Pantoja Park is a public park located in the Marina district in downtown San Diego, California. 1 It is the oldest park in San Diego, having been built in 1850. 1 The park is named after Don Juan Pantoja y Arriola, a Spanish navigator who drew the first map of San Diego Bay in 1782. 1 The park was originally named Plaza Pantoja; in the mid-19th century, it was known as New Town Park. 2 It contains a statue of Benito Juárez, a gift from the Mexican government in 1981. 1 The park features a large grassy area and multiple large mature trees. 3 It has several towering old fig trees, shrubs and flowers, benches, walking paths, and a historic Natal plum planted in the 4 middle of the park. 3 Two years after the formation of San Diego's Historical Resources Board, Pantoja Park was registered as the seventh San Diego Historic Landmark in 1969. 3 5