BROWN KINGDOM

SOUTH BAY / SOUTH SIDE SAN DIEGO

2011-02-17T18:22:00.000-08:00

SOxBAY, the “SOUTH SIDE” of SAN DIEGO;
Rich in the tradition of the Varrios..

With old neighborhoods and antiguo Raza that cliqued up and set up their Varrios long ago.

Varrios which are now on the list amongst the very olden ones of all thee "1902" Condado.

Varrios even as old as those from other Sides of the County;
Like those from
BARRIO LOGAN,
BARRIO SHERMAN,
LA COLONIA EDEN GARDENS
or ENSENITAS TORTILLA FLATS

All of these same Olden SOUTHxBAY Varrios..

Like
SIDRO
DEL SOL
IMPERIAL
OTAY
PALMAS
NESTOR
OTNC
VCV

~> Survive going strong..
even onto this present age

How and when did it all start out down here?
It is hard to say.
It's all been around for a long ass time.
Part of it you can tell by the plenty numeros of oldie vatos still kicking it in these parts of the Old Land!..

The attitude i dare say,
has been here
from as far back as there’s been raza staking claim to a piece of ground in the Southwest
The Southwest called ~> AZTLAN..
and that goes back, way back..
way way back in time.

From old beginner times, these local grounds have been a cross-road between the two Republics of European-White-America and European-Mestizo-Mexico.
Both cultures threw some in there and spiced up the soul, helping out to lift up the heads of the local vatos.
High on pride and commitment to family, they carried themselves and went about their days laboring in the fields, working in the packing plants, working in construction projects, or on the docks.
After work they would always find some time to socialize, drinking some brews, puffing on frajos, on the strings and cords with their liras serenading the ladies with their romantics, or singing their sadness to the night.
A sad but happy hard life they lived, their days and nights were always filled with laughter, but filled with tears as well.
Their sad souls, their rough faces, their strong defiant and valiant attitude towards hardship, their commitment to one another, it all was watched and learned from, it all was deposited on the hearts and minds of the next generation who witnessed them, and the next generation tried to duplicate it all, in their own version, during their own growing up times.

Dirt streets criss-crossed the neighborhoods, a clear sign to outsiders that they'd entered the poor side of the town.
That’s what they were originally, isolated little villages on the outskirts of the society-in-charge of business and politics.
Poor little enclaves called Barrios and Colonias, soon to be marked for destruction by city planners and the wheels of time.
Nevertheless, the Low-Down Raza from the Poor-Sides grew ever stronger in the Califas style that sparked up the humble rebel-in-them.
They got into car clubs, picked up motorcycles, dressed down and hit the dancehalls.
They blazed up and hanged out with the crowd, kicking it at the corner, at the park or at the pool hall.
The times kept bringing on fast changes to the Barrios.
The music sounds, the fashion trends, the city landscape, the population mix., everything and all; the tic tocs of creeping time moving them fast-forward into the future, not giving much chance for the younger generations to fully grasp things from the old side of the fence, and so they adopted what they could, and disguised the new..
Raza Loca de Califas they became, first Pachucos, then Cholos, and now Brown Pride Gangsters!

American Gangsterism captivated and seduced the Vatos Locos, one generation after another.
Just like the rest from all over the Brown Nation of Aztlan, they carried inside their veins the fiery blood of a warrior past, and so they created their modern tribes, their modern neighborhood clans.
Their attitude remained the same ole one, that of a Mexican trapped inside America.
Mexico forgot about them, and America denied them.
Not from here, nor from there, they found themselves as from neither one;
And so they went about in creating their own little countries in the form of Varrios..
They gave their allegiance, and devoted themselves to one another, backing each other against any and all enemies.
As time went by, little by little, they built up their own sub-culture.
They transformed their dress code to conform to the flamboyant look;
They re-invented the English and Spanish language and applied a slang version to their everyday talk.
El Vato Loco drapped himself with the gangster image of the American Roaring 20s and 30s, but a-la-Mexican version.
Rebels of society who strolled around, and rolled around, defining their space, marking their territory, establishing their borders.
Going places, they’d run into hassles.
Rumbles and throwing down with others from around near-by became the thing.
Soon, street warfare between Brown Raza replaced fighting for racial space, and soon enough, the Varrios became fully focused on each other.
Their rivalries rose to a level of hatred and violence for which there is no end in sight.
The toe to toe, the fists and kicks gave way to knives and chains;
Knives and chains in turn gave rise to guns and rifles;
And now automatics and high-power calibers reign supreme.
What was once about your street, your friends, your space in this great little big world, became ever more encroached upon by new streets and new faces, faces with new ideas and aspirations for life.

The old nostalgia is becoming but a faded memory, seldom remembered in the concrete jungle rat-race.
Thee rat-race virus, unstoppable in its invasion and corruption of a vato's soul!

The SOxBAY first crazy vatos are lost to recorded history.
Few records exist other than a few newspaper articles pertaining to “criminal” activity.
The rest comes from a few old heads that can tell you the tales from the hood in small talk personal conversation.
But it is said that amongst the first to organize into what later gave rise to the Varrios of today, are said to be those like THEE IMPERIALS from Imperial Beach, the VULTURES from San Ysidro, and the ANCHOR BOYS from National City.
A later generation like the COACHMEN from Sidro, and the YATOS from Otay are credited to be from the actual generation that cliqued up and formed the Varrios as we know them today..

IMP13, IMPERIAL
SYR, SIDRO
O13, OTAY
OTNC, VIEJO
VLPR, PALMAS
VCV, CHULA VISTA
DSR, DEL SOL
and NST, NESTOR

are listed as the oldest of the SOxBAY.

These SOxBAY Varrios like others from other parts of the County and State, were able to maintain themselves old-school and traditional;
Each one was able to keep their locals united, and each new Varrio clique gave their first allegiance to the Varrio, the clique came second!

The SOxBAY varrios were able to keep it together like that for several decades, all the way up to the late 1970s.
But by then, several factors had begun to take a toll on their little nations.
The freeway system was built over Barrio lands, destroying whole sections of the neighborhoods, creating physical barriers and divisions between their communities.
Palm City, Chula Vista, National City, Nestor and San Ysidro were the hardest hit by the criss-crossing freeway system.
New housing developments and commercial business complexes arose here and there and everywhere.
The population growth brought tons of new faces and skin shades, and different attitudes to the sacred grounds.
The later trolley line further added a boundary for some.

Whereas before all the locals from each Varrio started out in the same Elementary school and Junior High;
Now, there were many different schools in each town.
The nostalgia of the Old Times had passed and the new sounds, the new garb, the new rides, new trends, new this, new that and new everything propagated by the media and Hollywood in full partnership with business entrepreneurs, had propelled the younger minds into a wide diversity of styles.
The 1980s killed the old and propelled the Varrios into a new era, an era with few rules and deviant attitudes.
Too many vatos going in all different directions, and too many vatos coming in from other places making the SOxBAY their stomping grounds.
Vatos from other SD areas, vatos from LOS, vatos from Tijuas and Mexico, vatos from all over have come down over the years and added their differences to the mix.

The Varrios remain still as one, but the Barrios themselves are far from that.

Law enforcement took its toll on the Varrios as well.
An abundance of resources were put into play..
Once an area was targeted for “clean up” ..
so many Homies began to get locked up for long ass years at a time;
Thus leaving less and less solid vatos on the streets to demonstrate some ole school clecha and recruit.

The effects of so many changes became something of a free-for-all for vatos to go about it any which way that suited them best.
Rockers, Party Crews, Taggers, Stoners, Rock-A-Billy’s and others pulled people away from the Varrios;
And the once huge numbers a Varrio pulled, dropped down big time.
The many new crews that sprung up bordering on the old streets..
in time also gave rise to their own new Treces.

And..

After all is said and done, suffice to say that even with all that heavy chet that has come down on these old grounds..

~> the Old Varrios continue to come out strong..
Defying it all:

Including time itself!

Can’t no one claim that the SOxBAY / SOxSIDE can’t hang with the best..
Because they are from The Best!

From an OLD GUARD of BARRIOS that transcends the decades!

DEDICATED TO THEE OLD SOxBAY VARRIOS . . .

PUT THEM UP

TODO CYCO!

NATIONAL CITY SUR 13

2009-04-29T09:53:00.000-07:00

ANCHOR BOYS said to be NATIONAL CITY viejos
Longshoremen Raza of old who worked on the docks (en el Harbor)
and presumed to be "predecessors" in National City.

NOS NIGHT OWLS
One of National City's original Raza cliques who claimed the area centered around Highland and 30TH Street. Mostly inactive now. Contemporary's with OTNC Varrio.

WEST SIDE N.C. LOCOS
On the Northern sector of National City just East of Highland Avenue.
WS’NC’LS claim the area in-between
(W) Highland Ave. .
(N) Division St. .
(E) Palm Ave or the 805.
(S) 8TH Street

ALLEY BOYS (ABS)
Claimed the area around Norton (Street) Avenue neighborhood
The Acre Boys from the Lincoln Acres neighborhood also use the initials “ABS”

NORTON AVENUE BOYS

DIVISION STREET LOCOS
Borderline National City and South East San Diego
Tucked in-between OTNC and SHELL TOWN.

YESCA BOYS (YBS)
A.k.a. YESCA 13
From the 2200 Block of “Lanoitan’ Avenue
Lanoitan equals “National” spelled backwards

RASTA BOYS from the 80s
OG start up Vatos from both National City & Chula Vista

EAST SIDE NATIONAL CITY

ACRE BOYS (ABS)
Associated with the BLOCK BOYS.
From the Lincoln Acres "unincorporated" neighborhood in the Southeast corner of National city.
Norte ~> Plaza Blvd.
Sur ~> 54 Filipino-Americano Freeway
East ~> Calle Rachel
West ~> The 805

BLOCK BOYS (BBS) & (NCBB)
Associated with the ACRE BOYS.
Claim the Alta Vista neighborhood in the Northeast corner of NC with Cherry & Peach Blossom Lanes and 4TH as the core of their Varrio.
OG HQ’s 4100 Block of East Plaza Blvd.
(W) Harbison St.
(N) Division St.
(S) Paradise Valley Rd.

EAST SIDE N.C. LOCOS (ESNCLS)
From the PLAZA MANOR neighborhood.
Claim the area in-between
(W) Palm Avenue / 805 Freeway..
(E) Harbison Avenue..
(S) Plaza Blvd..
(N) Division Street.

Acre Boys, Block Boys and ESNC’Locos are all from National City’s East Side (East of the 805 Freeway), but even though they’re all separate Varrios, they all align together and claim ES’NC.

And another NC creation the..
SOUTH SIDE MOB 13
a.k.a. NC MOB 13
Also Known As SOUTH BAY MOB
Said to be kick-started by vatos from L.A. County's LYNWOOD MOB and vatos from SOUTH EAST San Diego County in the 1980s.

OLD TOWN NATIONAL CITY

2009-04-15T23:18:00.000-07:00

Official Varrio Initials: "OTNC"

Aka: “PVNC” Pueblo Viejo National City

Flag color: Baby (powder) Blue

Lid: Univ. of North Carolina

Hand Sign: (Pending Art)

Numerical Initials: XVXX and 1520

OLD TOWN NATIONAL CITY gets its name due to the fact that Ciudad Nacional is the second oldest City in the County, dating back to the late 1800s. Before the City was incorporated as NC, it formed part of the Older “Rancho de la NACION.” And even though the Varrio OTNC is much younger than the actual City, the name Old Town National City was already in popular use in the 1930s, a mere decade after the Mexican community (barrio) had settled in the area in good numbers.

OTNC is one of the biggest and oldest varrio’s of San Diego County and it is also considered to be the Oldest Varrio in NATIONAL CITY. Its reputation is well known all around and vatos from OTNC represent in most pintas. Some from OTNC ranks have even gone up the ladder all the way to the top, becoming full-fledged eMe members and even AFC associates.

NATIONAL CITY The Town is also home to one of the oldest and most renowned cruisin spots in the Southland. “HIGHLAND” Avenue, which at its peak in the 1980s was a mecca for cruisin’. The local SAN DIEGO/NATIONAL CITY crusin’ scene goes back to the 1940s when Pachucos rolled through the border towns in cutdown Chevrolets. Lowriders and cruisin grew in strength and numbers through the decades of the 50s and 60s, and reached a high point in the 1970s when cruisin to and from Chicano Park in Barrio Logan and down to N.C’s Highland Avenue was a must on weekends and occasions.

Old Town incorporates the National City part in its name and initials “always” and that’s because OTNC claims the City (Town) and not necessarily SOUTH BAY S.D. even though OTNC does ride in the South Bay car. But for the most part OTNC claims strictly “WEST SIDE NC.”

NATIONAL CITY, CHULA VISTA and IMPERIAL BEACH are their own cities and they’re not part of the City of San Diego, therefore OTNC does not claim “SOUTH SIDE S.D.” But OTNC is right dead smack in the middle/borderline between San Diego’s SOUTH BAY and San Diego's SOUTH EAST Side.

OTNC like all other legit Varrio’s from SOxCAL is part of the “SUR 13” camp.

OTNC also claims the biggest chunk of territory of all the National City Varrios. They claim the neighborhood from . . .

Borders: (But not restricted to)
(N) Division Street
(S) 18 Street, even as far as 24 Street
(W) I-5 Freeway
(E) Highland Avenue

Old Corazon del Barrio:
Between 4Th and 8Th Calles
With Coolidge, Roosevelt and Hoover Avenues.
What little remains of the Old Barrio is all in present times East of the I-5 Freeway. The rest fell under the freeway construction and another portion taken over by the Naval Station.

Cliques:

OTNC Varrio dates back to the 1940s and it is currently hitting on its sixth or seventh generation.

GTS GATOS
Another Veteranos Clique, but they do have some young recruits and are still represented.

MIDGETS a.k.a. ENANO BOYS "EBS"
OG HQ's at PALM and R Avenue.
Claim the area from 4TH Street, to
Palm Avenue, to Avenue R.

INSANES a.k.a. INSANE BOYS "IBS"
One of the most reputed and active cliques from OTNC in the 1990s and still going strong!
OG HQ's "E" Avenue Block
Claim the area around Avenue E, but in reality they’re all over the place.

ANTIGUOS a.k.a. OLDEN BOYS "OBS"
OG HQ's at HOOVER & 19Th "DEAD END"
Claim the Kimball Park neighborhood, and the turf west of 19 Street, plus the Hoover Avenue Dead End. OBS is said to the biggest and most active clique going hard in present times.

Both the Insanes and Oldens are the biggest cliques of OTNC but they seem to run separately as if each clique runs their own part of the neighborhood.

LATINOS a.k.a. LATINO BOYS
Mostly Brown Bro's HQ in Tj.

OTNC Varrio has been through out its history “a target” for placas and city gov to try and bust and break down. It has had a long history of police crackdowns culminating in the most recent injunctions placed on them of recent years to try and evict them from their birth grounds. But OTNC Raza persists and they ain’t going nowhere. If anything, all that PD & GOV has achieved is “spread” the Varrio around beyond its original terreno. Nowadays OTNC Homeboys are found all over the County and State, and although they may be far away from home, their love for their Varrio has no end.

OTNC will never end!

VARRIO MISSION BAY 13

2009-01-16T21:45:00.001-08:00

Moto: “LIVE FOR THE MISSION, DIE FOR THE BAY”

Also known as “THE BAY” & “WEST BAY”

Claims: WEST SIDE SAN DIEGO

Initials: VMB and MB13

Numerical Initials: “13’02”

Lids: Western Michigan University for Mission Bay
And the Green Bay Packers for Thee Grand Avenue

Cliques
MB HAZARD – Late 1960s / Early 1970s
MB LS (LOCOS) – Late 1970s (1979)
MB GD’AVE (GRAND AVENUE BOYS) – Early 1970s
MB DE (132 DEAD END BOYS) – Early 1970s
MB TMC (THE MAGICIANS CLUB) – Late 1970s
MB DR’ST (DELREY STREET BOYS) – 1990s
MB B’ST (BOND STREET BOYS) – 1990s
MB B'R (BAY RIDERS) – 1990s

Old Neighborhood:
MB Varrio is located in a triangular shaped area bordered by..
(N) Balboa Avenue
(S) Grand Avenue
(E) Interstate 5

VARRIO MISSION BAY IS TECHNICALLY WITHIN THE SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY OF “PACIFIC BEACH” WHICH SURROUNDS THE FIRME LOOKING MISSION BAY PARK ON IT’S NORTHERN SHORE BORDERS.

VARRIO MB IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN KICK STARTED BY HOMEBOYS FROM LA BIG HAZARD DE RAMONA GARDENS EAST LOS BACK IN THE LATE SIXTIES.. BACK IN THEM YEARS, THE BARRIO ALREADY HAD PLENTY OF RAZA IN THE LOCAL STREETS, BUT THEM WERE DIFFERENT TIMES AND THE FULL IMPACT FROM THE VARRIO WORLD HAD YET TO TAKE ROOT. THAT’S HOW “MISSION BAY HAZARD” CAME TO BE SET UP IN THE BAY.

LA RAZA FROM MB BACK THEN HAD IT COOL WITH THE NEIGHBORS FROM VARRIO CLARAS (CLAIREMONT) JUST FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. THE VATOS FROM CLARAS USED TO COME DOWN AND KICK IT WITH THE LOCALS AT “THE COURTS” (ROSE CREEK BASKETBALL COURTS) LOCATED BY BOND STREET UNDERNEATH THE GRAND AVENUE PUENTE.

PRIMERO, THAT’S HOW THE VATOS FROM MB AND CLARAS GOT ALONG, AND ANY PLEITO BETWEEN THEM WAS HANDLED THE MAN’S WAY, A PUROS CHINGADAZOS. THAT OF COURSE WAS THE WAY, UNTIL CUETES AND FUSCAS GOT INTRODUCED, AND FROM THEN ON, BLOODSTAINS ON THE CONCRETE IS HOW THE RIVALRY ENDED UP TURNING INTO.

THE COURTS WERE ONE OF THE HANG OUTS FOR MB RAZA, BUT THERE WERE OTHER ONES. ANOTHER OLD SCHOOL HANG OUT WAS “LA CAHUILLA,” THE 2300 BLOCK SECTION OF GRAND AVENUE SO NAMED BECAUSE OF THE OLD DILIPATED CANTONES AND RUN DOWN NITTY-GRITTY LOOKING STREET THAT IT WAS, REMINDED THE OLD MB BARRIO RESIDENTS OF THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT IN THE NEAR-BY BORDER TOWN OF TIJUANA.

THE MB RAZA THAT KICKED IT ON THIS BLOCK WERE OLD SCHOOL AND THEY TOO BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CLOSE-BY MORLEY STREET VATOS FROM LINDA VISTA. THESE MB VATOS SPAWNED THE CLIQUE KNOWN TO THIS DAY AS THEE “GRAND AVENUE BOYS”. AND IT WAS THESE SAME G’AVE BOYS THAT HAD PLEITO WITH ANOTHER MB CLIQUE OF IT’S DAY KNOWN AS THE “132 DEAD ENDS" WHO WERE FROM THE AREA AROUND FIGUEROA AND BOND STREETS IN THE CENTRO OF THE MB BARRIO.

AT FIRST, THERE WERE SERIO PLEITOS BETWEEN THE G’AVE BOYS AND THE 132 DEAD ENDS, AND WHEN THE TMC (THE MAGICIANS CLUB) LOCOS CAME INTO THE MIX IN THE LATER 1970s. THEY TOO AND THE DEAD ENDS HAD PLEITO WITH THE MB LOCOS CLIQUE THAT SPAWNED OFF FROM THE MB HAZARD.

THE ORIGINAL TMC’s ARE SAID TO HAVE CAME DOWN FROM L.A. BUT SOON THEY STARTED RECRUITING BECOMING ONE OF THE BIGGEST MB CLIQUES OF THE TIMES. ALL THESE MB CLIQUES BEEFED WITH EACH OTHER, UNTIL THEIR FEUDS TURNED DEADLY, AND THAT’S WHEN THEY ALL GOT TOGETHER AND DECIDED TO SETTLE DOWN VERSUS EACH OTHER AND FORM THE OFFICIAL “VARRIO MISSION BAY”. BUT EVEN THOUGH THEY ALL BECAME PART OF VARRIO MISSION BAY 13, THEY ALL STILL KEPT REPRESENTING THEIR OWN BLOCK OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, EVEN ‘TILL THIS DAY. IT ALL STILL GOES DOWN AS TO WHAT STREET YOU LIVE ON AND THAT’S HOW THEY BANG IN THE “WEST BAY.”

BY THE MID 1980s, VARRIO MB HAD TWO BIG CLIQUES. THE “LOCOS” AND THE “GRAND AVE BOYS.” BUT IN THE 1990s TWO NEW CLIQUES SPRUNG UP, THE “BOND STREET BOYS” AND THE DELREY STREET BOYS. EACH ONE OF THEM MUCH SMALLER THAN THEIR OLDEN CONTEMPORARIES BUT KEEPING THE MB VARRIO GOING. A LATTER CLIQUE THAT CAME UP ARE THE “BAY RIDERS,” THESE HOMIES STARTED OUT AS TAG’BANGERS HITTING THE FREEWAYS AND FAR AWAY WALLS AND ALL THAT, BUT THEY TOO CAME TO REPRESENT “THE BAY.” THE BAY RIDERS HOWEVER CAME TO BE BASED ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE FREEWAY IN CLAIREMONT. BUT THIS WAS NOT OUT OF THE ORDINARY SINCE VMB CAME TO OUTGROW ITS OLD BORDERS, BECOMING THE SECOND BIGGEST VARRIO OF THE WEST SIDE IN TERMS OF NUMBERS, AND WITH THE NUMBERS, THEY TOO SPILLED OUT FROM THEIR OLD SECLUDED LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD INTO THE NEAR-BY GREATER AREAS.

VMB DID NOT CLAIM NO “SIDE” UNTIL THE 1980’s. THAT’S WHEN “SIDE” THIS OR “SIDE” THAT CAME TO FORM PART OF THE VARRIO STRUCTURE ALL AROUND. BEFORE THEN, THERE WERE VARRIOS IN SAN DIEGO THAT CLAIMED OR BASED THEIR NAME ON A LOCALITY “SIDE” OF TOWN, BUT IT WAS NOT A BIG THING FOR MOST. THAT IS, UNTIL THE 1980s, AND MB WENT THAT WAY TOO. MB WENT ON TO CLAIM WEST SIDE JUST THE SAME AS THE OTHER VARRIOS LIKE WOP TOWN, OLD TOWN SD, LINDA VISTA AND CLARAS 13.

AS THE YEARS WENT BY, VMB ADDED MORE AND MORE ENEMIES TO THEIR LIST. WHAT STARTED OUT AS NEAR-BY BEEFS WITH CLARAS AND LINDA VISTA, EXTENDED OUT TO INCLUDE OTHERS LIKE WOP TOWN AND EVEN FAR AWAY VARRIOS FROM THE “EAST SIDE” AND “SOUTH EAST” SAN DIEGO AREAS.

VARRIO MISSION BAY IN THIS NEW MILENIO, NOW FOUR DECADES LATER, CONTINUES TO HAVE A FULL REPRESENTATION ON THE STREETS AND IN THE PINTAS.

Picture and History credits..
PAULY from the MBLSx13

VARRIO SOTEL 13

2008-02-27T13:16:00.001-08:00

VARRIO SOTEL 13

Initials “S13”

Name derived from the community of SAWTELLE

Varrio hand sign is the two handed “S”.

Bandana Color: Brown

Varrio claims WEST LOS

Started out in the 1950's

Started out as a Car Club

OG name "THEE FALCONS"

Stoner Park ~> the heart of the Varrio

Clikas:
Diablos/Devils
Niteowls
Dukes
Chicos Locos
Peewees
Pachucos

Borders:
N ~> Santa Monica
S ~> Pico
W ~> Centinela
E ~> The 405

UNI HIGH
University High School

Sotel 13 is an old West Los Varrio, which dates back to the 1950's.

The SOTEL name is derived from the community of “SAWTELLE”.

SOTEL is much in line like all the rest of the old school names like
WILMAS for Wilmington
LONGO for Long Beach
PACAS for Pacoima
BOLEN for Baldwin Park
so on and so on..

Sawtelle was always a mix of lower and middle-income residents but it was never a barrio as we tend to perceive places like East Los or Sal Si Puedes in San Jo. Their neighborhood consisted of primarily lower-income housing, but due to real estate values jumping up, they are slowly losing their streets to richer folks moving in and buying up more and more properties. There are still a lot of Latino residents in that area despite the gentrification and re-development but little by little, they're being pushed out.

Sotel has always been a fairly small but tight knit Varrio. That's their strength. I can't imagine Sotel the Varrio dying out. Some other cliques and clubs have come and gone in that area, like the West Side Crazies, West LA Trippers, West LA Party Boyz, West Los 13 and West Side Locos 13, but Sotel has always survived.

Sotel started out in the 1950's as Thee Falcons de Sotel, which was more of a Lowrider club. It is said that in the 1960's the Chicano cliques of the West Los (Santa Monica, West L.A., Venice, Culver City/Mar Vista and Sawtelle) caught on to the East L.A. cholo style and reinvented themselves as Varrios. Thee Falcons became SOTEL 13 and some of the other cliques became Venice 13, Santa 13, Via, etc. Most Sotel Homies live around the Brockton Avenue and Norris Terry elementary school neighborhood, centered mostly around Stoner Park, at least that is "historically". They're a very spread out Varrio, so you will only catch them together only at their hang out spots. Their main click now is the Diablos and they usually wear the San Diego Padres lid, which stand for Sotel Diablos.

LOMITA VILLAGE 70

2007-12-16T07:24:00.000-08:00

LVR ~ LV13 ~ LV70

LOMITA VILLAGE 13

A.k.a. Lomita Varrio 70

LOMITA VILLAGE

LVR ~ Lomita Village Rifa.. The “R” is not used regularly in order to avoid confusion with Linda Vista Rifa

LV13 ~ Lomita Village 13.. The “Varrio” started out in the late 1950s, hence the “13”

LV70 ~ Lomita Village 70.. Sometimes referred to as Lomita Varrio Setentas

LV gets its name straight off from the community in the far East Side of San Diego, located..

N) Jamacha Road
S) Skyline Drive
W) Meadowbrook Drive
E) Billow Drive

The heart of the Varrio is Lomita Park

Lomita Village presently claims “SOUTH EAST” because the neighborhood is located in the southeastern part of San Diego’s greater east side.

Original veteranos cliques from the L V

BASTONES ~ 1950s-1960s
DUBONETTS ~ 1950s-1960s
JURYMEN ~ 1960s

The Jurymen were the last of the old clubs from Lomita.
All the original cliques each used to sport their clique name on their club jackets together with the neighborhood name.

LV13 put in mad work since the late 50s, and the two decades prior to the 7’Os. Contrary to popular belief, LV13 & LV70 are not synonymous. In fact, Setentas is a “clique” from LV13. The 7’Os were sparked up by some vatos from Comptone Varrio 70 who were from the Lomita neighborhood and mixed in. LV13 and LV70 at one time did not even get along that much, but in 1978 an LV13 homeboy wasted a jura, and that brought down the heat on the varrio. Things got real hot and homies were getting torcidos and sent up to do long sentences. Right around that year is when the 7’Os Chicos started putting in work together with the LV13 Diablos & LiL Spiders. As time went by, more and more LV13 homeboys were either getting smoked, locked up or going into retirement, and so the youngsters kinda forgot about the older gente, but the Chicos kept the Village on deck. Eventually the LV13 kinda took a back seat to the LV70, but don’t let that confuse you because there’s still plenty of LV’s that don’t claim 70s. There’s stil homies around that claim LV13 NOMAS! And just to re-iterate what has already been said, the LV oldie cliques never claimed LV70, PERIOD!

LV ~” SUNNYSIDE BLOCK “~ 13
BUSTER DANNY’BOY DOC PANCHO MUGS BUCK
BOYKINS SOLDIER FAT’RAT ARDILLA BIG’BEN

Mas LV cliques:

MIDGETS LV13
SPIDERS LV13
LIL’ SPIDERS LV13
DIABLOS LV13
CHICOS (7’Os)
JUNIORS (7’Os)
RASCALS LV70
DEMONIOS LV70
TRAVIESOS LV70
MALOS LV70

Nevertheless, it is all together the LOMITA VILLAGE hood
REPRESENTING from Donovan to Pelican Bay!

Lomita Village has siempre pleito with
Varrio Encanto to the west,
Lemon Grove to the north,
Paradise Lomas to the south,
and Spring Valley Locos to the east.

SAN DIEGO VARRIOS

2007-09-07T19:38:00.000-07:00

SAN DIEGO VARRIOS

SY ~ SYR
SAN YSIDRO
A.k.a. “SIDRO”
Klikas . . .
Coachmen
Enanos
Villa Locos
Locotes
Tiny Locos
Lil Locos
Malos
Boys

Note: For some of SIDRO's history read up on the March 17, 2007 "Archives".

IMP ~ IMP13
IMPERIAL 13
A.k.a. Imperials
Klikas . . .
Dukes
Rascals

BWL ~ BWLS
BRANDYWINE LOCOS

O13 ~ OX3 ~ VLO
OTAY 13
A.k.a. Varrio Loco Otay
Klikas . . .
Yatos
Del Sol Riders
River Bottom Locos
Montgomery Locos
Rasta Locos

DS ~ DSR ~ DS13
DEL SOL
Klikas . . .
Vagos
Malos
Dead Ends
Riders Locos
Sun City Locos

RC ~ RCLS ~ SSR
RUFF CITY
A.k.a. South Side Roughnecks
A.k.a. Rough Riders

CALS
Crazy Ass Locos

PALS
Palm Avenue Locos

PALS
Palm City Locos

FH ~ PC ~ PC’FH
PALM CITY FROM HELL
A.k.a. Familia Hispana
Klikas . . .
Locos

VLPR
LAS PALMAS
Varrio LAS PALMAS was an old varrio located in the South San Diego neighborhood of Palm City. The old varrio extended south of the Otay River marshland area, all the way to Coronado Avenue, centered around Palm Avenue and Harris Avenue. The neighborhood once reached as far west to 19 Street (present day Saturn Blvd). The old varrio was in time first broken up with the construction of Interstate 5, which was built right through the middle of the neighborhood and sliced it up into two halves. The western part of the varrio (west of I-5) was almost completely torn down and new development was raised up. Then when the San Diego Trolley line was built, another chunk of its neighborhood was destroyed. The Trolley line itself cut the varrio in half again. On the east side of the tracks new housing now stands. But on the west side of the tracks there still remains plenty of unpaved (dirt) streets even to this day. South of Palm Avenue the grounds there exhibit a mix of older homes and newer apartment buildings south along the back streets from Harris Avenue. Varrio Las Palmas survived all the way up to the very early 80s, but it has now given way to the younger generation of Raza that claims Palm City From Hell (Familia Hispana). In its final days, one could see nice firme big block Old Stilo Placasos on the walls as you rode past on the freeway or the trolley line. Further south along the 19 Street neighborhood, west of the I-5, La Raza gave birth to the Varrio NESTOR 19ST, in what was once inhabited by vatos that claimed South San Diego. From west of the I-5 and south of Palm Avenue, Varrio NSTR (Nestor Nineteenth STreet Rifa) governs the land.

NST ~ NSTR ~ NST19
NESTOR 19 STREET

VIA
Varrio Iris Avenue

DML
DAIRY MART LOCOS

SSD ~ DX3 ~ D13 ~ DBS
SOUTH SIDE DIABLOS
A.k.a. Chamukos

VCV
VARRIO CHULA VISTA

Klikas . . .
Grande Locos
Tiny Locos
Tiny Gangsters
E STreet
G STreet
H STreet
K STreet

South Bay 13

WSLS
WEST SIDE LOCOS

YESCA 13
You have to go back in time to remember the vatos that claimed YESCA 13. Back in the mid to late 70s these vatos where claiming ESxNC. They had their spot just north of the ACRE BOYS and west of PARADISE HILLS, over by Lanoitan Avenue. I don't think they're around anymore.

ES’NCLS
East Side NATIONAL CITY LOCOS

OTNC
OLD TOWN NATIONAL CITY
Klikas . . .
Gatos
Night Owls
Anchor Boys
Olden Boys
Enano Boys
Latino Boys
Insane Boys ~> broke off.

IBS ~ WS’NC
INSANE BOYS
A.k.a. West Side National City

BBS ~ NC’BBS
BLOCK BOYS
(Alta Vista neighborhood)

ABS
ACRE BOYS
(Lincoln Acres)

ALLEY BOYS
(Norton Avenue Boys)

SSC
SOUTH SIDE CRIMINALS

NC MOB 13
NATIONAL CITY MOB 13
A.K.A. South Side Mob 13

MB13 ~ MBLS
MISSION BAY LOCOS

Klikas . . .
Grand Avenue Boys
Delrey Street Boys
132 Dead End
Hazard
The Magicians Club

CMR ~ CLMT WEST CLARAS
(Clairemont)

LV13 ~ LVR ~ VLV
VARRIO LINDA VISTA
Klikas . . .
Morley Street
Rascals
Peewees
Riders
Tiny Locos

WT ~ WxT
WOP TOWN
Klikas . . .
Krazies
Amici Park

OTSD
OLD TOWN SAN DIEGO

LM26 ~ GH13
LOMAS 26 STREET
A.k.a. Golden Hill
Klikas
Locos (The Alley)
XVI STreet
XVIII Sreet
XXX STreet
Juniors (Chicos)
Dukes
Malditos

Note: For some of LOMAS history, read up on the March 2, 2006 "Archives".

SM ~ VSM ~ BSM
BARRIO SHERMAN
A.K.A. Sherman Heights
Klikas . . .
27 STREET
20 STREET
Grant Hill Park Locos

Note: For some of SHERMAN's history, read up on the March 10, 2006 "Archives".

SE13 ~ SESD
SOUTHEAST 13
A.k.a. South East San Diego

ESD ~ ESSD
EAST SIDE SAN DIEGO
A.k.a. East Side Diego
Klikas . . .
Gatos
Rascals
Chicos
Dead End Locos
AEK
Avenue Euclid Klika
EBS ~ EBK
Evil Boys Klika

East Side 27 Street Locos

JRS ~ JRS13
JUNIORS

VC13
VARRIO CHOLLAS 13

VM ~ VMS ~ VML ~ VMP
VARRIO MARKET STREET
Klikas . . .
Locos
Peewees

VEL ~ ENC13
VARRIO ENCANTO Locos
A.k.a. Encanto Heights

LH ~ LHTS
LOGAN HEIGHTS
Klikas . . .
Red Steps
A.k.a. Barrio Logan
30’TA
33 STreet
35 STreet
13 Locos
LH CLIKA (East Side)
Old . . .
32 LUCKIES
Cherries
Chicanos
Osos
Lobos
Coyotes
Toros

Note: For some of the RED STEPS history, read up on the March 4, 2007 "Archives".

32ND STREET “TOKERS”

LVR ~ LV13 ~ LV70 ~ ESL
LOMITA VILLAGE
A.k.a. Lomita Varrio 70
(East Side Lomita)
Klikas . . .

PH ~ PHR ~ PH13
PARADISE HILLS

LG13 ~ VLG
VARRIO LEMON GROVE

OPLS
OAK PARK LOCOS

AZN ~ CHTS
AZTEC NATION
(City Heights)
Klikas . . .
Van Dyke Boys

VST ~ STR ~ ST38
SHELL TOWN
Klikas . . .
Gamma Boys
38 STreet

DSL
DIVISION STREET LOCOS

SVL
SPRING VALLEY LOCOS

EL CAJON DUKES

EL CAJON LOCOS

PSL ~ PZL ~ VPL
VARRIO POSOLE
Varrio POSOLE, sometimes spelled Pozole, is a real old varrio that dates back to the 1920s. This varrio is well known and heard about through out Califas and in la torcida. Posole is said to be in their sixth or seventh generation of vatos representing their terreno. From old times the initials for the varrio were PSL and PZL, but in these later tiempos the initials VP, VPL and VPLS for Varrio Posole Locos are being used. The olden varrio is located right before you hit Camp Pendleton, immediately east of Interstate 5 and north of Mission Avenue; just south of the old San Luis Mission Road (present day 76 Expressway), centered around Balderama Park. Their borders today can be said to extend all the way south to Oceanside Blvd, and east all the way to Mesa Road. Posole claims East Side because they are in what back in them times was considered the east side of Oceanside.

TCS ~ CSG
TWENTY CENTER STREET
A.k.a. Center Street Gang

SOUTH SIDE OCEANSIDE

VST ~ VSL
VARRIO SUREñO TOWN
A.k.a. Varrio Sureño Locos

EAST SIDE OCEANSIDE
(Crown Heights)

PPLS
POCOS PERO LOCOS

LOS JOKERS

WOS
WICKED OCEANSIDE SUREñOS

TRI-CITY LOCOS

EG
EDEN GARDENS
A.k.a. La Colonia

EF
ENCINITAS FLATS

ENC13
ENCINITAS 13
South Side Locos

CBR ~ CBLS ~ CLS
CARLSBAD LOCOS

SSV
SOUTH SIDE VISTA

VH ~ VHB
VISTA HOMIES
A.k.a. Vista Homeboys

SM ~ VSM
VARRIO SAN MARCOS
Klikas . . .
Wolfpack

SL ~ SxL
Varrio SOUTH LOS

FBLS ~ VFLS
VARRIO FALLBROOK LOCOS

VM ~ VML
VARRIO MESA LOCOS

TH
THUNDER HILLS

EVD
ESCO VIEJO DIABLOS

ESCO SANTOS

VCG
VALLEY CENTRO GANG

WSG
WEST SIDE GANG

AVL
ALPINE VARRIO LOCOS

SANTEE ORIGINALS

VPL
VARRIO PEñASQUITOS LOCOS

Note: The San Diego Varrios and their Clikas
are listed in order to give recognition to them.
The list may not be 113% correct, therefore I
apologize for any mistakes made, for it is not
my intent to diss anybody or clown around. . .
Si salio mal esta madre, pues ponle unas letras
aqui ese.. Nobody knows it better than your own,
asi es que no cagues el palo and if you care to,
pues dejate caer con un aliviane ~ keep in mind~>
~> "Don't Be A Net'Banger" . . . This sitio ain't
made for that ese . . . So keep it level minded.

VARRIO SAN YSIDRO

2007-03-17T23:24:00.000-07:00

San Ysidro's early urban development came from a visionary group of people who came to settle in the valley in 1909 and founded an agricultural utopian colony called "Little Landers." This group of people, in communion with their Mexican neighbors appropriately, christened their community with the name of the patron saint of farmers, ISIDRO, "a virtuous farmer who had fallen asleep and had his fields plowed for him by angels."

Varrio San Ysidro aka “SIDRO” from the community which carries the same name is located in the southern most part of the City of San Diego, adjacent to the international border with Tijuana (Tijuas) Baja Califas.

San Ysidro is a community that is both a small town and bustling city; a gateway between Mexico and Califas. More than a century of settlement and development makes San Ysidro a changing community, yet one which still retains a village atmosphere. Many architectural and cultural qualities from different periods of its evolving history have been retained and are captured in this neighborhood. San Ysidro began as an agricultural experiment to preserve a rural agricultural/farm lifestyle, but now has emerged as a multicultural area attempting to maintain its sense of community. Some areas of the Barrio are characterized by real-olden homes with well-tended gardens where las familias know their vecinos, while newer urban tracts of homes and ever increasing apartment complexes continue to add into the mix of residents.

Varrio San Ysidro is bounded in the east by the hills and canyons below Otay Mesa. To the west is the Tijuana River Valley, a vast wetlands area that reaches as far west to the Pacific Ocean. To the south is the International border; Tijuana on the other side of La Linea (The Fence). Bordering on the north side is the 905 Freeway which separates Sidro from the communities of Nestor/Otay. These natural and man-made boundaries have served the Varrio well over time in helping it to keep its unique identity; however the cohesion of this community over the decades, has been fragmented by the construction of Interstates (5), (805), (905) and the San Diego trolley.

San Ysidro’s Mexican roots and ties with Tijuana have from the onset been real strong. There can never be any question about the ties-that-bond both sides of the border in this here town. From its early history of ranchos and farms, to the turn of the century Little Landers Colony experiment; continuing thru the 1920’s and onto the 1930’s when Mexicans began to increase dramatically in numbers and into the 1940s when Sidro became the gateway to the bustling party town of Tijuas. Tijuana with its nightlife, its gambling, its racetrack and oceanfront beaches, attracted more than a just few people from American & Californian society. Amongst the throngs of people coming down to party-hardy, so too entered the Pachucos and they introduced their Gangster stilo. These Chucos --Tarzanes as they were called down on the Mexican Side, so much influenced the young jente in Tijuas, that their style survived even up to the late 60s/early 70s. In SY, they left their impact as well, and the Young Raza from Sidro being no different than the rest, joined up in the style and created their own Pachuco Club.

The “COACHMEN” the first clika from SIDRO.

The Coachmen began their life as an un-official car-club in the very early 1950s. The Barrio in those days was very much all-along San Ysidro Blvd. in particular, further to the west side --west of today’s 805 freeway-- stretching all the way to Dairy Mart Road. The COACHMEN cruised with their coches (ranflas) all up and down LA VILLA as the strip was called in-between Via de San Ysidro and Dairy Mart Road. Most of the neighborhood Vatos (some 50 in those days) worked and kicked it at the empacadoras (the packing plants) also on the strip, over by where SY Blvd and Dairy Mart Road meet. By the late 50s, these Vatos had become straight-up a “VARRIO” in all sense of the meaning, and at the start of the 60s, their second generation “Los ENANOS” took their place.

During the 1950/60s, the population increased big time and the Barrio kept growing. Soon, the slicing up of the community began. The construction of Interstate 5 cut off Calle Primera and the southern part of the old neighborhood, splicing it off from the rest of the community.

Then in 1964, the 805 spliced it up again right down the middle, creating what today is called East & West SY Blvd; thus, cutting off the oldest part of the neighborhood straddling the Rail Road tracks closest to La Colonia Libertad of Tijuana.

Businesses and new housing development sprang up everywhere. The southern part of the neighborhood, south of Calle Primera, became a smugglers paradise. Laying right next to the then wide-open countryside and swamplands --next to the then still non-built Tijuana River-levee-- and the dairy's/horse ranches below the pristine hillsides, canyons and ravines in the notorious “Badlands." This whole area became the most contested grounds between La Migra & La Raza ever; all up to the time when Operation Gatekeeper built up their border protection system of cameras, motion sensors and La Tortillera (the ugliest-looking sheet-metal high-fence ever built).

The tract along Camino De La Plaza was built up with commercial malls and the Park Haven Apartment complex came to existence in-between those shopping plazas and Larson Field --later re-named Cesar Chavez Community Center. The Park Haven Apartment complex still stands today. A two block low-income housing place that was notoriously known as the half-way houses between runs across the Badlands.

On the north side of the I-5, the Barrio continued to grow around the Library and Community Center located on East & West Park Ave. This area became the heart of the Barrio and remains so onto these present times. It is in this turf that the next generations of SY clikas sprung-up in the 1970s.

The 70s saw an explosion in Raza. Crowds of Raza were everywhere. Up by the hills above Beyer Blvd over by Del Sur Blvd, the VILLA NUEVA apartment complex was built in 1970. The residents who had been displaced by the never-ending build-up and re-development, were given first crack at the units. This place has all the looks of a typical housing-projects complex, and back in the 70s, La Raza in these grounds got together and formed the clika VILLA LOCOS.

The VLS kicked it at THE LANE --present day Athey Ave.-- at the Vista Terrace Park overlooking the ravine running along the then 117 Highway --which later became the 905 Fwy. This ravine was semi-wild country and it separates Sidro from Varrio Del Sol on the other side of the road.

When the 905 was built in 1975 along this same route, it broke-off another chunk of SY to the northwest along Iris Avenue. This area around Southwest Junior H.S. gave birth for a short-stint to the VARRIO IRIS AVENUE (VIA).

During the mid-to-late 70s, the LOCOTES clika sprung up in the Park Ave neighborhood. During this time-era, the Surfo (Stoner) stilos came of age on both sides of The Fence. Cholo & Surfo gangs exploded in Tijuas, and in San Ysidro the young crowds of Raza, --which many have always kept up ties with families south of the border—their Surfo counterparts also staked claim to hang-out spots in Sidro. The SY PUNKS surfaced during these years; then LOS BIKERS (both Surfo crowds). The SY Punks gradually fell in-line with the Cholo stile and joined up with SYR. Los Bikers used to hang around where today’s Beyer Blvd Trolley Station exist today on Beyer and Cottonwood Road. They adopted their name from the simple fact that their members all had those old-school 16 inch spoke wheels bikes. At the turn of the 80s when the Trolley system was built in 1981, their spot was razed and with the Surfo stile becoming a dying breed, it didn’t take long for them to disappear from the scene. Nevertheless, some from Los Bikers joined the main SY ranks.

With the arrival of the 80s decade, new clikas were formed.

In the mid-80's the SY GANGSTERS formed up and kicked it at The Alley (Cypress Dr.) behind West Park Ave in the street-alley where it meets up with Blanche Street.

The LOCOTES clika continued-on, but they took up a spot further north on Cypress, up the next block where it dead ends with the Trolley tracks.

The VILLA LOCOS continued staying up as well, but their numbers were greater on the north side of the tracks.

By the mid-to-late 80s, the LIL LOCOS clika sprang up, sponsored by the LOCOTES, and then the TINY LOCOS, followed up by Los MALOS in the 1990s.

By the 1990s, all the SYR clikas were inter-mixed. They kicked it here there and everywhere. The MALOS began to make more of presence on the south side of the 5 Freeway over by Sycamore/Larsen Field as well as the LOCOTES. The TINY LOCOS remained closer to the center of the Barrio along the community center, even so, all the clikas continue to hang-out together.

Hitting the mid-decade of this new millennia, a new clika is on the making; youngsters calling themselves “BOYS,” but they’re yet to be confirmed, last heard of.

This History of VARRIO SAN YSIDRO is one pieced together here and there, therefore if I’m off on some or anyone can share better info, by all means

~~> spit it out.

“I’m more than interested” . . .

By LONEWOLF

BARRIO RED STEPS

2007-03-04T18:57:00.000-08:00

BARRIO RED STEPS

BARRIO LOGAN aka BARRIO RED STEPS is what the West Side of the Chicano Community of Logan Heights is called.

Barrio Logan Red Steps was split off from the rest of LOGAN HEIGHTS when Interstate 5 was constructed and divided the community in two halves.

El Barrio Logan is home to the Logan Heights RED STEPS Ganga, which is a clika of the much larger BARRIO LOGAN HEIGHTS GANG. In addition to the Red Steps clique, LH in present times is composed of the cliques LH30TA, LH33RD, LH13LS and the LH Clika located in East Side San Diego. Another prior olden times clika were the LH32 Luckys which is no longer active.

Barrio Logan Red Steps had its origins with an earlier gang named LOS CHERRIES way back in the 1950s. Los Cherries took their name from some big ass painted Red Steps of this huge house which used to be on the north side of Island Avenue, between 24th & 25th Streets. This house with the painted red steps was located in the area where today’s current pedestrian sky-bridge crosses-over Interstate 5, between Logan Avenue & Crosby Street (re-named Cesar Chavez in 1995).

When Interstate 5 was built in 1963, the house & the Steps were torn down; nevertheless, the new 1960s generation of Cherries adopted the name Red Steps for their new Clika as the older generation of Cherries faded into history.
By the time when Chicano Park was created in 1969/70, the Red Steps clika had long before already become fully incorporated into the united Barrio Logan Heights Gang. This Greater LHTS Gang by uniting over the years between the late 1950s & early 1960s, all the gangs in the area like Los OSOS, Los LOBOS, Los CHICANOS, Los COYOTES and Los CHERRIES; created One United LH Barrio. . . (Note: In the middle of Chicano Park today, there is a mural that reads “BARRIOS UNIDOS LOGAN”. This is said to be in reference not so much as to Chicano Barrios in general, but more indicative of Logan’s UNITED Varrios). The old Cherries Gang thus gave way to the new LH Red Steps clika which has remained named as such onto present times, and it also has become one of the strongest Gang-Cliques all around. The RED STEPS have with time, added a new younger sub-clique to their ranks called Chicano Park Boys (CPB) and their confederates, the Feeling So Irie Boys Krew (FSI).

The RED STEPS Barrio is concurrent with the boundaries of Barrio Logan itself; the boundaries being one and the same; 16th Street/Commercial Street to the north, 32nd Street to the south, Harbor Drive/Old 101 Highway to the west and Interstate 5 to the east. The Red Steps Barrio is also home to the well-known famed Chicano Park (CP aka CHP) which was built right under the Coronado Bay Bridge (constructed in 1969/70). Chicano Park criss+crosses the RS neighborhood through several streets, semi-dividing the Barrio in half with its many bridge concrete pillars.

This is a small story of Barrio Logan Heights Red Steps as has been understood by yours truly in small-talk conversations here and there, as well as from the received input from some of you out there. I hope that Homies from Logan can visit with us on the Brown Kingdom and speak for themselves as to their history and correct me on any honest mistakes committed.

QUE VIVA EL
BARRIO LOGAN
RED STEPS
POR VIDA
CON SAFOS!

VARRIO SHERMAN 27 STREET

2006-03-10T09:05:00.000-08:00

BARRIO SHERMAN “SM” IS ONE OF THE OLDEST VARRIOS IN THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO. IT’S TERRENO INHABITS THE COMMUNITIES OF SHERMAN HEIGHTS PROPER AND ADJACENT GRANT HILL aka THE HILL. THE VARRIO DATES BACK TO THE VERY EARLY 1900s AND GOES HAND IN HAND WITH THE VARRIOS OF LOS IN TERMS OF CHICANO GANG STRUCTURE … IN RECENT DECADES, STARTING OUT WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF INTERSTATE 5 (WHICH DIVIDED SHERMAN HEIGHTS INTO TWO SIDES) AND CONTINUING ON ONTO CURRENT TIMES, THE WESTERN PART OF THE VARRIO HAS BEEN FOR THE MOST PART DEMOLISHED AND GENTRIFICATION HAS TAKEN ITS TOLL ON THE OLD RESIDENTS IN THIS COMMUNITY. THE WESTERN PART ADJACENT TO DOWNTOWN S.D. CURRENTLY IS A MIXTURE OF HIGH RISE MODERN CONDOMINIUMS AND SKID-ROW TYPE STREETS LEFT IN NEGLECT BUT WITH MANY HOMES AND PEOPLE (BOTH BROWN & BLACKS) RESIDING IN OLD LIL HOUSES TUCKED IN-BETWEEN MODERN CONDOS…
IN THIS WESTERN PART OF SMHts, VARRIO SHERMAN HAD ITS START AND REACHED IT’S HEYDAY TO THE FULLEST. THE VATOS HAD THEIR VARRIO ON LOCK-DOWN AND HAD HANG-OUT SPOTS ON ISLAND AVENUE & 17TH STREET, MARKET STREET & 14TH STREET, ISLAND AVENUE & 14TH STREET, IMPERIAL & 13TH STREET, J STREET & 16TH STREET AND OTHER SPOTS IN-BETWEEN MARKET STREET AND IMPERIAL AVENUE FROM 12TH STREET ALL THE WAY TO 30TH STREET; BUT THIS WHOLE DOWNTOWN AREA NOWADAYS – ALTHOUGH STILL PART OF THE VARRIO – HAS BEEN LEFT BEHIND AND THE EASTERN PART OF THE VARRIO ACROSS THE 5 FREEWAY IS WHERE YOU WILL FIND VSM TODAY – MORE TOWARDS THE COMMUNITY KNOWN AS “GRANT HILL” WITH GRANT HILL PARK AS THEIR CENTRO…. GRANT HILL PARK ITSELF SITS ATOP OF A LIL’ KNOLL THAT HAS A MAGNIFICENT VIEW OF SAN DIEGO BAY, THE DOWNTOWN SKYLINE AND YOU CAN ALSO SEE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO TIJUANA (SOME 18 MILES SOUTH DOWN THE COAST)… GRANT HILL IS MORE OF A BARRIO LOOKING NEIGHBORHOOD, MORE SO THAN THE EASTERN PART OF SHERMAN HEIGHTS OVERLOOKING DOWNTOWN WHERE YOU’RE HARD PRESSED TO FIND “AFFORDABLE HOUSING.” IT IS HERE AT “THE HILL” WHERE THE “GRANT HILL PARK LOCOS” STONERS CLIKA OF VARRIO SHERMAN IS LOCATED AT, AND OVER TO THE NORTH ALONG THE MARKET STREET AREA YOU’LL FIND THE NEWER “CALLE 20 LOCOS”, AND TOWARDS THE SOUTH BORDER WITH LOGAN HEIGHTS, DOWN BY THE TROLLEY RAIL TRACKS IS WHERE YOU’LL FIND THE BAD ASS ORIGINALS “SHERMAN CALLE 27 LOCOS” … EL VARRIO SHERMAN EXTENDS FROM DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO’s 12TH STREET, TO 30TH STREET ON THE EAST, THE MLK 94 FREEWAY ON THE NORTH DIVIDES IT FROM VARRIO LOMAS 26 STREET AND COMMERCIAL STREET / THE TRACKS ON THE SOUTH SEPARATE IT FROM VARRIO LOGAN HEIGHTS…
UNLIKE LOGAN HEIGHTS WHICH IS ALL MOSTLY FLATLAND, BARRIO SHERMAN IS FULL OF HILLSIDES AND RAVINES, SO THEY HAVE ALL KINDS OF EMPTY LOTS AND LIL HILLSIDES, AS WELL AS TREACHEROUS ALLEYWAYS WHERE THEY CAN HANG OUT AND KICK-IT SOMEWHAT TROUBLE-FREE; BUT SANDWICHED IN-BETWEEN VARRIO LOMAS AND LOGAN, THEY ARE IN NO WAY SAFE-N-SOUND FROM ATTACKS.

http://artfromthestreets.blogspot.com/2006/01/barrio-sherman.html

VARRIO LOMAS 26 STREET

2006-03-02T09:46:00.000-08:00

~x VARRIO LOMAS 26 STREET x~

Olden Name; GOLDEN HILL 13

Clikas:
1ST - GOLDEN HILL – Originals
2ND – LOMAS DE ORO – The Alley
3RD – LOMAS - Alley Locos and Juniors
4TH – LOMAS – Juniors and 26 Locos (previously Alley Ls)
5TH – LOMAS XXVI Locos, XXVIII Locos, XXX Locos
Today – LOMAS 26 STREET LOCOS (The Birthplace)

Old Main Hang-Out =
GOLDEN HILL RECREATIONAL CENTER
25 TH STREET PARK – THE VIEW LOOP
THE ALLEY – 25 ST and 26 ST + BROADWAY

Terreno; GOLDEN HILL and SOUTH PARK

Boundaries;

West – Interstate 5
South – MLK 94 Fwy.
East - 15 Freeway
North – Juniper Street

A HISTORY of VARRIO LOMAS (Golden Hill) – SAN DIEGO

Varrio Lomas had its birth in the 1950s during an era when the predominant ones in the Golden Hill community were white biker stoner gangs – real tough mofo’s back then. Little by little, the vatos began to make a stand and consolidating their turf by battling the biker gangs in the area and soon their name began to be known all around.
The Chicano gangs from Logan and East Side San Diego were amongst the closest and most influential gangs all around that area. Back in those days, the main Chicano gangs in San Diego were Logan, East Side SD, Old Town NC, Sherman, Market Street, Encanto, Sidro, Otay, Shell Town, Posole, Encinitas and Lomita Village (later re-named Lomita Varrio 70s).

The first Original vatos in the neighborhood began to claim Golden Hill and later on also started calling their Varrio Lomas De Oro - or – Oro Lomas, but by the 60s the name was shortened to LOMAS, even though they would still use GOLDEN HILL.
These vatos first began to hang out at "The ALLEY” behind Broadway in-between 25th street & 26th street and began using the name THE ALLEY Locos. From this Alley they extended out to 25 Street Park – over to an area known today as Golden Hill Drive – a magnificent view loop overlooking downtown and the bay. This view loop was also common ground for all kinds of Lowrider Raza which cruised up and down 25th street, down to Crosby Street (later renamed Cesar Chavez), across National Avenue in Barrio Logan, all the way to 43RD (Shell Town) -south onto Highland Avenue in Old Town National City. The Hey-Dey of crusing, stretching from the heights to the bayside - in one big loop around.
It was during the later 60s that the vatos from Lomas kicked out East Side San Diego out of 25TH Street Park, and during this same time they also expanded out to the Golden Hill Recreation Center - which went on to become their main hangout during a later time.
After the Alley Locos took over the Rec Center, they still kept their Alley as their main spot, but their numbers were growing and lil’ brothers added to their ranks. However the Alley Locos kept their youngsters at arms length and these in turn kicked it mainly at the Rec Center where they eventually began to use the clika name of CHICOS; But the Alley Locos said “NO, WE HAVE TO KEEP IT ORIGINAL” and so “JUNIORS” was the name adopted officially by the youngsters Clika.
As the 1970s came around and Lomas continued to grow, The (Alley) Locos were kept busy fighting Logan who outnumbered them 6 to 1, while the Juniors kept themselves busy with East Side San Diego.
Lomas and Sherman found themselves more than once banding together against these two Big Varrios, but as the wheels of time crept up - by the start of the 80s the semi-alliance broke down and ceased to be; going on to become enemies – a sad chapter in their history of Varrio warfare...
The 1970s added numbers to all the Varrios and Lomas was no exception; it was during the 70s that Lomas adopted Roman Numerals alongside their Varrio initials thus continuing in keeping themselves original. The Alley Locos added XXVI to the LM, while the new generation of Locos started the XXVIII (28TH ST) Locos and XXX (30TH ST) Locos Cliques. These were difficult times; an era when battles were on the regular all around, therefore the Original Vatos & The Alley Locos got all the Cliques together and convinced them all to keep it only as LOMAS 26 STREET in order to avoid the insider wars surfacing in all the Varrios which were beginning to occur in-between them as well. From thereon after, the Varrio has remained named as such “LOMAS 26,” with the roman numerals dropped at the end of the decade and into the new 80s with only '1' Clika =LOCOS= remaining to represent the Varrio.

Lomas was originally started and organized by 5 familias of brothers. They never had any affiliation with Lomita Village as was confused by some in the early years, nor with the SGV Lomas in San Gra / Rosemead... However, a connection between them and La Puente/Puente Hills does exist on account that some of their early members had ties to the SGV. These early members together with the locals, hung out at the corner of 25TH Street and Broadway and they started a car-club which they named KORNER. These same members with their familia and car club ties subsequently started the car clubs KLIQUE in the SGV and NEW WAVE in S.D, and they have remained tight with each other ever since.

Family ties within these two Car Clubs remain strong even to this day, and VARRIO LOMAS as well has remained real close knit – not big like others, but they keep it together. Their neighborhood has never really been ghetto or run down, and today this community is clean looking in sharp contrast with Sherman or Logan; still they remain family and community oriented, yet keeping the style of La Raza on the front line in San Diego.

Varrio Slogan

“SMALL BUT STRONG!”

By Lonewolf - Brown Kingdom