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National City, California is a charming senior vacation community.

National City CA History

Incorporated in 1887, National City was originally part of the 26,000-acre El Rancho de la Nation. Because of its original name, Rancho de la Nation, National City is the only community in the United States that has the rightful heritage to use the word “National” in its name. Frank Kimball and his brothers purchased the Rancho land in 1868. They cleared land, built roads and constructed the city's first wharf. Frank Kimball served as California’s State Agricultural Commissioner and was responsible for extending the Santa Fe Railroad to National City in 1882.

National City, located 10 miles north of the Mexican border, is an example of the land boom of post-Civil War Southern California that seemingly overnight turned grassland into thriving cities.

National City California – Home of Granger Hall

Ralph Granger struck it rich in the silver mines of Colorado, made $5,000 a day during the 1890's and located his family on an estate in National City. He hired San Diego architect Irving Gill to build a private music hall for him near his house. Due to the way the building was constructed, no wall is exactly parallel, so a microphone is not needed. Sound travels from one end of the hall to the other without distortion. Today, Granger Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a noted tourist site in National City, California.