History of The Mile

1970

In 1970 over one million dollars in vehicles were sold on the Mile. The "Mile" was growing rapidly, but a large area on the west side of National City Boulevard was wet swampland, created by Paradise Creek and the Sweetwater River. Kile Morgan proposed that the swamp be filled in and the "Mile" expanded. He approached the federal government for funding and in a few years the task was accomplished. Westcott Motors moved to a four and a half acre site between 28th Street and 30th Street. By 1972 the "Mile of Cars" was prospering, adding considerable tax dollars to the city coffers. Frank Lincoln Mercury offered the luxurious Lincoln Continental Mark III, and Balboa Datsun brought the first wave of sport imports from abroad. The oil embargo of 1973 changed the face of the "Mile" when America woke up to find itself short of fuel. Squeezed by the gasoline crunch, many dealers added both economical and exotic small imports to their lines. Cars with names like Suzuki, Alpha Romeo and Toyota began challenging the traditional British sports cars that had dominated that market since 1948. "National Avenue" was re-named by the city to "National City Boulevard" in 1978. By that time, the "Mile" had become an international market for automobiles from around the globe.

1904 • 1906 • 1920 • 1941 • 1955 • 1965 • 1970 • 1990s • Development