A Report of the Ocean Beach Historical Society Meeting
By Jillian Butler
On April 17th, 2026, the Ocean Beach Historical Society held a presentation about the history of the “Dutch Flats”. Hosted in OB Joyfull (formerly known as Water’s Edge Community Center and OB’s Methodist church), with 30-50 present, this gathering delved into what few know is home of the roots of air travel in America.
The Ocean Beach Historical Society is a grassroots organization that “helps preserve local history through programs, postcards, the Sea Scrolls, articles, local events, and history conferences”. Their general meetings are held every third Thursday at OB Joyfull at seven PM. They are free and open to the public.
Before delving into the history of Dutch Flats, the meeting began with a general recap including the rebrand of Water’s Edge to OB Joyfull and the Wisteria Patio Party. It was also announced that the Ocean Beach Historical Society has branched out on social media, including both Instagram and Facebook.
Representatives from other local advocacy organizations were present as well. Lynn Miller from Coastal Caretakers, an organization centered around fighting against overdevelopment in San Diego took to the floor. She announced that Coastal Caretakers has paired with Save Our Heritage Organization to file a lawsuit against the city for failing to protect historical communities from developers. She is confident they will win, but requested donations from attendees.
The meeting then transitioned into the presentation Dutch Flats, drawing from a recent article in the Point Loma-OB monthly offshoot of the San Diego Union Tribune. In the 20th Century, the area around the Midway District spanning to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) was a boggy lowland known as Dutch Flats.
In the early 20th century, Congressman William Kettner was able to look out of the window of his residence and see the swampy Dutch Flats. Seeing the many acres of marshland, he believed that this land could be put to better use in a way that served San Diego. Through the efforts of Kettner and Colonel Joseph Pendleton, the establishment of a base on Dutch Flats was approved via a Naval Appropriations bill in 1916. The MCRD now boasts 388 acres.
In 1903, Charlie Collier (the “father of OB”) expanded the Point Loma Railroad, spanning it from Downtown San Diego, through Point Loma, and into Ocean Beach, looping through the Dutch Flats area, now in what is known as Roseville.
Under Kettner, the Navy base opened in 1923, further bolstering the military presence in San Diego. With the heightened military presence brought an increase in aviation presence. The same year, former Army pilot, T. Claude Ryan, moved his business, Ryan Airline Company to an area in Dutch Flats adjoining the MCRD. Soon, they developed the Airline Company into an airport and began the Los Angeles-San Diego airline which went down in history as the first year-round passenger airline.
The Dutch Flats Airport came to fame when Charles Lindbergh flew the Spirit of St. Louis out of San Diego. This plane was also constructed by Ryan. Unfortunately all good things must come to an end and the airport was converted to military housing by the government after the Second World War.
What was once a marshland, then a proving ground for military expansion and early aviation, is now largely unrecognizable— its history buried beneath development and time. The story of Dutch Flats is not just about what was built there, but what was lost along the way.
As debates over development and historic preservation continue across San Diego, the questions raised at the meeting still linger: how much of the past is worth protecting, and who gets to decide? For Ocean Beach residents, Dutch Flats serves as a reminder that the landscape is always changing— but its history doesn’t have to disappear with it.
