Do you know the number one tourist attraction in Lemon Grove? It is the Parsonage Museum located in Treganza Heritage Park, 3200 Main Street – just eight (8) miles east of downtown San Diego in the neighboring City of Lemon Grove.
The museum and cultural center offer a glimpse into the development of what was once known as the “main entrance to the San Diego Metropolitan Empire.” Before the interstate freeways – before the first airport – miners heading for Julian gold and travelers crossing the desert from Yuma passed through the gateway to San Diego along the Lemon Grove road.
The first stage station is gone now, but a re-creation of the first train depot lives. The first church building in Lemon Grove still stands and you can visit it. It is the modern day home of the Parsonage Museum, 3185 Olive Street.
Walk along the tracks that once carried box cars of locally grown lemons to eastern markets. See the building where the historic Sonka Store was located, now the home of the award-winning, five-panel Lemon Grove History Mural, 3308 Main Street. The Sonka Store has been recreated inside the Parsonage Museum. And you can’t miss the “Big Lemon,” a monument to the days when Lemon Grove was just that – a sea of lemon orchards.
Join us for a pleasant afternoon. See museum hours here. Our museum docents will introduce you to the delights of small town life that would have been familiar to past generations.
We have ample free parking. Admission to the museum is by donation, souvenirs are available at the museum gift shop. Delicious sandwiches are available less than a block away at Lemon Grove’s famous Grove Grinder Sandwich Shop.
Pick up a picnic lunch, come to Treganza Heritage Park, visit our Parsonage Museum and make a day of it in beautiful Lemon Grove. For a memorable experience – do something out of the ordinary. Visit us!
After seeing the Lemon Grove Parsonage Museum, consider joining us for one of or many exciting events or programs.