From mayors to maids, pedestrians to even presidents, Minsker was known simply as "Downtown Sam." For years, he led walking tours of the CBD--first in informal groups, more recently for the local wing of the non-profit Walkabout International--in knee-length shorts and well-worn shoes that looked as if they were held together by nothing but sticky grit from the city's streets.

Minsker's self-described "love affair with Downtown San Diego" started in 1972, when he moved here from Tillamook, OR. He landed a job as a parking attendant, and his boss later asked him to conduct an inventory of every parking space in the city.

By week's end, Minsker had not only finished the survey, but also had developed an incredible "mental database" of Downtown's buildings and their history. He added to his knowledge over the years by taking classes at local colleges and, perhaps more importantly, talking to nearly everyone he met, from developers and city historians to street bums and prostitutes.