General Atomics (GA) was founded on July 18, 1955, in San Diego as a division of General Dynamics on Hancock Street 'for the purpose of harnessing the power of nuclear technologies'. In 1956 voters approved transferring land to GA for facilities in Torrey Pines and the John Jay Hopkins Laboratory for Pure and Applied Science was formally dedicated there on June 25, 1959. The facility continues to serve as the company's headquarters today.