Chula Vista (/ˌtʃuːlə ˈvɪstə/ CHOO-lə VIST-ə; Spanish for 'Beautiful/Pretty View',[9][10][11][12] pronounced [ˈtʃula ˈβista]) is a city in San Diego County, California, United States.

[15] It is not until 10,000 years ago that human activity has been found within the modern borders of Chula Vista, primarily in Otay Valley of the San Dieguito people.

[15] The oldest site of human settlement within the modern boundaries of Chula Vista, was named Otai by the Spanish in 1769, and had been occupied as far back as 7,980 years ago.

[17] Another place where humans first settled within the modern boundaries of Chula Vista was at the Rolling Hills Site, which dates back to 7,000 years ago.

[17] In 3000 BC, people speaking the Yuman (Quechan) language began moving into the region from the Lower Colorado River Valley and southwestern Arizona portions of the Sonoran Desert.

[19] In 1542 AD, a fleet of three Spanish Empire ships commanded by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, sailed into San Diego Harbor.

[26] Chula Vista can be roughly translated from Spanish as "beautiful view";[18] the name was suggested by Sweetwater Dam designer James D.

[31] During the depression at the end of the century, industrial employment in Chula Vista was limited to the La Punta Salt Works and packing houses.

[34] The yacht club would the first on the West Coast to build race specific boats, which resulted in a uniquely designed sloop.

[36] In the 1910s, Chinese, Filipino, and Mexican farm laborers worked the fields within the city, with most commuting in from downtown San Diego and Logan Heights.

[39] Later in 1916, the Hercules Powder Company opened a 30-acre bayfront site, now known as Gunpowder point, which produced substances used to make cordite, a gun propellant used extensively by the British Armed Forces during World War I.

[10] In 1920, San Diego Country Club opened in Chula Vista, with its clubhouse designed by Richard Requa who had previously worked on the California Pacific International Exposition.

[49] Due to Executive Order 9066, the Japanese Americans who lived in Chula Vista were sent to Santa Anita Racetrack and then to the Poston War Relocation Center.

[52] In 1944, the state of California attempted to seize land in Chula Vista owned by Kajiro Oyama, a legal Japanese resident who was then interned in Utah.

The last of the citrus groves and produce fields disappeared as Chula Vista became one of the largest communities in San Diego County.

[62] In 1985, Chula Vista made the largest annexation in California history, which included the neighborhoods of Castle Park and Otay.

Plans called for a variety of housing developments such as the Eastlake, Rancho del Rey, and Otay Ranch neighborhoods.

[66] The quick expansion east of Interstate 805 was not embraced by all of the cities residents, leading to advocacy that new housing developments be built with parks, schools, and emergency services.

[72] During World War I and II, the army maintained a base on the present-day corner of Main Street and Albany Avenue.

[96] The geography of Chula Vista is impacted by the La Nacion and Rose Canyon Fault zones;[97] it has moved rocks from Pleistocene and younger eras.

[103] Beginning in the late 1980s the planned communities of Eastlake, Otay Ranch, Millenia, and Rancho del Rey began to develop in the annexed areas east of Interstate 805 and California State Route 125.

[105] Although "Eastlake" properly refers only to one planned community in east Chula Vista built around an artificial pond, the name is often used to encompass a much broader suburban region along the SR 125 corridor.

[citation needed] In the years around 2008 thousands of Tijuana's elite bought houses in and moved to east Chula Vista escaping violence, kidnapping and other crime taking place during that period in the Mexican metropolis only a few miles away.

"[107] In late 2018, a new Rapid bus route was created, taking passengers from the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, through eastern Chula Vista, and then into downtown San Diego.

People of German descent made up 3.4% of the population of the town, followed by Irish at 3.1%, English at 2.3%, Italian at 2.0%, French at 1.3%, American at 1.1%, Caribbean (excluding Hispanics) at 0.8%, Polish at 0.8%, Arab at 0.6%, Sub-Saharan African at 0.6%, Swedish at 0.6%, and Norwegian at 0.5%.

[130] In 2001 Dai Nippon Printing (DNP) stated that concentration of various ethnic groups in Chula Vista, which had multiple Japanese businesses and services, was one reason why the company chose to open an office there.

[134][135] The Nature Center is home to interactive exhibits describing geologic and historic aspects of the Sweetwater Marsh and San Diego Bay.

[137] Other points of interest and events include the Chula Vista Nature Center,[138] the J Street Harbor,[139] and the Third Avenue Village.

North Island Credit Union Amphitheater is a performing arts theatre that was the areas first major concert music facility.

The Rebels SC adult team were able to win the Fall 2021 South San Diego Division and reach the National Finals but ultimately losing to FC Arizona in the round of 32.