Botanical Building
The building's exterior in 2013
General information
Town or city	San Diego, California
Country	United States
Coordinates	32°43′57″N 117°08′57″W / 32.7325°N 117.1492°W / 32.7325; -117.1492

The Botanical Building is an historic building located in San Diego's Balboa Park, in the U.S. state of California. Built for the 1915–16 Panama–California Exposition, it remains one of the largest lath structures in the world.^[1] Alfred D. Robinson (1867–1942), founder and president of the San Diego Floral Society, suggested the construction of a lath house as a feature of the Panama–California Exposition, which was to open in the City of San Diego on January 1, 1915.^[2]

Botanical Garden Lily Pond

The Lily Pond, or previously known as “Lagoon,” was built in 1915 for the International Panama-California Exposition. The garden was added along with the pond. The Lily Pond is located in front of the Historical Botanical Garden. It had a multitude of uses during the history of San Diego. During World War I and II, the NAVY occupied the city during the war and used the pond for sailors to take swimming lessons in. Pictures taken during the time show the occupation of Balboa and the pond being used to train sailors.^[3]