“Murder of the Jujube Candy Heiress Author Talk” happened here. That is just one event that the Coronado Historical Association hosts. Founded in 1969, the Coronado Historical Association helps people understand Coronado’s unique history. It also highlights art, architecture, and historical resources. The Coronado Historical Association is a non-profit charitable organization.
The Coronado Historical Association is in a historically designated building. This building is right in the center of downtown. Inside, you can explore Coronado’s past. Discover its links to aviation and the military. Learn about the renowned Hotel del Coronado. The Coronado Historical Association also features changing exhibits. These exhibits showcase Coronado culture and history. The Museum Store sells unique items too.
Before we delve deeper into the story of the Coronado Historical Association, let us turn back the clock to the early seventeenth century. Spanish explorer Sebastian Vizcaino saw a group of islands off the coast. They were seventeen miles from Southern California. He named them Las Yslas Coronadas. But, these men did not settle the area. For almost 200 years, the peninsula remained bare.
Later, Coronado was used as a safe harbor by whalers. They built hide houses for their work. In 1846, Don Pedro Carrillo received a land grant for the island. He sold it just five months later to Bezer Simmons for $1000.00.
The peninsula changed hands several times. In 1885, Elisha S. Babcock, Jr., Hampton L. Story, and Jacob Gruendike bought it for $110,000.00. They formed the Coronado Beach Company. Work began on the resort community. Laborers divided lots and laid railroad tracks. They also built a water system. The San Diego and Coronado Ferry Company was created to transport people to the peninsula.
News of a proposed hotel excited the community. In 1886, the Coronado Beach Co. auctioned lots. They sold 350 lots for $110,000.00. This was the purchase price of the entire peninsula. The investors focused on building the new hotel. James and Watson Reid were hired as architects. The Hotel del Coronado opened in 1888.
In 1887 and 1888, Coronado was developing into a community. The first school session began in 1887. A Boating Club was organized. An Athletic Club and a Baseball Club followed. In 1889, John D. Spreckels became an investor. He bought controlling interest in the company. Spreckels oversaw the building of a grand mansion. He established Tent City. He sold North Island to the U.S. government in 1917.
Today, the Coronado Historical Association preserves Coronado’s history. It collects newspapers from the 1880s. It has vintage garments. There are over 20,000 photographs. The Coronado Historical Association also conducts oral history interviews. These interviews capture stories that might otherwise go undocumented. This project is called Island Icons.
The Coronado Historical Association offers historic walking tours. These tours support its mission. They provide fun educational programs for kids. So, come and explore the unique history of Coronado. Every tour helps the Coronado Historical Association. Your support brings Coronado’s history to the community.