The USS Midway Museum and the city of San Diego recently christened “Midway Place,” the city’s newest surface street. Midway Place connects Pacific Highway to Harbor Drive through the IQHQ research and development center directly behind the museum.
Midway Place is named in honor of the USS Midway as well as the USS Midway Museum. San Diego Mayor Today Gloria, San Diego City Councilmember Stephen Whitburn and Midway president and CEO, Terry Kraft, unveiled the new street sign at its intersection with Harbor Drive.
“Midway Place is a street name that honors one of San Diego’s most iconic landmarks and a powerful symbol of our city’s deep connection to the U.S. Navy — the USS Midway,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, during the unveiling ceremony. “The USS Midway, a historic aircraft carrier, represents decades of service, sacrifice and innovation, and it tells the story of the sailors and aviators who served our nation.”
Midway and the city, partners for more than 20 years, worked together for several months on the new “Midway Place” street in downtown San Diego.
“We’re so honored that the city of San Diego has chosen to name a street next to the USS Midway Museum as Midway Place,” said Terry Kraft, Midway’s president and CEO. “This is all about relationships. Naming this street after Midway cements and solidifies the great relationship we’ve had with the city of San Diego for decades.”
The official unveiling of the new street sign recognized the service and sacrifice of the nearly 200,000 sailors who served on board the Midway from 1945-1992 and acknowledges Midway Museum as one of San Diego’s most beloved iconic symbols.
“As a museum, the Midway has become one of San Diego’s most visited and beloved attractions, welcoming millions of guests from around the world and contributing significantly to our local economy,” said Mayor Gloria, whose grandfather served in the military during World War II. “The Midway also helps define San Diego as a military-friendly city, a world-class visitor destination, and a place where history is preserved, and more importantly, shared.”
Midway, the world’s most popular and visited naval ship museum, is the “#1 Thing To Do in San Diego” as per Tripadvisor. More than 21 million guests have visited the museum since it opened to the public in 2004.
“Naming this street Midway Place ensures that the legacy of the USS Midway is permanently woven into the fabric of our city and visible to generations to come,” said Mayor Gloria, who established the San Diego Military, Veteran and Families Advisory Council in 2021. “This designation also recognizes the role the Midway plays in our waterfront, our tourism industry and our community pride.”
The new street is a tribute to the USS Midway for its nearly 50 years of active-duty service with the U.S. Navy and its more than two decades as a floating naval ship museum in San Diego.
“Midway Place shows that all roads lead to Midway,” said Terry with a grin. “This has been years in the making and is a great thing for San Diego.”
“The unveiling of Midway Place is about honoring the past, celebrating the present and inspiring future generations to understand the service, courage and history that helped shape San Diego,” said Mayor Gloria. “It is my honor to officially welcome Midway Place to the city of San Diego.”
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