trying to hook it up to electricity, now that will not be a problem, said Marinaccio.

In addition, the historical foundation plans on using the electricity outside to put on musical performances in the courtyard, said Marinaccio.

Marinaccio hopes the renovations will make the house more appealing to the public and bring more people to the park.

For more on the William Heath Davis House, please visit gaslampquarter.org.