Old Poway Park

With its historic buildings and working railroad, Old Poway Park invites visitors to experience California around the turn of the 20th century. The nearly 5-acre park is in the heart of Old Poway, which is centered along Midland Road, from Twin Peaks Road to the north and Hilleary Place to the south. Buildings are designed to contribute to the historic character of the area. The architectural style represents early Poway Valley, once a prosperous area for crop and dairy farming.

Colonel Porter's Dream

When retired Army Colonel John S. Porter settled in Poway in 1948, he had a dream: revitalize Old Poway and make it a place for folks to come and enjoy the old west. Through the years, Colonel Porter acquired and built the beginnings of a historic village. Included in his dream was the purchase of a 1907 Baldwin Number 3 Steam Engine and a half-mile track. "The Poway Village & Rattlesnake Creek Railroad" operated during the 1960s for special events such as the Fourth of July and Pow Wow Days. Colonel Porter died in 1979, before his vision fully came to fruition.

History Assembled

The City of Poway purchased the land from the estate of Colonel Porter in December 1986 and the following year began the transformation to make Colonel Porter’s dream a reality. Historic buildings from around Poway were brought to the site and restored. Templar’s Hall was Poway's first assembly hall, originally named the International Order of Good Templars Hall. The Nelson House is an early twentieth century home once owned by the Nelson family, who were successful Poway ranchers.  

The Porter House and the Hamburger Factory (originally a small bar and eatery) were refurbished. A train barn was built to house the steam engine, along with a 1938 Fairmont Speeder and ore cars, and an 1894 L.A. Yellow Trolley. The Overshiner's Blacksmith Shop and the gazebo were built to enhance the ambiance of the "turn of the twentieth century" setting. A two-acre green park for picnics was styled after the Teddy Roosevelt National Park system. 

By the time the park opened to the public in 1993, a group of volunteers had formed the Poway Midland Railroad volunteers to operate the railway. Old Poway Park was dedicated on July 4, 1994. 

The Old Poway Park Action Committee was established to help govern the ambience of the park and its thematic nature to ensure the park continued in its mission to bring history to life. There are currently 10 volunteer organizations that make up OPPAC, with approximately 300 volunteers who collectively contribute more than 10,000 hours a year to the park.

Old Poway Park is a dream come true. As Colonel Porter's wife said, "What the city has done to the property was exactly what my husband had planned."