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We Have a Winning Writer, and San Diego Speaks to Her
May/June 2024
SOHO is pleased to announce the winner of our writing contest, How San Diego Speaks To Me.
Nancy Carol Carter is the first prize winner for her outstanding entry on Balboa Park's Golden Hill fountain grotto, created in 1908. Her graceful yet powerful interweaving of personal observation and in-depth study with an unusual, quiet chapter of park history is captivating, refreshing, and inspiring. Her passion for preservation is strong.
 |  Golden Hill fountain grotto, 2023. Photo by Sandé Lollis |
“Instantly popular, the fountain grotto drew many visitors,” Nancy wrote. “But its appeal dimmed with the opening of the Panama-California Exposition in 1915 on the other side of the park. Fading popularity and a kind of civic amnesia eventually removed the fountain grotto from San Diego’s memory and recorded history.”
She notes later in the essay: “But the fountain grotto’s most powerful story is one of survival in a neglectful community.”
Nancy’s beautifully written piece met all of our contest criteria, connecting the theme, depth, and meaning of the writer's exploration of historic preservation, neighborhood stories, cultural places, and personal memories of these locations. She also evoked emotions and drew the reader in to share her experience or message.
Her entry, published here for the first time, will remain as a feature on the SOHO website, SOHOSanDiego.org, thereby sharing this thoughtfully evocative essay with a wider audience. In this way, Nancy joins SOHO in contributing to the ongoing dialogue on regional historic preservation.
A writer and researcher on Balboa Park, horticultural history, and early San Diego nurserywoman and horticulturist Kate Sessions, Nancy is a frequent contributor to the San Diego Floral Association's magazine, California Garden, where she is an associate editor.
We encourage everyone to continue observing and reflecting in writing on San Diego's historic landmarks and sense of place, and to participate in future SOHO contests and events. Your unique perspective and voice enriches our community, and we look forward to seeing more of your work in the future.
Now, during National Preservation Month, SOHO bestows our heartfelt congratulations on a strong, gifted, and versatile friend of preservation, Nancy Carol Carter!
And now, read How San Diego Speaks to Me by Nancy Carol Carter.
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