William Wesley Whitson (1866-1958) One of the handful of businessmen who deeded tracts of land in uptown for development in the early 1900s. Whitson’s 40-acre tract (the former George Hill Estate purchased in 1906 for $115,000) was located northwest of Sixth & University avenues. Laura Anderson, his sister-in-law, suggested a name for his new development. Then, as hundreds of trolley riders passed WWW’s small wooden structure announcing his HILLCREST Tract Office the name caught on and eventually encompassed the surrounding neighborhood that is now loved by so many. Because of WWW the community where we live is called “Hillcrest.” Mr. Whitson is buried at Mount Hope Cemetery near the monument for Alonzo Horton the “Father of San Diego.”
RIP: Robert Douglas Whitson, Jr.
William Wesley Whitson’s great great granddaughter Amy has informed us that her grandfather “Grandpa Whitson” (Robert Douglas Whitson, Jr.) passed away this morning at Mercy Hospital in Hillcrest. “We knew the time was coming but didn’t think it’d be so soon,” said Amy Whitson, at right with her children and grandparents, Gloria and Robert Douglas. Funeral arrangements will be posted when available.
