Why was Chula Vista chosen to be the final refuge for the last humans on Earth? Well, it does have an interesting history. Its land was first occupied by the Kumayaay tribe, then “in 1542, a fleet of three small ships sailed into San Diego Harbor commanded by Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo. These explorations led the Spanish to claim the land. “In 1795, Chula Vista became a part of a Spanish land grant known as Rancho del Rey or “The King’s Ranch.” When Mexico formed its own government in 1831, Rancho del Rey became known as Rancho de la Nacion or National Ranch. The ranch encompasses the area now known as National City, Chula Vista, Bonita, Sunnyside and Sweetwater Valley. Rancho del la Nacion was used by the Spanish as grazing land for their cattle…show more content… Frank, Warren and Levi Kimball intended to develop the land into productive American-style cities and farms. “In 1888, the Sweetwater Dam was completed to bring water to Chula Vista. Frank Kimball discovered citrus trees to be the most successful crop for the area. Chula Vista eventually became the largest lemon-growing center in the world for a period of time. “The city was incorporated in 1911. “In February 1916, the Hercules Powder Company began the design and construction of a kelp processing plant covering a 30-acre plot of land in Chula Vista. Kelp is an ideal source of materials used in the production of explosives. The plant produced potash and acetone to make cordite, a smokeless powder used extensively by the British armed forces in World War I. “Although the Great Depression affected Chula Vista significantly, agriculture still provided considerable income for the residents. In 1931, the lemon orchards produced $1 million dollars in revenue and the celery fields contributed $600,000. “Rohr Aircraft Corporation moved to Chula Vista in early 1941, just months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Rohr employed 9,000 workers in the area at the height of its wartime
