(Oceanside, CA) Aug. 22, 2025 – The Oceanside Historical Society is proud to announce the longawaited grand opening of their new location: The Weese Oceanside History Center at 510 Civic Center Drive in Oceanside’s Cultural District! The Oceanside History Center will hold a private ceremony and ribbon cutting on Wednesday August 27, 2025 to thank and honor their benefactor, Thomas Weese. Then the History Center will open their doors to the public onFriday, August 29 at 10 am. Weese purchased the building for the Oceanside Historical Society to provide a permanent home.
He wanted to leave a lasting and meaningful legacy for his parents Robert A. and Bessie J. Weese. Robert Weese went to work for the
Oceanside Water Department as a meter reader in the 1920s and while reading and repairing every water meter in Oceanside, gained a firsthand knowledge of the water system.
In 1938 Weese was appointed Oceanside’s Water Superintendent, a position he held until his retirement in 1968. Weese’s knowledge of the water and sewer department was so vast that he was known as “Mr. Water.” Weese wrote a detailed history of the water department which was published in the Oceanside Blade Tribune. He was a member of the San Diego County Water Authority, serving as the Chairman of the Engineering and Operations Committee, a member of the State Regional Water Quality Control Board, and other water related organizations.
The Oceanside Historical Society has been closed for the past two months in moving, and preparation of new exhibits. Their new location affords just over 3,000 square feet and includes a large exhibit room showcasing the history of Oceanside from the 1880s to the 1980s.
The Weese Oceanside History Center will be open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 am to 2 pm (closed Thursday and holidays). The History Center is free to the public.
We are seeking sponsors and donors to support our new History Center. If you are interested in donating to the Oceanside Historical Society to help us share our history and sustain our continued efforts, contact Kristi Hawthorne or visit www.OceansideHistoricalSociety.org
Donations are tax deductible through the Oceanside Historical Society, a registered 501c
