HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-11-10; Historic Preservation Commission; 02; Historic Plaque Nomination - Four Stages of History MuralMeeting Date: Nov. 10, 2025
To: Historic Preservation Commission
From: Mike Strong, Assistant Director of Community Development
Staff Contact: Mike Strong, Assistant Director of Community Development
Mike.strong@carlsbadca.gov, 442-339-2721
Subject: Historic Plaque Nomination - Four Stages of History Mural
Recommended Action
Review and consider the nomination of Four Stages of History Mural at 3110 Roosevelt St,
Carlsbad, CA 92008 for a historic plaque.
Executive Summary
Historic plaques or markers may be utilized to recognize and landmark local historic resources,
sites, and location of events or persons that are significant in the area of architecture,
archaeology, history, and traditional culture. The city received a letter on Oct. 29, 2025,
nominating the Four Stages of History Mural for a historic plaque. The Four Stages of History
Mural is located on the north side wall of Circle K Carlsbad, on 3110 Roosevelt St., Carlsbad, CA
92008.
Each historic plaque requires City Council approval before it can be created and installed. For
Historic Plaque requests, the Historic Preservation Commission’s primary role is to determine
whether the nominated building, structure, site, artifact, or landscape feature, continues to
have historic integrity and is therefore eligible for a historic plaque. The Commission’s expertise
in reviewing historic resources will be beneficial to the City Council’s review of the historic
plaque nomination. Upon confirmation of historic eligibility, the Commission would need to
forward a recommendation to the City Council to approve the historic plaque nomination for
the site.
Discussion
The City of Carlsbad’s Historic Plaque Program was established on May 20, 2025 (Exhibit 1,
Resolution No. 2025-110) to increase public awareness of history and highlight the importance
of local landmarks and historical resources. The Plaque Program is a great way to recognize and
commemorate places, people or events of historical significance. Based on a city inventory,
there are 21 Carlsbad sites that currently have a historic plaque or marker.
The Historic Preservation Commission may identify up to two sites each year to be presented to
the City Council for approval. To be eligible for a historic plaque, the nominated building,
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
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structure, site, artifact, or landscape feature must meet one of the following eligibility criteria
to be eligible for a plaque:
•Listed in the local, state, or national register
•Designated by resolution as a heritage tree in the city’s Heritage Tree Inventory
•Identified as having a unique historical significance
o Qualifying as the “first” of its kind (i.e., first post office, first school); and
o Be of a significant age relative to the founding of the city; and
o Represent the cultural history of the region or the city
The property, located at 3110 Roosevelt St., is not currently designated as a historic resource in
any local, state, or national register (Historic Resources Inventory). Applicants who own a
property not yet designated at the local, state, and/national level may still submit a historic
plaque nomination application. Carlsbad’s Plaque Program requires that properties not already
formally designated as a historic resource or other formal designation, must be identified as
having some sort of unique historical significance.
The Four Stages of History Mural was created in 1983 and has been restored a couple of times
sense. Each panel of the mural symbolizes a stage of the Mexican-American experience
transformation, from the region’s indigenous roots and Spanish colonization to what helped
shape Carlsbad’s social and cultural landscape today. The history and supporting documents for
the subject property are attached to this report (Exhibit 2).
Should the Commission support the requested nomination, the Commission must direct city staff
to work with the property owner to sign an agreement in which the owner agrees to maintain
the historic integrity and to return the plaque to the City of Carlsbad in the event they remove it
from the current location. City staff would then prepare a resolution for the Commission to
approve to forward the recommendation to the City Council.
Fiscal Analysis
By recommending approval of a historic plaque for this property, the city would be incurring a
relatively small expense. City staff estimate that each custom plaque would cost about $1,000
to manufacture, assuming each would be a 17-inch by 12-inch bronze plaque with 408
characters, which is about eight to nine lines of text. That estimate includes about $40 for
shipping. The city would be responsible for paying the full cost of the fabrication and shipping
of the plaque while the property owner would be responsible for paying for the cost of
installing and maintaining the plaque. Funding would be requested as part of the City Council’s
consideration.
Environmental Evaluation (CEQA)
Pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21065, this action does not constitute a “project”
within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in that it has no
potential to cause either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably
foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and therefore does not require
environmental review.
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Exhibits
1.City of Carlsbad’s Historic Plaque Program - Resolution No. 2025-110.
2.Historic Plaque Nomination Documents (dated Oct. 29, 2025)
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From:Natalie Ibarra
To:Mike Strong
Cc:Carlsbad History; Craddock Stropes
Subject:Four Stages of History Mural Historical Plaque Nomination
Date:Wednesday, October 29, 2025 8:37:08 PM
Attachments:Four Stages Mural Historical Plaque Nomination Letter.pdfFour Stages Mural Photographs & Newsclipping.pdf
Hi Mike,
I have attached to this email my formal nomination letter for the Four Stages of History Mural
to be recognized under the Historic Plaque Program. Along with this letter, I have included adocument with pictures and news clippings from the murals' creation in 1983, the first
restoration in 2010, and the second restoration, which is currently underway.
If you have any questions or comments, please let me know, and I would be happy to answerthem.
Thank you very much for your time and support.
Natalie Ibarra
CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and
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Exhibit 2
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October 29, 2025
City of Carlsbad
Historic Preservation Commission
1200 Carlsbad Village Drive
Carlsbad, CA 92008
Nomination of the “Four Stages of History” Mural for Designation as a City
Historical Landmark
Dear Members of the Historic Preservation Commission,
I am writing to formally nominate the Four Stages of History Mural, located in the heart of
Carlsbad’s Barrio community, for recognition as an official historical landmark. As the daughter
of the mural’s original creator, Josefina Prieto Ibarra, I am deeply honored to carry forward her
vision and legacy by ensuring that this important piece of Carlsbad’s cultural history receives the
recognition and protection it deserves.
The Four Stages of History Mural is located on the north side wall of Circle K Carlsbad, on 3110
Roosevelt St, Carlsbad, CA 92008.
The Four Stages of History Mural was created in 1983 by members of the Raza Unida Club, a
club that started out of Carlsbad High, under the artistic direction of Victor Ochoa, a Chicano
Park muralist. At the time, the neighborhood was grappling with issues of division and loss,
including the tragic death of a local youth, Larry Mendez. The mural project became a unifying
force, transforming a frequently vandalized wall into a living canvas of pride and identity for the
Barrio community.
Depicting four significant eras, from the region’s Indigenous roots, through Spanish colonization,
the Mexican-American experience, and into the modern era, the mural tells the story of
Carlsbad through the eyes of its residents. Each panel (fist) symbolizes a stage of
transformation, reflecting the strength and contributions of the Mexican-American community
that helped shape Carlsbad’s social and cultural landscape.
Over the past four decades, this mural has served as a landmark of cultural continuity and
community pride. In 2010, during my senior year at Carlsbad High, a group of friends, alongside
our M.E.Ch.A. advisor, restored the mural to preserve its vibrant history for a new generation. In
2025, a second restoration, currently underway, continues this legacy, reaffirming the mural’s
significance as a space of reflection and educational expression.
Enclosed with this letter is a document containing photographs from the mural’s creation in
1983, its first restoration in 2010, and the current restoration in 2025. Also included are archived
newspaper clippings that document the mural’s evolution and its lasting impact on the Barrio of
Carlsbad community.
The Four Stages of History Mural stands not only as a public artwork but as a historical
document in itself. Recognizing it as an official City of Carlsbad Historical Landmark would
ensure that future generations continue to learn from and be inspired by this enduring symbol of
unity and cultural pride.
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The owner of Circle K is aware and supports that the mural is being presented and nominated
for the historical plaque program.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I would be honored to provide any additional
materials or context needed to support this nomination.
Natalie Ibarra
natalie.ibarra92@gmail.com
760-310-9168
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1983 - Creation
CHS Raza Unida Club
Four Stages of History Mural
Carlsbad, Ca
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2010 - 1st Restoration
CHS M.E.Ch.A Club
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2025 - 2nd Restoration
Barrio Community
Currently in process (October-November 2025)
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HISTORICAL PLAQUE NOMINATION:
FOUR STAGES MURAL
Mike Strong, Assistant Director of Community Development
Nov. 10, 2025