Located in the northern portion of the San Diego city limits Mira Mesa is situated in an area once inhabited by Indian tribes, the relics and bones of which can still be found in Penasquitos canyon.  When the Spaniards came the area became part of a large land grant known as Rancho Penasquitos.  Because much of the land was considered wasteland, it was not put to much use for years until developers in the early 1960's saw its potential to relieve the housing shortage San Diego was suffering.