Alonzo Horton moved the center of San Diego to the Waterfront area in 1867 giving the City its unique scenic location.  Horton Plaza Park is a tribute to his foresight. The park features the first water fountain in the United States to have electric lights.

The Westfield Shoppingtown Horton Plaza now occupies six and one-half blocks of the heart of San Diego-Central and provides a festive commercial heart for the city.  Opened in 1985, Horton Plaza was designed by the Jerde Partnership of San Diego to resemble an European market place and to function like an amusement park for shoppers.  The architects also included elements of San Diego's history in their design.  The ornate lamps are replicas of the original gas lamps used in San Diego at the turn of the century.  The Jessop's Clock was built in 1907 and has been a fixture in San Diego for almost one hundred years.