PLNU has different locations besides the main campus in Point Loma for both
undergraduate and
graduate programs to study from. This includes the Bakersfield, Balboa, and Mission Valley Regional Centers. Other locations also include the Liberty Station Conference Center or online programs with the university. Once owned by the
Theosophical Society, the Point Loma site has a lengthy pre-PLNU history.
Lomaland Before it served as the Point Loma Nazarene University campus, the area was the location of a Theosophical commune run by
Katherine Tingley. It became known as "Lomaland". By 1900, the campus was dominated by the imposing Academy Building and the adjoining Temple of Peace of the Theosophical Society. Both buildings were constructed in the
Theosophical vernacular that included the flattened arch
motif and whimsical references to
antiquity. The buildings were topped by
amethyst domes, which were lighted at night and could be seen offshore. The entrance to the Academy Building was dominated by two massive carved doors that symbolized the Theosophical Principles of "spiritual enlightenment" and "human potential." The sculptor, Reginald Machell, was educated in England, but moved to
Lomaland in 1896. The interior furnishings he carved for the Academy Building were influenced by the
Symbolist style popular in Europe at that time. Machell also supervised the woodworking school at Point Loma. Lomaland had public buildings for the entire community and several private homes. The home of
Albert Spalding, the sporting goods
tycoon, was built in 1901. The building combines late-
Victorian wooden architecture with historical motifs such as the modified
Corinthian column (now shaped like a papyrus leaf) and flattened arches. The amethyst dome was restored by a team of scholars led by Dr. Dwayne Little of the PLNC department of History and Political Science in 1983. The first
Greek theater in North America was built on this site in 1901. It was used for sporting events and theatrical performances. The
tessellated pavement and
stoa were added in 1909. The theatre was the site of a number of productions of Greek and
Shakespearean dramas. Cabrillo Hall, which served as the International Center Headquarters, the Brotherhood Headquarters, and "Wachere Crest" building, was completed in 1909. It served as office space for the Theosophical Society and as a residence for
Katherine Tingley after 1909. It was originally located on the west side of Pepper Tree lane. The hall is currently the location for the Communication Studies Department. Lomaland dissolved in the aftermath of
World War I and was used for
bootlegging during the
Prohibition period. The tunnel systems and site were later taken over by
Fort Rosecrans before
World War II. It served as an observation point and several barracks were installed on the site, which constitute some of the campus dormitories for PLNU. In 1952, California Western University relocated to Point Loma. In 1968, California Western changed its name to
United States International University and moved to
Scripps Ranch, while the
California Western School of Law retained its old name and relocated from its Point Loma location to downtown in 1973. Pasadena College moved from Pasadena to Point Loma to replace it. ==Religious affiliation==